How RiverAware is Helping Communities Prepare for Flooding
When flooding struck their own community, the team at Transcend Engineering saw firsthand how difficult it was to access timely, reliable information about river conditions. They realized that there were few tools for their community to quickly and easily understand what was happening — or what was about to happen — with nearby rivers and streams. That experience sparked a mission: to develop a simple, intuitive way for anyone to monitor flood risks and make informed decisions when it matters most.
The result is RiverAware — a user-friendly mobile app that puts vital river data at your fingertips. With interactive maps, a personalized watch list, custom alerts, and easy sharing features, RiverAware empowers users to track local stream and river conditions and respond appropriately.
To bring this vision to life, Transcend Engineering needed access to high-quality, real-time water data. Their existing data provider had not been as reliable as they had hoped, and there were still gaps in coverage. That’s when they turned to Synoptic Data — the world’s largest platform for real-time environmental observations — to help power their app.
“Synoptic’s reliability, stability, and data quality were key factors in our decision to move forward with using their platform,” Emily Ellert, Digital Strategies Manager at RiverAware, shared. “We wanted a data source we could trust, with seamless access to a broad range of streamgage stations.”
Data Empowers Decisions
The app includes observations from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stations, which are available in the Synoptic platform, along with a large amount of other environmental observation networks that contain stream gauge data, soil moisture, and precipitation information. RiverAware pulls in this information from Synoptic’s Weather API. The API has built-in quality control that checks for inaccuracies, flagging them for the user, as well as low latency, meaning the data is available quickly in the platform. This means whether you’re watching rivers near your home, your vacation cabin, or your child’s summer camp, RiverAware is able to provide the fast, accurate updates you need.
RiverAware was created to help people feel more in control during uncertain situations, and real-world users are already seeing the benefits:
“After being flooded in the past, and now serving as co-chair of a long-term flood recovery group, I know how important it is to stay alert. Being able to set multiple alerts with RiverAware helps me track risks near my home and in the area served by our [organization]. I’ve already recommended it to others in my region.” – Heather, Vermont
With reliable data, RiverAware is able to deliver accurate, real-time river information that gives users peace of mind and helps keep them safe.
A Common Mission for a Better World
Transcend Engineering has deep roots in hydrological science and data science. RiverAware reflects the company’s growth from supporting small-scale research projects to offering real-world solutions for public safety. Today, the app has been downloaded more than 800 times and is proving especially valuable to land managers, local parks, rural firefighters, and anyone who lives, works, or enjoys recreation near rivers and streams. Whether you’re kayaking, fishing, or monitoring conditions near your home, RiverAware and Synoptic are providing the information needed to stay ahead of rapidly changing conditions.
Both RiverAware and Synoptic share a common belief: that environmental information should be easy to access and act on. With this partnership, both companies are making that possible — and helping more people stay safe, prepared, and informed.
Download RiverAware Today
Don’t wait for the next flood event — Download RiverAware on the App Store today to start monitoring your rivers with confidence.
