When dam gates must open: Kerala’s data-integration challenge for flood control

The article highlights Kerala's significant challenge in flood management, focusing on the critical need for data integration and interoperability among various state and central agencies. Despite having advanced monitoring capabilities like automated weather stations and reservoir assessment tools, information remains siloed. The 2018 floods underscored the necessity of understanding river basins as connected systems and integrating real-time data on rainfall, reservoir levels, tributary flows, and river carrying capacity for effective dam water release decisions. The proposed solution involves creating a secure interoperability layer to connect existing systems, rather than building new standalone databases, potentially starting with a pilot in the Pamba basin. The article emphasizes that technology should support, not replace, human decision-makers and ensure accountability through auditable decision trails, especially as extreme weather events become more unpredictable.