The project, which will utilise GroundSat, a newly developed soil moisture mapping technique, has been funded by the Welsh Government as part of the Coal Tips Safety programme and will add value to the assessment and monitoring of disused coal tips. High-resolution soil moisture data and analysis will be carried out over tips and surrounding areas across 10 different local authorities in South Wales. The assessment will confirm the effectiveness of existing drainage systems and identify any hidden moisture which could represent a future risk.
GroundSat, which uses space-borne remote observation techniques, has been developed in collaboration with satellite technology partner Asterra, pioneers in the detection of water on earth using L-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar.
The technology is an adaptation of what is used to search for water on other planets. It allows users to remotely measure soil moisture levels below ground level, assessing sites and identifying geotechnical risks or drainage issues before they have an impact on critical infrastructure, construction projects and development sites.
Richard Pidcock, Central Alliance's joint managing director said: "It's fantastic that the Welsh Government and the Coal Authority are turning to the latest technology proactively, to help provide reassurance that existing drainage systems are effective and to identify hidden wet areas. As we have seen from recent extreme weather events from around the world, it is vitally important to monitor the impact of climate change, and the GroundSat satellite mapping project will form an important dataset for that assessment, confirming the Welsh Government's commitment to proactive assessment of climate change."
Lori Frater, the Welsh Government's head of Coal Tip Safety Task Force added: "Alongside engineering works, technology has an important role to play in ensuring the safety of disused coal tips. It's important that all possible means of monitoring of tips over the long-term are considered and funding different technology trials helps to ensure we have appropriate approaches in place."
The project is due to start in September 2021, capturing data in relatively drier months, with a second phase to capture seasonal change in winter introduced early next year
Tim Marples, head of Tips Response at the Coal Authority added: "We are pleased to engage Central Alliance to undertake this innovative review which we believe has the potential to add value to the project. We look forward to working with Central Alliance to assess this technology and the opportunities it presents."
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