Waterline is a flood reporting and response coordination prototype developed by Team October Grinch, comprising Abhishek Bharathi, Aadithya Ram, Aadidev, and Sanjay S M.
During floods, scattered photos, incomplete location information, and disconnected updates can make reports difficult to assess. We chose this problem to explore how a shared reporting platform could help citizens communicate local conditions and help operators coordinate their response.
The application connects four key workflows:

• Citizen reporting: Submit flood photos and location details through a public portal.
• Office administration: Review reports, manage resident records and consent, and prepare alerts.
• AI-assisted intelligence: Use Google’s Gemma through the Gemini API alongside physics-based calculations to support report assessment.
• Response operations: Coordinate responder assignments, dispatch activities, and field updates.
  Built with Python, FastAPI, SQLite, and a browser-based interface, Waterline includes protected operator dashboards and interactive maps using Leaflet and OpenStreetMap.
  Our approach connects citizen observations with assessment and response workflows. Operators can review incoming reports alongside responder updates. When live AI analysis fails, reports are marked for manual review rather than receiving simulated measurements.
  A key learning has been that useful AI integration requires clear failure handling, reliable location information, and human oversight. The current application is a demonstration prototype: SMS delivery is simulated, and emergency-use suitability has not been validated.