Note: This VAL system was used from September 1995–2014. The updated VAL system can be found here.
Agency: GNS Science
Name: Scientific Volcanic Alert Level System
Elements of VAL system
| Domain | Terrestrial |
| Volcano | All |
| Scheme range | 0–5 level scale |
| Lowest level | 0 |
| Highest level | 5 |
| Level name type | Number |
| Level for lack/loss of monitoring | No |
| Volcanic activity | Yes |
| Hazards possible | No |
| Locations affected | Yes |
| Potential impacts | Yes |
| Forecast language | Yes |
| Timing language | No |
| Actions to take | No |
| Agency actions | No |
| Link to evacuations | No |
| Reporting frequency per level | No |
| Link to monitoring thresholds | No |
| Step-up and step-down language | No |
Related References
Potter, S. H., Jolly, G. E., Neall, V. E., Johnston, D. M., & Scott, B. J. (2014). Communicating the status of volcanic activity: revising New Zealand’s volcanic alert level system. Journal of Applied Volcanology, 3(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13617-014-0013-7
Potter, S.H., Scott, B.J., Fearnley, C.J., Leonard, G.S., Gregg, C.E. (2017). Challenges and Benefits of Standardising Early Warning Systems: A Case Study of New Zealand’s Volcanic Alert Level System. In: Fearnley, C.J., Bird, D.K., Haynes, K., McGuire, W.J., Jolly, G. (eds) Observing the Volcano World. Advances in Volcanology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/11157_2017_18