Hydrology across disciplines: the experience of a Public Hydrological Service in Italy

Author(s):  
Giuseppe Ricciardi ◽  
Alessandro Allodi ◽  
Fabio Bordini ◽  
Monica Branchi ◽  
Francesco Cogliandro ◽  
...  

<p>Water is very important for human consumption, production and services and also for inspiration, recreation, landscapes, ecosystems and wild life. UN and EU policies highlights the interaction of historical scientific, economic, societal and environmental factors and the linkage of water policies with biodiversity protection and Climate Change adaptation.  According to the European Green Deal (2019), for a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy working across sectors and disciplines, will be needed, also involving local communities. Moreover Political and management processes may take benefits from specific participatory Tools.</p><p>The Emilia-Romagna Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy (Arpae) helps sustainability developing  actions for water protection, water use, flood management and education to sustainability.  </p><p>Arpae Hydrological Service (HS) supports flood management and water management, as also design and management of hydraulic structures, through the Flood Early Warning System FEWS and  the Drought Early Warning System DEWS. Arpae HS also collect and publish hydrological time series (water, solid transport) and stage-discharge equations.</p><p>Within FP7 Enhance (2017) multi risk analysis and Public Private Partnership (PPPs) experiences were supported by  modeling tools combining flood /earthquake/Climate Change scenarios in a densely populated, highly developed land reclamation territory. An Application of the System for Economic and Environmental Accounting for Water (UN SEEA -Water) was developed in 2017. Within Interreg Proline-CE (2019), the FEWS and DEWS Systems, respectively supporting the Flood Forecasting Center and the Observatory on Water Uses, were proposed as Best Management Practices (BMPs) for land and water management useful for drinking water protection. BMPs where tested through workshops, questionnaires,  meetings and technical visits, useful for dissemination and  stakeholders involvement. H2020 Clara was useful to experience co-design/co-development approaches, to explore market segments and business models for water knowledge and climate services, and to set dedicated Policy Briefs for Water and Climate Change Adaptation; Arpae HS developed a set of modeling services  (Clara PWA) related to water management, solid transport, water quality and habitat availability, useful to understand the  influenced of climate change and the needs and proposal coming from market and  the institutions. Interreg boDEREC-CE is a current project on pharmaceutical and personal care pollutants (PPCPs), aimed at developing tools and strategies for protection of drinking water, water ecosystems and public health from pollution, bacterial resistance, toxicity and pathogens.</p><p>Arpae HS through these experiences has gained awareness of the inter linkage of hydrology with other sectors (economy, Earth sciences, ICT, health, ecology, society) and of the importance of developing specific decision support tools maximizing stakeholder participation, societal dissemination, transparency, education to sustainability and experts involvement.</p>

Author(s):  
Mary-Jeanne Adler

Romania experiences severe flooding problems almost every year. Within the last decade, floods have resulted in more than 200 deaths and estimated economic damages of $92 million per year. Also, between 1992 and 2012, there were 700 reported accidental chemical spills in Romania, some of them resulting in trans-boundary impacts. In this chapter is described the Romanian flood early warning system concept realized by the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management (INHGA) under the auspices of Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (in former time Ministry of Environmental and Waters – MoEW) and DESWAT project. Beginning with 2014, DESWAT (Destructive Waters Abatement and Control) flood monitoring system is functional in all Romania.


Author(s):  
Mary-Jeanne Adler

Romania experiences severe flooding problems almost every year. Within the last decade, floods have resulted in more than 200 deaths and estimated economic damages of $92 million per year. Also, between 1992 and 2012, there were 700 reported accidental chemical spills in Romania, some of them resulting in trans-boundary impacts. In this chapter is described the Romanian flood early warning system concept realized by the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management (INHGA) under the auspices of Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (in former time Ministry of Environmental and Waters – MoEW) and DESWAT project. Beginning with 2014, DESWAT (Destructive Waters Abatement and Control) flood monitoring system is functional in all Romania.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.38) ◽  
pp. 1310
Author(s):  
Prof. Dr. Ir Vinesh Thiruchelvam ◽  
Mbau Stella Nyambura

The cost of climate change has increased phenomenally in recent years. Therefore, understanding climate change and its impacts, that are likely to get worse and worse into the future, gives us the ability to predict scenarios and plan for them. Flash floods, which are a common result of climate change, follow increased precipitation which then increases risk and associated vulnerability due to the unpredictable rainfall patterns. Developing countries suffer grave consequences in the event that weather disasters strike because they have the least adaptive capacity. At the equator where the hot days are hotter and winds carrying rainfall move faster, Kenya’s Tana River County is noted for its vulnerability towards flash floods. Additionally, this county and others that are classified as rural areas in Kenya do not receive short term early warnings for floods. This county was therefore selected as the study area for its vulnerability. The aim of the study is therefore to propose a flash flood early warning system framework that delivers short term early warnings. Using questionnaires, information about the existing warning system will be collected and analyzed using SPSS. The results will be used to interpret the relationships between variables of the study, with a particular interest in the moderation effect in order to confirm that the existing system can be modified; that is, if the moderation effect is confirmed.       


2021 ◽  
pp. 209-223
Author(s):  
Ekkehard Holzbecher ◽  
Ahmed Hadidi ◽  
Nicolette Volp ◽  
Jeroen de Koning ◽  
Humaid Al Badi ◽  
...  

AbstractTechnologies concerning integrated water resources management, in general, and flood management, in particular, have recently undergone rapid developments. New smart technologies have been implemented in every relevant sector and include hydrological sensors, remote sensing, sensor networks, data integration, hydrodynamic simulation and visualization, decision support and early warning systems as well as the dissemination of information to decision-makers and the public. After providing a rough review of current developments, we demonstrate the operation of an advanced system with a special focus on an early warning system. Two case studies are covered in this chapter: one specific urban case located in the city of Parrametta in Australia in an area that shows similar flood characteristics to those found in arid or semiarid regions and one case regarding the countrywide Flash Flood Guidance System in Oman (OmanFFGS).


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.38) ◽  
pp. 810
Author(s):  
Prof. Dr. Ir Vinesh Thiruchelvam ◽  
Mbau Stella Nyambura

The cost of climate change has increased phenomenally in recent years. Therefore, understanding climate change and its impacts, that are likely to get worse and worse into the future, gives us the ability to predict scenarios and plan for them. Flash floods, which are a common result of climate change, follow increased precipitation which then increases risk and associated vulnerability due to the unpredictable rainfall patterns. Developing countries suffer grave consequences in the event that weather disasters strike because they have the least adaptive capacity. At the equator where the hot days are hotter and winds carrying rainfall move faster, Kenya’s Tana River County is noted for its vulnerability towards flash floods. Additionally, this county and others that are classified as rural areas in Kenya do not receive short term early warnings for floods. This county was therefore selected as the study area for its vulnerability. The aim of the study is therefore to propose a flash flood early warning system framework that delivers short term early warnings. Using questionnaires, information about the existing warning system will be collected and analyzed using SPSS. The results will be used to interpret the relationships between variables of the study, with a particular interest in the moderation effect in order to confirm that the existing system can be modified; that is, if the moderation effect is confirmed.   


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mamoru Miyamoto ◽  
◽  
Rabindra Osti ◽  
Toshio Okazumi ◽  

Floods in Bangladesh are often so catastrophic that they inflict substantial damage to the nation’s agriculture-based economy. To reduce this vulnerability, it is imperative to establish an effective flood early warning system across the country. There are too many urgent and complex issues about early flood warning activities in Bangladesh, however, and flood management is relatively complex, with several types of authorities currently involved in the effort. It is therefore necessary for stakeholders to create a National Road Map that offers future directions toward flood risk management. Issues prioritized by quantitative ranking in the implementation of an effective flood early warning must be identified on the National Road Map. In order to comprehensively prioritize listed interventions that are issues requiring improvement, two types of questionnaire were conducted. Next, multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) were applied to survey results derived from pair-wise comparison, and both types of results were combined. Interventions with the highest priority in each cascade were identified based on quantitative importance. To ensure consistency among stakeholders, a fuzzy AHP was applied to each cascade. As a result, the most important and urgent interventions that contributed to creating a National Road Map were identified by integrated decision-making and new quantitative decision-making was shown by integrating MCA and AHP-SWOT.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Kc ◽  
Top Khatri ◽  
Rishiram Sharma

<p>Nepal, a mountainous country, is experiencing multiple disasters, majority of which are induced by Climate Change. Erratic rainfall, extremely high temperature during summer, cold waves are some of them. Nepal will experience the impacts of climate change through an increase in temperature, more frequent heat waves and shorter frost durations in the future (5AR IPCC). Nepal is witnessing the increased maximum temperature of 0.56<sup>o</sup>C per decade and the increment of the temperature is even higher in the mountain region (ICIMOD 2019). One of the major impacts of Climate Change among others, is glacier retreat and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFS). Nepal has already experienced more than 26 GLOFS (UNDP and ICIMOD 2020), originated both from Nepal and China, Tibet.</p><p>The Imja Glacial Lake is located at 27° 53′ 55“ N latitude, 86° 55’ 20” E longitude and at an altitude of 5010 m in Everest Region of Nepal Himalayas.  Imja was identified during 1960s as a small supra lake, was later expanded to an area of <strong>1.28 Km<sup>2</sup></strong>, <strong>148.9 meter deep</strong>, holding <strong>75.2 million cubic meters </strong>of water in 2014.   Lake lowering by 3.4 metres and establishment of early warning system was done in 2016 by the Government of Nepal and UNDP with the support of Global Environment Facility.  Hydro-met stations & GLOF Sensors in the periphery and downstream  of Imja Lake and automated early warning sirens in six prime settlements in the  downstream of Imja  watershed  linking with  dynamic SMS Alert system along 50 km downstream of Imja Dudh Koshi River have been have been linked with community-based DRM institutions at local government level. This initiative is important for preparedness and response of GLOF Risk Reduction in the Imja Valley, benefitting 71,752 vulnerable people, both local and the tourists visiting the Everest Region of Nepal.</p><p>Early Warning System of Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake, the biggest Glacial Lake of Nepal is another example in the such system. New inventory of Glacial Lakes has identified 47 critical lakes as priority lakes for GLOF Risk Reduction in Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali basins. In the new context of federal  governance system, the role of federal, province and local government and communities is crucial  for achieving the targets of  Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction , particularly target “g” and SDGs 11 and 13  through integrating  the targets in the regular planning and   its’ implementation for resilient and Sustainable Development of  Nepal.</p><p><strong>References:</strong></p><p>Glacial lakes and glacial lake outburst floods in Nepal. Kathmandu, ICIMOD 2011,  Nepal Disaster Report, Ministry of Home affairs (MoHA) , 2015, 2018 Annual Reports UNDP 2016, 2017 and 2018,  Imja Hydro-Meteorological and Early Warning System User Manual, Government of Nepal and UNDP, 2017 Project Completion Report: Community Based Flood and Glacial Lake Outburst Risk Reduction Project, Government of Nepal and UNDP, 2017,  Inventory of glacial lakes and identification of potentially dangerous glacial lakes in the Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali River Basins of Nepal, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and India. Research Report, ICIMOD and UNDP, 2020</p><p> </p>


Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stavroula Tsitsifli ◽  
Vasilis Kanakoudis

Drinking water supply safety is of paramount importance for human health. Disinfection is considered as one of the most significant water treatment processes as it inactivates pathogens from drinking water. However, disinfection might have adverse effects in human health, as disinfection by-products, blamed for cancer and reproductive/developmental effects, are formed. Many predictive models and optimization tools are developed in the research. However, an early warning system integrating monitoring, modelling and optimization tools is lacking. The paper reviews the disinfection methods and the models developed so far and presents the basic principles for the development of an early warning system.


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