top
What is LISFLOOD ALERT?
Objectives
How does it work?
Achievements
Who benefits?
The role of IDA(BC)
Technical information
What is LISFLOOD ALERT?
LISFLOOD ALERT is an IDA(BC) Project of Common Interest set up to develop an online information system that is updated in real time and capable of providing an early alert on potential floods to the relevant authorities in the Member States and the Candidate Countries, thus improving the ability to respond appropriately and on time.
The current European Flood Alert System (EFAS) incorporates weather forecasts from different meteorological services as well as the Ensemble Prediction System forecasts from the European Centre of Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF). It consists of a Linux server that stores the data that is used to run the flood forecast model, such as topographical data, meteorological data and hydrological data. To improve the quality of a flood forecast, it is necessary to have near real-time access to river discharge and water level data to give a reliable estimate of the initial state of the hydrological system and to update this initial state using data assimilation methods. This is what LISFLOOD ALERT sets out to do.
Top of page
Objectives
The long-term objective of LISFLOOD ALERT is to develop and test a prototype of a European Flood Alert System (EFAS) that can provide discharge forecasts between 3 to 10 days in advance in order to improve responses and limit the material damages. EFAS will thus be able to provide a unique information system on medium range flood risk across Europe in addition to existing short-range flood forecasts.
Top of page
How does it work?
In the preparatory phase of the project, which began in 2002, a workshop brought together end-users to discuss the proposal for a European Flood Alert System based on the LISFLOOD model, the dissemination of the results, the available data in the countries and which ones are needed to operate the flood alert system. In 2004, during the feasibility phase, a large workshop brought together representatives from European meteorological institutes, water authorities, WMO, UNESCO, scientists and policy makers representing international water commissions and the European Commission.
Now in its development phase, LISFLOOD ALERT is using the information gathered to establish data access and data transfer from the meteorological and hydrological authorities through the use of a digital database that contains historical and near real-time hydrological and meteorological data. This data will be used as input to make an updated simulation of the current hydrological state within the simulated rivers in Europe. This will allow the European Flood Alert System, based on the LISFLOOD flood simulation model, to be tested in a pre-operational way. Using the LISFLOOD model, up-to-date calculations of soil moisture, groundwater amounts, river discharge, and reservoir storage capacity will be carried out. These so-called initial conditions are an essential prerequisite for an accurate European Flood Alert System.
The LISFLOOD ALERT system will involve the following four stages:
Data Collection: The National and Regional Public Water Authorities will feed structured data to a central notification management system or digital database, located at the Global Runoff Data Centre in Koblenz, Germany. This system is entitled the European Terrestrial Network of River Discharge (ETN-R). The Joint Research Centre will also be given access to the management system.
Data Exchange: The National and Regional Public Water Authorities will transfer near real-time structured data electronically. The data will be processed locally and converted to an agreed business message format.
Compressed Data Dissemination: The dissemination of structured hydrological data will take place on demand from the Public Water Authorities, via normal security sharing. There will be no shared areas for collaborative editing or similar. Once the data is collected and/or exchanged, a plausibility check will be run by the GRDC. The resulting data could be disseminated again to the original senders (Public Water Authorities) upon request.
Alert: Email-based flood alerts will be sent out with moderate or high urgency to the Public Water Authorities and DG Environment, according to an agreed structured message and digitally signed by the sender. In the case of a potential flood being predicted, secured alert messages will be sent to DG Environment and the relevant National and/or Regional Public Water Authorities in the Member States.
Top of page
Achievements
With LISFLOOD-ALERT, a near realtime river flow data exchange system called ETN-R (European Terrestrial Network for river Runoff) has been established with until now 25 data providers – being regional or national hydrological services responsible for water measurements in rivers. The realtime river data are used to make better forecasts with the European Flood Alert System at DG JRC, which makes early flood warnings for the larger European rivers.
Countries involved sofar in the data transmission are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. With several other providers which agreed already to collaborate, inclusion in the system will be established in 2009, including e.g. Bulgaria. At the end of 2008, river data of 996 stations are send in near realtime. Another 483 stations will be included during 2009.
The realtime data-transfer system will continue to run in 2009 with JRC funding, and is planned to be part of the operational EFAS system starting 2010. Funding on the operational EFAS system is under negotiation between DG ENV, GMES, and DG JRC.
Top of page
Who benefits?
Public administrations: Early alerts for upcoming flood events will help national administrations prepare for flood disasters and respond in more timely and efficient manners. Several end-users of the system have already reported to be able to act proactively thanks to an early warning.
Citizens: Early warnings imply increased preparedness for flood disasters, which can help prevent both material damages and the loss of lives.
Other relevant organizations: WMO member institutes and other research institutes will be able to use the system to access data for research and development purposes in the fields of meteorology and hydrology, following approval of the data owners.
Top of page
The role of IDA(BC)
IDA(BC) provides funding for the development of the LISFLOOD ALERT system up to the project’s operation and maintenance phases.
Top of page
Technical information
|
Project start date
|
2002
|
|
Project completion date
|
2008
|
|
Project status
|
Development and validation
|
|
IDA budget
IDABC budget
|
2003 € 60,000
2004 € 95,000
2005 € 850,000
|
|
Responsible service
|
DG Joint Research Centre (JRC)
|
|
Project coordinator
|
Dr. Ad De Roo
|
|
Contact
|
idabc@ec.europa.eu
|
|
Countries involved
|
All EU Member States
|
|
Background documents
|
Council Decision 1999/847/EC of 9.12.1999 establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection Council Decision 2001/792/EC of 23.10.2001 establishing a Community mechanism to facilitate reinforced cooperation in civil protection assistance interventions (Article 4)
Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy. OJ of the EC, 22.12.2000, EN L327/1.
|
Top of page |
Print
