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Forecasting and prevention of floods are the responsibilities of the Central Water Commission (CWC), Ministry of Water Resources
Details
- India Meteorological Department (IMD) supports flood warning services of Central Water Commission (CWC) by providing observed and predicted rainfall.
- CWC issues flood forecasts as a non-structural measure of flood management, to concerned State Governments depending on the requisition from them at identified locations.
- CWC also issues inflow forecasts to identified reservoirs for proper reservoir regulation.
- In order to meet specific requirements of flood warnings by CWC, India Meteorological Department (IMD) operates Flood Meteorological Offices (FMOs) at 13 locations viz. Agra, Ahmedabad, Asansol, Bhubaneshwar, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jalpaiguri, Lucknow, New Delhi, Patna, Srinagar, Bengaluru and Chennai.
Flood forecast formulation methodology used by CWC
Conventional statistical correlation methodology
- It includes gauge to gauge correlation between base station (upstream of forecasting station) and forecasting station.
- This method provides advance warning time from 6 to 24 hrs depending upon the terrain.
Rainfall-Runoff mathematical modeling technology
- It includes mathematical modeling of river basin based on rainfall runoff methodology.
- Input taken is rainfall provided by IMD through its Automatic Weather Station (AWS) & Automatic Rain Gauge (ARG) stations and CWC telemetry stations.
- The three days advance forecast is generated using various available rainfall data products as a major input into the system like IMD Gridded Rainfall product and other global rainfall products such as GSMaP (Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation), GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) and the IMD forecasted rainfall data (WRF- Weather Research and Forecast, GFS- Global Forecast System).
Modernization of dissemination of flood forecasts
- Dissemination of flood forecasts have been modernised by having a dedicated website.
- The flood information is also shared via various social media platforms of CWC Flood Forecast dissemination system.
- Daily Flood Situation Report cum Advisories are also shared with all stake holders as well as general public.
Technology Used
Flood Forecasting by CWC uses all the latest technology including remote-sensing, Geographical Information System (GIS), Internet, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in development/ running/ formulation and calibration of Mathematical models and for providing Inundation Alerts which are closely at par with international standards.
Source: PIB
