Decision support tool (viewer) for seasonal water management

#Decision support system #water management #seasonal forecasts #hydrology #hydrometeorology
Screenshot of the SaWaM online prototype for the San Francisco basin in Brazil.
© GAF AG & KIT IMK-IFU, 2020

SaWaM provides an online application (DSS) to support dam management in order to better use and understand the developed geo-information. SaWaM has developed a range of complex hydrometeorological, hydrological and ecological information and seasonal forecasts related to reservoirs.

Key information in the online prototype includes seasonal forecasts as well as historical data (known as hindcasts); this is intended to help decision-makers in dam management with strategic planning for the coming months. Now users can compare information about future water availability through modelled hydro-meteorological and hydrological information (e.g. precipitation, temperature and inflow) and use this data to make decisions. 

The online prototype is based on a microservices architecture and uses geoservers to provide the spatial information. The data (mainly NetCDF data) are made available in a simple and standardised manner using a special meta data tool via a THREDDS server.

The display of the data sets is divided into the historical data and the forecasts. The tool presents the model results as absolute and categorised values. A timeline enables dynamic views of the situation in relevant basins or sub-basins of reservoirs.

The graphical representation of the data and their confidence values help decision-makers classify and understand the information.

The type of data display was developed in extensive discussions with the data providers and users. Background information and methodological explanations are provided with the individual data sets for comprehension purposes; this helps users interpret the information correctly

Water resource: Rainwater, Surface water
Type of product:
  • Management concepts & assessments
  • Modelling & software tools
  • Technologies & processes
TRL: 6
    TRL (Technology Readiness Level)
  • TRL 1 - Basic principles observed
  • TRL 2 - Technology concept formulated
  • TRL 3 - Experimental proof of concept
  • TRL 4 - Technology validated in lab
  • TRL 5 - Technology validated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
  • TRL 6 - Technology demonstrated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
  • TRL 7 - System prototype demonstration in operational environment
  • TRL 8 - System complete and qualified
  • TRL 9 - Actual system proven in operational environment (competitive manufacturing in the case of key enabling technologies; or in space)
Application sector: Agriculture, Natural water environment, Water resource management
Funding measure: GRoW
Project: SaWaM

Contact and partners


  • GAF AG,
  • Arnulfstraße 199,
  • 80364 München
https://www.gaf.de

KIT- Karlsruher Institut für Technologie,
Karlsruhe
Tractebel

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