By combining expertise from meteorology, IT and hydrology, HydroMaster is a comprehensive tool to help limit the impact of rain events and flash floods. This is made possible through the weather data from MeteoGroup Ltd (weather authority), software and cloud experiences of KISTERS AG (water software provider) and the hydrological and hydraulic modelling expertise of DHI A/S (research and engineering company). This unique combination forms a professional cloud service for local authorities, cities and municipalities, infrastructure owners and utility companies all over Europe to effectively manage precipitation-related risks. The 10-minute update and 1 km resolution ensure that reliable alerts are produced for even the most sudden and local events.
Flash flood warnings ensure reliable alerts up to five days in advance
Since joining the partnership in 2018, DHI has been going full swing into development mode adding hydrological models, data and other practical features to HydroMaster. The result is the new Flash Flood Index, which translates extreme weather data into actionable information on the ground. Flash flood warnings are produced from continuous hydrodynamic simulation and issued up to five days in advance, anywhere in the national territory. The Flash Flood Index is designed to be meaningful to the end-user with three levels of alerts corresponding to the rarity of the local hydrological conditions: the so-classed 1, 2 and 5-year return periods events.
‘The Flash flood Index adds an extra dimension to the powerful analysis and warning tools already present in HydroMaster. We can already warn for heavy or exceptional precipitation events, but the Flash flood Index converts that information into what it actually means in terms of risk of flooding. Using the Flash Flood Index in combination with local knowledge will allow to assess the potential local impact of the expected precipitation event, even days ahead’, says Dennis Schulze, Chief Meteorology Officer at MeteoGroup.
‘HydroMaster combines the best available weather data and hydrological models in a user-friendly cloud solution. The tool is available 24/7 in a very high spatial and temporal resolution. The new Flash Flood Index gives local information for a customer’s own areas of interest and therefore it is much more useful than just a general large-scale information. HydroMaster shows easy-to-understand information in graphs, maps and tables, and thus enables stakeholders to understand the situation at a quick glance and then analyse it deeper’, explains Klaus Kisters, CEO at KISTERS.
‘The flash flood warnings made possible by DHI’s hydrodynamic simulations provide even more meaningful alerts for stakeholders’, says DHI’s CEO, Antoine Labrosse. ‘The ability to know what lies ahead up to five days in advance in the territory of interest is a remarkable feature – one that will help businesses and authorities protect their assets and infrastructure.’
More information: www.hydromaster.com
