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National and Regional services for flood forecasting

and hydrometry

by Caroline Wittwer

SCHAPI

Hydrological adviser to the WMO Permanent Representative of France

1SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

2Visit of the Environment Agency

A Ministry of Sustainable Development, including :

● The previous Ministry of Ecology● In particular, the services of the former Water

Directorate● Among them : SCHAPI, hydrometry services, 7/22

state flood forecasting local services (SPC)

● The previous Ministry of Equipement● Most of the SPC

● Part of the previous Ministry of Industry

2008 : reorganization of the State

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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New act « loi Risques n°2003-699 » related to prevention of natural and technological risks and reparation of damage

A legal framework for flood forecasting

2002 : reform of the national flood alert organization

2006 : reform of hydrometry organization

Flood Prevention reorganisation

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

4Visit of the Environment Agency

Before 2002 :52 autonomous Flood Warning Units

After 2005 :22 Flood Forecasting Centres + SCHAPI

The challenge of the FF reorganisation : Warning Forecast

SCHAPI

Adour - Garonne

Loire - Bretagne

Seine - Normandie

Rhin - Meuse

Artois - Picardie

Rhône - Méditerranée

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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- coordinates flood forecasting (FF) and hydrometry at national level

- produces FF vigilance map and link it with meteorological vigilance map 

- communicates with national media and authorities

- supports the state local services on 24h basis

- brings technical advice to regional FF and hydrometry services (methodologies, software and equipment…)

SCHAPI……

the state local services (SPC)- produce FF local vigilance map- communicate with local and regional

authorities- produce and maintain hydrometry network

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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4500 historical stations (HYDRO data base)

1500 real time stations

Water level gauges

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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« Vigilance » Procedure at Météo France since 2001 To better inform, thanks to a simple and

summarized message that focuses on dangerous phenomena and the need to be kept informed

To improve the efficiency of the communication by “translating” the intensity of forecast meteorological parameters into a risk level

To improve anticipation and service delivered to the Civil Security Services

to broaden information dissemination

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

8Visit of the Environment Agency

The vigilance procedure : crisis preparedness

To ease the management of crisis situations Coordination between State authorities, Flood Forecasting

Services and Météo-France as long as floods are on-going

The 7 French civil defense zones

COGIC The National Operational Centre for Interministerial Crisis Management (Ministry of the Interior)

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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The Flood Vigilance System (July 2006)http://www.vigicrues.ecologie.gouv.fr

Published at 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, updated if necessaryPushed at the same time to State authorities

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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~ 20,000 km covered by the flood State system, among the 120,000 km of >1m wide rivers

> 500 real time rain gauges and access to ~ 1200 operated by Météo-France

access to 24 meteorological radars data ~ 1500 real time water level stations (vigicrues) ~ 240 river sections on the flood vigilance map concerns about 6300 towns

~ 90% of the population living in areas likely to be flooded

The flood vigilance system

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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Since December 2007 :the new meteo and hydro joint procedure

the “rainfall-flood” vigilance

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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Example – March 3rd, 2007 at 6h

The new vigilance map « rainfall – flood»

The meteorological vigilance map

The hydrological vigilance map

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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Operational contacts during crisis

Préfet (Prefect)

SPC Maire (Mayor)

SCHAPIalert

inform

COGIC

COZ contacts

As well as internet and local websites for all

public

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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Various tools depending on anticipation

10 days

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5 days

3 days

12 hours

1 days

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

EFAS

Soil moisture

precipitation

vigilance

SIM-PE

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Various types of hydrological and hydraulical models for FF

GRs

15 SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

Telemac 2D

ATHYS / flash floods

Gironde estuary

SOPHIE

MASCARET 1D/TR

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Our parternship About 250 receivers of flood vigilance

(prefects, ministries...) A main partner for operational

production : Météo France Scientific partners for the development

of new tools (Météo France, Cemagref, Brgm, EDF, Ineris, IMFT, HSM, EMA, LTHE, EDYTEM, JRC, ...)

Technical support from the national engineering services (CETMEF and CETEs)

SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009

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Thank you for your attentionand

do not forget to enter

www.vigicrues.ecologie.gouv.fr

in your computer

17 SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, 25-27 March 2009