1 National and Regional services for flood forecasting and hydrometry by Caroline Wittwer SCHAPI Hydrological adviser to the WMO Permanent Representative of France 1 SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, March 2009

2 Visit of the Environment AgencyVisit 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, March 2009

3 3 New act « loi Risques n° » 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, March 2009

4 Visit of the Environment AgencyVisit 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, March 2009

5 5 - 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, March 2009

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, March 2009

7 « 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, March 2009

8 Visit of the Environment AgencyVisit 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, March 2009

9 The Flood Vigilance System (July 2006) Published at 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, updated if necessary Pushed at the same time to State authorities SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, March 2009

10  ~ 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, March 2009

11 11 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, March 2009

12 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, March 2009

13 Operational contacts during crisis Préfet (Prefect) SPCMaire (Mayor) SCHAPI alert 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, March 2009

14 Various tools depending on anticipation 10 days 14 5 days 3 days 12 hours 1 days SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, March 2009 EFAS Soil moisture precipitation vigilance SIM-PE

15 Various types of hydrological and hydraulical models for FF GRs 15 SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, March 2009 Telemac 2D ATHYS / flash floods Gironde estuary SOPHIE MASCARET 1D/TR

16 16 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, March 2009

17 Thank you for your attention and do not forget to enter in your computer 17 SCHAPI/Caroline Wittwer WMO RA VI – Working Group on Hydrology, 11th session – Toulouse, March 2009