1. RFC Service Enhancements and Support Concepts for Service Evolution HIC Meeting January 30, 2007

2. Objective Objective Utilize region-wide hydrologic resources to provide highly effective services during high impact events

3. Vision Effective and Efficient Hydrologic Service Delivery during high-impact events

4. Goals Enhance service delivery Enhance service delivery Service evolution that is highly visible and effective Service evolution that is highly visible and effective Efficient use of resources Efficient use of resources

5. RFC Service Enhancement and Support Categories Accurate and Timely River Forecast Information Effective Communication (1) Training (5) Information Dissemination (1) Science and Engineering (3) Outreach (2) Logistical and Technical Issues (4)

6. Effective Communication/ Information Dissemination Web graphic creation Web graphic creation HVA email HVA email SA web surfing SA web surfing Briefings/production delivery Briefings/production delivery VTC VTC Seminars Seminars Virtual communications desk Virtual communications desk Chat/IM Chat/IM Wireless/PDA Wireless/PDA FFG alert FFG alert RFC deployment RFC deployment State/EOC deployment State/EOC deployment Data network information review Data network information review Logistical support for met/hydro forecasters Logistical support for met/hydro forecasters

7. Outreach Recruiting/job fairs Recruiting/job fairs Joint outreach (e.g., FEMA/inland flooding) Joint outreach (e.g., FEMA/inland flooding) National media interaction National media interaction Water resource meetings/conferences Water resource meetings/conferences Service coordination hydrologist Service coordination hydrologist Local media interaction Local media interaction Open house/office tours Open house/office tours Scientific conferences Scientific conferences Go To Meetings/Webinars Go To Meetings/Webinars One on one meetings One on one meetings RFC brief RFC brief

8. Science and Engineering Water Quality Water Quality Implement FEWS Implement FEWS Verification Verification True gridded FFG/FFG True gridded FFG/FFG Rating curve extensions Rating curve extensions Flood Inundation mapping Flood Inundation mapping Share hydrologic model calibration strategies Share hydrologic model calibration strategies GFE GFE Share hydrologic model calibration parameters along RFC boundaries Share hydrologic model calibration parameters along RFC boundaries Modeling advancements (FEWS, DHM, ocean model, HEC-RAS) Modeling advancements (FEWS, DHM, ocean model, HEC-RAS)

9. Logistical and Technical Issues Precipitation analysis enhancements Precipitation analysis enhancements Graphics server Graphics server Sharing technical developments Sharing technical developments RFC staff deployments RFC staff deployments RFC Backup operations RFC Backup operations Sharing operational duties Sharing operational duties –MPE –QPF –ESP –QC –Low flow river forecasts

10. Training Regional Hydrology Training Plan for RFC /WFO personnel Regional Hydrology Training Plan for RFC /WFO personnel Seminars/Conferences Seminars/Conferences AHPS AHPS Exchange “SHARE” case studies Exchange “SHARE” case studies Water quality Water quality Verification Verification Record training sessions (web/video) Record training sessions (web/video) WFO Site-specific model WFO Site-specific model Inundation mapping Inundation mapping Office evaluations Office evaluations Exchange RFC training drills Exchange RFC training drills –Winter –Dam Break –Hazardous spills –Tropical –Mods? –High Impact

11. RFC of the Future (3-5 year time frame) Flood Inundation mapping Flood Inundation mapping More information/more frequently More information/more frequently Coupled riverine/ocean models Coupled riverine/ocean models Water quality Water quality Water resource information (grids) Water resource information (grids) Modeling/science plan and strategy Modeling/science plan and strategy More consistent service delivery from WFO/RFCs (gridded information) More consistent service delivery from WFO/RFCs (gridded information)

12. Possible RFC Load Sharing Tasks Forecast generation (ESP) Forecast generation (ESP) RFC deployments RFC deployments MPE MPE Creation of web graphics (FOP) Creation of web graphics (FOP) Briefings Briefings Data QC Data QC QPF QPF SA web surfing SA web surfing Training (operations/scientific) Training (operations/scientific) Joint outreach Joint outreach Seminars Seminars Data network review/analyses Data network review/analyses Briefings sharing Briefings sharing

13. Strategy for Delivering/Testing SR RFC Service Enhancement/Support Concept Goals Prioritize load sharing items (one or more items). Prioritize load sharing items (one or more items). Identify one or more service enhancement items from categories. Identify one or more service enhancement items from categories. Designate key leads for RFC service enhancement implementations/load sharing evaluations. Designate key leads for RFC service enhancement implementations/load sharing evaluations. Load Sharing Demonstrations (1-3 demonstration projects) Load Sharing Demonstrations (1-3 demonstration projects) Follow-up meetings/report. Follow-up meetings/report.

14. Short-Term Service Enhancement Deliverables from SR RFCs ABRFC ABRFC –Implement new flash flood guidance procedure at SR RFCs –Provide flash flood guidance alert message software to other SR RFCs for implementation with their servicing WFOs –Develop/conduct load sharing test

15. Short-Term Service Enhancement Deliverables from SR RFCs LMRFC LMRFC –Work with SRH to configure and utilize a new regional RFC graphics server to create RFC web graphics in a more efficient manner. –Collaborate with other SR RFCs and HSB to develop region-wide hydrologic training plan for RFC/WFO personnel.

16. Short-Term Service Enhancement Deliverables from SR RFCs SERFC SERFC –Develop/enhance RFC briefing for internal/external customers using advanced communications technologies –Develop joint hydrologic outreach materials for partners (e.g. FEMA) –Develop/Conduct RFC load-sharing tests

17. Short-Term Service Enhancement Deliverables from SR RFCs WGRFC WGRFC –Enhanced Web/Video Training –Investigate enhanced functionalities for RFC precipitation analysis maps

18. RFC Support for WFO Peer Clusters Deployment of RFC staff to WFO (4) Deployment of RFC staff to WFO (4) Issue WFO hydrologic products (1) Issue WFO hydrologic products (1) More contingency forecasts (1,4) More contingency forecasts (1,4) Short-term probabilistic hydrologic forecasts (3) Short-term probabilistic hydrologic forecasts (3) Hydrologic Training (HPMs and meteorological forecasters) (5) Hydrologic Training (HPMs and meteorological forecasters) (5) Use of GFE to collaborate on QPF (4) Use of GFE to collaborate on QPF (4) Exchange program (2) Exchange program (2)

19. RFC Support for WFO Peer Clusters (continued) Hydrologic briefings (1) Hydrologic briefings (1) Specialized training (hazardous spills, water quality) (5) Specialized training (hazardous spills, water quality) (5) Real-time assistance in use of WFO hydrologic applications (MPE, Site-Specific Hydrologic Model) (4) Real-time assistance in use of WFO hydrologic applications (MPE, Site-Specific Hydrologic Model) (4) Radar performance (4) Radar performance (4) Real-time Monitoring (Gridded FFG, FFG alert message) (1,4) Real-time Monitoring (Gridded FFG, FFG alert message) (1,4)

20. RFC Support for WFO Peer Clusters (continued) More frequent hydrologic operation drills/exercises (5) More frequent hydrologic operation drills/exercises (5) Routine 6-hour river forecast issuances (4) Routine 6-hour river forecast issuances (4) Enhanced hydrometeorological watch (1) Enhanced hydrometeorological watch (1) More consistent RFC web pages (1,4) More consistent RFC web pages (1,4) QPF verification studies (3) QPF verification studies (3) Sharing raw model output and model states (4) Sharing raw model output and model states (4) Enhanced data QC information sharing (4) Enhanced data QC information sharing (4) Move to shorter hydrologic model time steps for fast responding rivers, as appropriate (3,4) Move to shorter hydrologic model time steps for fast responding rivers, as appropriate (3,4)

21. RFC Support for WFO Peer Clusters WFO CONOPS WFO CONOPS – Cluster management team membership and participation by RFCs.