World Meteorological Organization
INTER-COMMISSION COORDINATION GROUP
ON WIGOS (ICG-WIGOS-5)
FIFTH SESSION
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
25-28 January 2016
Submitted by:
Date:
Original Language:
Agenda Item:
ICG-WIGOS-5/Doc.4.2(3)
Representative of RA III
8.I.2016
English
4.2(3)
4.2 PROGRESS TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF WIGOS
REVIEW OF WIGOS ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES FROM WMO RA III
(Submitted by José Arimatéa de Sousa Brito, Representative of RA III)
4.2
Summary and purpose of document
The document provides a review of WIGOS activities in RA III with emphasis on the development and implementation of the WIGOS-SAS Project.
ACTION PROPOSED
The session will be invited to consider the information provided.
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ICG-WIGOS-5/Doc. 4.2(3), p. 2
PROGRESS TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF WIGOS 4.2
4.2(3) REVIEW OF WIGOS ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES FROM WMO RA III
WIGOS-SAS PROJECT
Introduction
The WIGOS-SAS Project is a regional initiative to establish a fully functional system to collect and distribute hydro meteorological data in Region III. The SAS (Southern South America) sub region was chosen to benefit from the available technical infrastructure and an existing intergovernmental cooperation mechanism. More recently, the Project was renamed WIGOS-SAS/CP, to reflect its initial coverage area, the Plata Basin (CP=Cuenca del Plata, or Plata Basin).
While initially confined to the Plata Basin area, the WIGOS-SAS/CP Project was conceived as a test bed for the RA III Regional WIGOS Implementation Plan.
The main strengthen of the Project is the willingness to participate and the engagement of the meteorological, hydrological and climatological regional communities, that include NMHSs, NHSs, Water and Energy agencies from participating countries.
Tests are under way to improve the exchange of hydrometeorological data, including compliance tests between the Hydrological Information System (HIS) and the WMO Information System (WIS), via the regional GISC.
From 5 to 9 October 2015, the RA III working groups on Infrastructure, Hydrology and Climate, met in Asunción, Paraguay, to develop their working plan for the next three years. The simultaneous meetings proved to be a great success and allowed exchange of views and definition of regional requirements. Joint sections were held with participants of the three groups, or, between two groups.
The interaction of the groups on Infrastructure and Hydrology was instrumental for a better understanding of the mechanisms for the exchange of hydro meteorological data using HIS and WIS.
A great number of Permanent Representatives of RA III joined the last two days of the groups meetings. One full day was dedicated to the discussion of the WIGOS-SAS/CP Project, when they expressed their commitment to the Project and requested that the results of the Project should be extended to the Region as a whole.
Objectives and Scope of the Project
The short-term objective of the Project is to improve the current hydrometeorological observation and data exchange practices in the Plata Basin aligning them with the matrix of the WIGOS
Framework Key activities. In the mid-term, the objective is to implement an operational and sustainable model to be, in the long-term, extended to all RA III.
The short-term objectives include the following specific actions:

Register the Plata Basin stations into the WIGOS OSCAR/Surface as the WIGOS-SAS/CP common inventory, including relevant metadata;

Free exchange of hydro meteorological data through the integration of the Hydrological
Information System (HIS) and the WMO Information System (WIS);

Identification of observation gaps in the Plata Basin region; and

Exchange of radar data and products.
The Plata Basin covers an area of more than 3 million square kilometres and a population greater than 100 million inhabitants.

ICG-WIGOS-5/Doc. 4.2(3), p. 3
Participants and Governance
The RA III Members participating in the WIGOS-SAS/CP project are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,
Paraguay and Uruguay, through their respective NMHSs, NHSs, and water and energy agencies. The
Intergovernmental Coordinator Committee of the Plata Basin Countries (as listed above) and WMO also participate and have both provided support for coordination meetings.
The last session of RA III decided on the governance of the Project as indicated below. All members of the project team have been designated by respective organizations.
Project Coordination: President of RA III and a Representative of a Water Agency
Project Manager: Chair of RA III WG-ITD
Members: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and CIC
Definition of Requirements
The definition of requirements for observation came after discussions by experts in several meetings, including the joint meeting of the three RA III working groups. The main areas demanding improved observations in the Plata Basin include:
High resolution Numerical Weather Prediction Models

Real-time surface and upper-air homogeneous networks;

Real-time radar information: and

Satellite information
Hydrologic and Hydrodynamic Models

Real-time and non-real-time homogeneous network

Parameters: Level and flow data
Early-warning Systems

Meteorological and Hydrological model outputs

Complimentary observing systems, including lightning detection networks.
Climate Services

The Plata Basin CLIMAT network

Specific demands from CRC-SAS in the Plata Basin area

Requirements stated by the RA III WG-Climate
Project Timeline
The project was conceived to have a short duration, after which its activities should be incorporated in the normal operations of participating organizations. The main milestones were planned as follows:

Development and approval of the Project: End 2015

Implementation of components of the Project: From January 2016

End as a Project: End 2017

Sustained operation with activities incorporated by participating organizations: January
2018

Extension to other RA III Members: Continuing activity

ICG-WIGOS-5/Doc. 4.2(3), p. 4
Current Status
Two important activities are priorities for the beginning of 2016: the evaluation and use of
OSCAR/Surface and the continuation of the HIS compliance tests with WIS.
A demonstration of HIS Plata Basin was held, leading to the exchange of hydrological data sets amongst participating organizations. The follow-up of the demonstration will be the implementation of the operational system. The Annex to this document contains the technical proposal under discussion for such system.
Some final considerations
This project encompasses the real spirit of WIGOS considering the coverage area, population affected and the willingness and commitment to participate by distinct communities driven by a welldefined common interest.
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Five countries involved (NMHSs, NHSs, Water and Energy Agencies)

Three communities (Meteorology, Hydrology and Climatology) working together

Integration of existing activities without significant additional investments

Activities will be incorporated to routine operations of participating organizations, ensuring required sustainability
The Project is being implemented with resources provided by Members, individually, or through regional cooperation mechanisms, with limited WMO support required for coordination meetings.
Regular WMO meetings, workshops and seminars, whenever possible, are used to promote and advance the Project.

ICG-WIGOS-5/Doc. 4.2(3), p. 5
Annex
PROPOSAL FOR THE HYDRO METEOROLOGICAL DATA EXCHANGE COMPONENT
Introduction
WIGOS-SAS/CP PROJECT
This document provides technical information concerning the implementation of the
Hydrological Information System (HIS) as the hydrological data exchange component of the WIGOS-
SAS/CP Project. SIH component will use standards being adopted by the hydrological community as guided by the WMO Commission on Hydrology, ensuring compatibility with WIGOS and WIS standards.
Interoperability between HIS and WIS will be ensured through appropriate interface to be installed in the regional GISC.
A Prototype DEMO is under development and will be tested soon. It will provide the technical and operational guidelines for sustained operation of WIGOS-SAS/CP information exchange component.
This component, if implemented successfully, will undoubtedly provide very good practical results, contributing to WHOS implementation.
Technical Framework
The figure below shows the general configuration of the proposed system for the exchange of both hydrological and meteorological data and products.
The main functions of each element of the depicted architecture or configuration is as follows:

The Internet is the main telecommunication mean for data and product exchange

Each Center (ARG, BOL, BRA, PAR and URU) will have a dedicated server and a fast and reliable Internet access. Each Center will collect national data, store them and provide registration information through Web services.

HISC is the center with metadata catalogue, hydrological ontology that facilitates data discovery and retrieval by users.

GISC is the center providing interface to HISC and allowing external access to hydro meteorological data via WIS.

USR are Desktop or Web clients

ICG-WIGOS-5/Doc. 4.2(3), p. 6
Implementation Aspects
Upon completion of the DEMO phase, the following aspects will have to be considered for sustained operation of this Project component:

The location of each Center (ARG, BOL, BRA, PAR and URU) will have to be decided by participating countries based on technical and operational infrastructure available around the clock (24/7), including server and internet access.

A HIS Plata center ( HISC-Plata ) will have to be designated by countries. It must have at least the same technical and operational infrastructure as above and staff specialized with Web services and hydrological information.

GISC -Brasilia will test capability and interoperate with HISC-Plata

Experts of each Center (ARG, BOL, BRA, PAR and URU) will trained to manage their data systems, the use of Web services to provide information to HISC-Plata and use of common hydrological tools.

Participating countries will decide on the hydrological stations, hydrological variables to be collected and data aggregation (frequency) that will be available within the WIGOS-SAS/CP
Project.
Some Considerations
A brokered architecture is proposed with a view to cause minimum disturbance to database management in each Center . The Broker and Mediator will provide adequate adaptation of formats and protocols.
As main standard WaterML will be used as the language for describing water data. Web services techniques will be used to create the metadata catalogue of national water data sources, and users will use free software for data access. The general architecture is shown in the figure below:
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