WIGOS Project Evaluation
Project Name
Integrated SADC-HYCOS and SARFFGS
1. Aims
The general purpose of this WIGOS Pilot Project is to develop a tool that improves the
effectiveness of both the SADC-HYCOS (Southern Africa Developing Community Hydrological Cycle Observing System) project and the SARFFGS (Regional Flash Flood
Guidance System - Southern Africa Component), by means of the integration of (1) the
flux of real time data from the SADC-HYCOS project, (2) the SARFFGS products which
are time sensitive, and (3) the products generated by the Numerical Weather Prediction
(NWP) from the Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP). Such
opportunity will offer a show-case to the WIGOS/WIS, as far as the Hydrologic aspects are
concerned.
2. Key deliverables and expected benefits
Under the SADC-HYCOS project, the following steps were already carried out:

Sixty-three Data Collecting Platforms (DCP) were installed in the participating
countries;

A network design study was made;

Equipments and new data base software were purchased;

Experts in the participating countries were trained in HYDSTRA, a software for
managing large amounts of time-series data in the hydro power, water
resources and wastewater industries, offering solutions to environmental data
management, such as data acquisition, data management, data analysis,
automated task scheduling, modelling and simulation.

All local civil works for construction of new DCPs were completed by the
countries.
Phase II of the project was completed in June 2010. While WMO assisted SADC to
prepare an implementation document for phase III. Phase III was endorsed by the SADC
council of Ministers, and the Government of the Netherlands has signed an agreement
with SADC to support its implementation.
Regarding the SARFFGS, a regional workshop was organized in April 2008 in
Pretoria (South Africa) to provide participants with a basic understanding of the
fundamentals of the Flash Flood Guidance System, its operations, its links to the Severe
Weather Forecast Demonstration Project, and its application and implementation in the
Region.
Another workshop was organized in July 2009 to start the implementation of the
SARFFGS with the objective to bring the participating countries together to review the plan
and needs for the implementation of the project, and identify potential flash flood prone
basins in each country. The workshop provided experts with better understanding of the
fundamentals of the FFGS, its operations, its links to disaster risk reduction, and its
application in the region.
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The Hydrologic Research Centre (HRC), of San Diego, USA, which is collaborating
with WMO and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the
implementation of the FFGS project, completed basin delineations and threshold runoff
development.
The Project Regional Centre (PRC) was well established in the South African
Weather Services (SAWS) and started coordinating regional activities. HRC completed
parametric database for the soil model, and also provided PRC and the countries that take
part in the project with (1) provisional products for reviewing the system (which includes
providing available real-time products based on delineated basins), (2) parameterized
hydrologic modeling, and (3) ingest of available real-time rainfall data. HRC carried out in
situ visits to several countries in the Southern Africa Region for data collection, FFGS
operations overviews, and in the further development of a training approach for the Flash
Flood Guidance implementations.
The objectives of the pilot project will be complimented with those of the Zambezi
River Basin Flood Forecasting and Early Warning (ZRBFFEW) project whose
implementation started in July 2009. A regional consultation meeting for the ZRBFFEW
was organized from 1st to 5th December 2009 in Maputo, Mozambique, as the first activity
of the project. Part of the meeting was dedicated to the development of WIGOS/WIS Pilot
Project and to identify potential contribution from other major projects in the region. Focal
points of the project have been identified in some of the participating countries. The Term
of Reference for international and national consultants to be involved in the
implementation of the project has been prepared by the WMO, and sent to the Office of
Foreign Disaster Assistance of the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID/OFDA).
It is expected that the integration of the two projects (SADC-HYCOS and SARFFGS)
will provide a standardized platform to provide the necessary information for developing
flash flood guidance and flood forecasting and warning services to be used in several river
basins within the SADC Region. The FFGS products which are time sensitive will be part
of WIS and should be distributed to all NMHSs for further dissemination.
3. Implementation constraints; problems encountered
The main problems pointed out by most Members of the SADC region are:

Shortage of satisfactorily trained staff in flood forecasting;

Lack of formal data sharing policy and protocols;

Poor rainfall forecast accuracy;

Transmission problems and malfunctioning devices;

Vandalism and theft of equipment;

Outdated instrumentation and obsolete forecasting methods.
Up to now, Angola and Tanzania have not participated in the discussions about the
schemes to be carried out for the Zambezi river basin. There is concern that such
absence might, to some extent, restrict the comprehensiveness of the strategy to be
accomplished within the river basin as a whole.
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4. Pending issues (as well as reasons, such as lack of resources (budget/staff), etc.)
 The required number of countries to ratify the Agreement to fully establish the
Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) has not been achieved yet;
 Some DCPs of the SADC-HYCOS project are still waiting to be installed.
 The problem of the lack of trained staff has not been solved;
 Financial resources need to be addressed;
 Data links among participating centers have not been identified yet;
 There is a need to enhance discovery and access of existing Zambezi Water
Information System (ZAMWIS) to prevent duplication if applicable;
 SARFFGS and SADC-HYCOS products which are time sensitive (and can be
part of WIS) must be distributed to NMHSs for further dissemination;
 The language interface is to be considered.
5. Partners involved (internal/external)
 The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
 The Commission for Hydrology (CHy)
 The Working Group on Hydrology of the RA I (RA I-WGH)
 The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
 The Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS)
 The World Hydrological Cycle Observing System (WHYCOS)
 The NMHSs of the countries that have to do with the project
 The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA)
 The International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC)
 The Regional Water Administration of the Zambezi (ARA Zambeze)
 The Southern Africa Developing Community (SADC)
 The European Union (EU)
 The Netherlands Government
 The Republic of South Africa
 The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID/OFDA)

The National Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA/NWS) of the United States
 The United States Geological Survey (USGS)
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 The Hydrologic Research Center (HRC)
6. Management and governance aspects (changes of organizational structure, etc.)
No changes
7. Capacity building and Outreach requirements
A regional workshop was organized in April 2008 under the SARFFGS. Trainings
were provided to experts of the participating countries of the SADC-HYCOS project on
software and field installations.
There is a need to strengthen the national and regional institutional capacity of
NMHSs and DMAs to actively participate and effectively contribute to the implementation
of the pilot project.
8. Benefits achieved
The main benefits of the Project are:

Most of the countries of the Southern Africa Regional Flash Flood Guidance
System (SARFFGS) have already provided their historical rainfall data as well
as the format for their real time data.

The enhancement of the collection of critical data, needed to monitor and to
predict environmental aspects (including hazards).

Cataloging of the full range of data and products, simplifying search and
assuring equitable access by WMO policies.

Enhancement of the availability of time-critical data and products at the centers
in all Member, ensuring the effective provision of services to their populations
and their economies.
9. Lessons learned and experiences gained
The countries that are participating in the project already have acknowledgement of
the effectiveness in cooperating and sharing data and information, aiming at the
management and the forecasting of floods both in the shared basins and in the whole
region.
10. Legacy of the Project
It is expected that the Project brings an effective way to manage and to forecast
flooding in the region. Furthermore, the positive results of the cooperation of the Members
involved in the project are supposed to lead future generations to work together in mutual
aid.
11. Resources used
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Financial resources have been provided by the European Community, the
Netherlands Government, the USAID/OFDA and WMO.
12. Planned Project completion date
The SADC-HYCOS Phase II was completed in June 2010, while Phase III continues.
The planned completion of the SARFFGS is 2012.
13. Project Focal Point (contact person, position, organization; phone, fax, e-mail)
Contact Person: Antônio Cardoso Neto
Position: Hydrological Advisor of the Permanent Representative of Brazil at
WMO
Organization: Agência Nacional de Águas
Address: Setor Policial, Área 5, Quadra 3, Bloco L, Sala 112,
CEP 70.610-200 Brasília (DF), Brazil
Telephone: +55 (61) 2109-5400
E-mail: cardoso@ana.gov.br
14. Place and Date (Location and date the report was prepared)
Brasilia (Brazil), 4th February 2011.
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