FLOREO

STATUS: Running

FLOREO - "Demonstration of ESA Environments in support to FLOod Risk Earth Observation monitoring".

The project is oriented on development and implementation of relevant EO-based services in the Czech Republic to support existing hydrological monitoring activities, especially snow melt and surface water runoff contributing to flooding events. The idea of the project and the approach chosen have been thoroughly discussed with the Czech Hydrometerological Institute (CHMI), the main national organization mandated in monitoring and prevention of flood threat.

The use of EO data as a tool to deliver timely, spatially exhaustive and consistent information about different parameters of land surface brings new possibilities for hydrological monitoring systems used in flood risk analysis. The information about snow, as an important component in hydrological monitoring systems, is delivered by means of EO in full coverage compared to only discrete point measurements. Other land surface properties and their dynamics monitored by EO allow more detailed predictions of for instance surface water runoff contributing to flooding events.

The proposed methodology is based on combination of the different spatial and temporal scales of the imagery as well as employing optical and radar technology. The use of medium and coarse resolution satellite imagery with high temporal resolution will be focused on snow cover mapping & monitoring.  

Soil moisture topic will be approached from two different aspects: use of soil water modeling technique (by means of soil and precipitation data) and use of soil moisture products derived from EO data. The model may be run regularly to simulate soil moisture changes in a predefined grid. Surface water runoff modeling and the flood risk assessment will be approached by analysis of the up-to-date information about capacity of soil water infiltration and corresponding surface water run off risk from coming precipitation. This analysis includes soil moisture modeling and vegetation monitoring. The data about vegetation status in form of decadal LAI or NDVI map will be used. The CN2-Runoff Curve Number method is used to model water run off risk. The availability of above information together with the land cover data and soil map will allow much advanced and more reliable implementation of this model.

After the assessment and validation of modeling approaches it is expected the last step will represent the integration of weather scenario forecast data to allow modeling and quantification of eventual flood risk.
The project also includes development of web portal based solution with integration of external data sources. The portal will be based on open standards respecting ESA recommended SOA architecture (WS) and will provide two types of access. The user interface in Czech language will allow national users direct access to web portal services. It will provide basic, easy and simple access to predefined set of service elements implemented within this system. This shall be the dedicated solution for the main user - Czech Hydrometerological Institute. For the other users the FLOREO service elements will be accessible through global SSE portal. Full set of required interfaces for service publishing (such as Service Provider or Data Provider) will be implemented.

Project Duration: June 2008 - December 2010
Approved Budget: 383 250 €

Principal Investigator: Michal Kvasnička
Address: Sprinx Systems, a.s.
Výchozí 118/6, Prague 4 - Podolí