(Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines)
Project Concept
The problem with flood forecasting in the Bicol River Basin is that it is still at a regional scale wherein flood prone areas are designated on the sole basis of topography. While it is true that floodwater will eventually accumulate in the lowest part of the basin, the root cause of flooding is when streams overflow. A better approach then is to subdivide the BRB into individual river basins and evaluate every stream’s flood potential. Determining an impending river overflow can be done through monitoring the relationship between rainfall and flood height (from both historic and current data). Numerical modeling is also needed to constrain this relationship as well as current geohazard mapping for other weather-related hazards. Lastly, grassroots involvement through home-based stations (HBS) in this monitoring is imperative in order for local communities to recognize that scientific information is a vital component in their decision making process. This study aims to involve local experts and community leaders in scientific data gathering which eventually may form the basis of a localized early warning system for flooding.
Project Objectives
1. to constrain the rainfall-flood height relationship for various BRB rivers using historical data;
2. to set up a network of home-based stations within the BRB;
3. to set-up a floodwatch center in a partner university in the region;
4. to collect rain and flood information from the HBS volunteers on a daily basis; and,
5. to aid communities in incorporating the HBS network into their early flood warning system.
Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies
The relationship between rainfall and consequent flooding can be determined per river. Initially, rainfall intensity and duration data from PAGASA can be matched against historic river height. The use of numerical modeling can further refine the rainfall-flooding correlation such that later on one may be able to predict flood levels based on a given rainfall event.
Current mapping of river profiles and related geohazards (landslide-prone areas, stream blockage that may cause flash floods, etc.) will be continued. Thisinformation will likewise be transmitted to the communities involved.
A network of home-based stations (HBS) will have rain gauges installed within each sub-basin. This will also include HBS in the easternmost section of the Bicol peninsula (Catanduanes, Rapu-Rapu and/or Sorsogon) so that the rainfall volume from an incoming typhoon can already be established several hours ahead. An HBS will be designed for easy monitoring – the gauge will be installed in one’s roof which will be connected by a plastic tube to a graduated container inside the house. Data is sent via text messaging. An HBS for river height monitoring will be selected based on its proximity to the river being surveyed. Existing private and government weather stations can also be linked into this network. The information from the HBS network will be funneled in a local university floodwatch center which in turn can also update the network of prevailing conditions. It can also recommend predicted flood heights when needed.
Since the HBS network will be maintained by volunteers in the community, regular consultative meetings will be done to improve this methodology. Once this is perfected, it can hopefully be incorporated in their respective early warning system.
Project Objectives
1. to constrain the rainfall-flood height relationship for various BRB rivers using historical data;
2. to set up a network of home-based stations within the BRB;
3. to set-up a floodwatch center in a partner university in the region;
4. to collect rain and flood information from the HBS volunteers on a daily basis; and,
5. to aid communities in incorporating the HBS network into their early flood warning system.
Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies
The relationship between rainfall and consequent flooding can be determined per river. Initially, rainfall intensity and duration data from PAGASA can be matched against historic river height. The use of numerical modeling can further refine the rainfall-flooding correlation such that later on one may be able to predict flood levels based on a given rainfall event.
Current mapping of river profiles and related geohazards (landslide-prone areas, stream blockage that may cause flash floods, etc.) will be continued. Thisinformation will likewise be transmitted to the communities involved.
A network of home-based stations (HBS) will have rain gauges installed within each sub-basin. This will also include HBS in the easternmost section of the Bicol peninsula (Catanduanes, Rapu-Rapu and/or Sorsogon) so that the rainfall volume from an incoming typhoon can already be established several hours ahead. An HBS will be designed for easy monitoring – the gauge will be installed in one’s roof which will be connected by a plastic tube to a graduated container inside the house. Data is sent via text messaging. An HBS for river height monitoring will be selected based on its proximity to the river being surveyed. Existing private and government weather stations can also be linked into this network. The information from the HBS network will be funneled in a local university floodwatch center which in turn can also update the network of prevailing conditions. It can also recommend predicted flood heights when needed.
Since the HBS network will be maintained by volunteers in the community, regular consultative meetings will be done to improve this methodology. Once this is perfected, it can hopefully be incorporated in their respective early warning system.
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