WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 World Meteorological Organization’s Project X Janice M. Fulford 1, Paul Pilon 2 and Claudio Caponi 2 1 U.S. Geological Survey, Hydrological Instrumentation Facility, Stennis Space Center, MS, USA 2 World Meteorological Organization, Hydrology and Water Resources Dept., CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland AWRA Water Resources Conference November 4, 2014 Tyson’s Corner VA

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 What is WMO’s Project X ? Shorthand for: Assessment of the Performance of Flow Measurement Instruments and Techniques WMO project to provide accessible information on the use of instruments and techniques used to measure flow in rivers and streams. WMO CHy recognized existing WMO guidance documents; do not provide detailed results of testing, do not always address recently available instrumentation

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Overview  WMO and the Commission for Hydrology (CHy)  Project’s beginnings  Project’s management structure  Project objectives  Core activities  Progress on project activities  Expected Results  Project web site

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 WMO and the Commission for Hydrology (CHy) World Meteorological Organization (WMO)  Agency of the United Nations (1950)  Works in meteorology, climatology and hydrology  Cooperative action by National Meteorological and Hydrological Services of 188 member countries and territories Commission for Hydrology (CHy)  One of eight technical commissions of WMO  Promotes in hydrology the international exchange of experience, technology, data, standards, and forecasts and warnings

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Project X – Beginnings Oct CHy XII Session finds need for information on new flow measurement instruments and methods Apr 2007 – small team of experts assemble and agree to work on the issue and develop a workplan Nov 2009 – CHy XIII endorses project & establishes a management committee (MC). Dec 2009 – MC meets. Dr. P. Pilon chair

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Project’s Management Structure Steering Committee  CHy Advisory Working Group Management Committee  manages the project Membership  Professional Associations: IAHR, IAHS, ISO, HMEI  WMO Chy (chair)  WMO Regional Associations Working Group on Hydrology  Ad hoc experts

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Objectives of Project X Develop a framework and identify/build the required “infrastructure” that will allow:  Increased understanding and tools to assess… othe uncertainty of the estimates of flow othe limitations of the instruments and techniques  Enhanced instrument and technique assessment capabilities  Encourage and solicit testing of the newer hydrometric instrumentation and methodologies  Posting of results in agreed upon formats so that they may be “pooled” and used by others Seven Core Activities identified by project members

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Project X – Seven Core Activities (1-4) 1. Survey on field discharge measurement instrumentation and techniques used by NHSs 2. Discharge techniques database 3. Guidelines for the assessment of uncertainty of hydrometric measurements 4. Guidelines for conducting and reporting on the calibration and verification of the performance of discharge measurement instruments.

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Project X – Seven Core Activities (5-7) 5. Collection of test reports on the performance of instruments and techniques with the creation of a website to make available the collected information. (requires completion of 4) 6. Uncertainty analysis of discharge determination via various techniques. 7. Provision of guidance and recommendations to NHSs, manufacturers, organizations and users of hydrometric data.

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November Survey on field discharge measurement instrumentation and techniques used by NHSs  27 of 188 WMO members responded

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November Discharge techniques database

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November Guidelines for the assessment of uncertainty of hydrometric measurements 1.Adoption of “Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement” (GUM, 2008) February 2009 Guidelines for the Assessment of Uncertainty of Hydrometric Measurements  Basic concepts and terminology  UA frameworks  Implementation guidance

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November Guidelines for the assessment of uncertainty of hydrometric measurements 2.Three demonstration examples Weighing and Timing Measurement of Discharge Measurement of discharge using point velocity meters and the velocity area method Measurement of discharge in a sewer pipe flowing with free surface

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November Guidelines for the assessment of uncertainty of hydrometric measurements 3.Development of the decision-aid tool Phase I, review of tools Phase II, development of examples for UADAT implementation

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November Guidelines for conducting and reporting on the calibration and verification of the performance of discharge measurement instruments Draft document available Undergoing review and revision 5.Collection of test reports on the performance of instruments and techniques with the creation of a website to make available the collected information. (requires completion of 4)

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Project X – Recent Activity Nov CHy XIV Session renewed the project noted that this project serves as an excellent model for use within the other CHy theme areas and suggested new activities for the project Dec 2013 – MC meets face to face. New chair Jean-Francois Cantin appointed. Work plan modified to include new activities. Summer-Fall 2014 –  New Survey on field discharge measurement instrumentation and techniques composed and sent to NHSs.  Work on core activity six.

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November Uncertainty analysis of discharge determination via various techniques. Three initiatives 1.Literature review of the methods for estimating the uncertainty of the most frequently used techniques as identified in the survey in activity 1 – stage-discharge relation 2.Identification and recommendation of a general methodology including terminology to be used in the estimation of uncertainty of the determined discharge 3.Development of examples that illustrate the application of the proposed methodology for estimating uncertainty of the determined discharge.

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Literature review of the methods for stage- discharge relation Literature review of the methods for stage- discharge relation Draft documents available Undergoing revision

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Identification and recommendation of a general methodology including terminology to be used in the estimation of uncertainty of the determined discharge Identification and recommendation of a general methodology including terminology to be used in the estimation of uncertainty of the determined discharge Draft documents available Undergoing revision

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Specific Activities and Products Project Proposal  Purpose and Scope  Approaches  Implementation Plan Work Plan Approved Documents Documents under Development On-line at:

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014 Expected Results 1. Improved understanding of the accuracy of hydrometric instruments; 2. Appropriate selection or development of instrumentation that meets the measurement needs for water planning and management; 3. Standardization of hydrometric measurements and the computation of estimates of measurement uncertainty (known data quality to possibly improved quality of data); 4. Improved cooperation among NHSs.

WMO Flow Measurement Instruments & Techniques AWRA Conference, 3-7 November 2014