WSC Real Time Network Management

Mantioba/Sask District

Scott Hill – Head of Operations, Sask

Rod Bowden – A/Head of Operations, Man.

Agnes Fojt – Hydrological Services Supervisor, Manitoba

Outline

▬ Flood Monitoring Operational Challenges▬ Challenges of collecting data were emphasized in large floods as

experienced during the 2011 flooding in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba

▬ Real Time Data Management▬ History ▬ Management of field results▬ Real Time QA/QC’d Data

Flood Monitoring Operational Challenges

Challenges of collecting Data in large floods.

Manitoba Flooding 2011 – Assiniboine River near Brandon

Saskatchewan Flooding 2011 – Qu’Appelle River near Welby

Identifying the challenges:

a) Resources:

- Personnel - Staff shortages: sick Leave, vacation and parental leave, etc.

- Training

-Equipment Shortages: ADCP’s, Boats, other specialised equipment.

-Infrastructure: Ensuring the integrity of data collection systems. Repair or replace flooded/damaged gauges on short notice.

b) Access.

- Vehicles:Take much longer, re-routes/detours.

- Boating on unfamiliar channels/rivers.

c) OSH.

-High velocity, Debris running, Snag/lose equipment.

-Unstable banks.

-Submerged hazards.

-Electrical hazards.

Current Solutions:

a) Resources:

-Staff Shortages: Because of the highly technical nature of the work trained personnel are required. Call in from other offices, recent retirees.

-Communication (e.g. smart phones for field result reporting)

-Equipment Shortages: Loans from other offices, rent if time lines permit.

-Infrastructure: Development of quick deploy temporary gauges and prebuilt gauges that are simple to install. (e.g. Radar Down-looker, Tilting Mast GOES).

b) Access.

-Coordinate with RCMP, Sask Highways, MIT, Access letters.

-Prearrangement of air resources (e.g. helicopter charter)

-Provide partners with daily trip plan – take into account longer access times.

c) OSH

Direct Management

- Equipment (e.g. Break-away and clutch kits installed on sounding A-reels).

-Training (Both formal and hands on practical sessions)

- Communication/Field safety monitoring (e.g. call-in reporting, location )

systems – SPOT)

- Station Documentation/Meta Data (e.g. Update Station Descriptions with High Water info. )

OSH Awareness

-Pre Spring: Review of Hazardous Occurrences, THA’s and SWP’s.

-Review and Improve. (e.g. Traffic safety Procedures).

Real Time Data Management – Real Time QA/QC’d Data

History

Water Survey of Canada’s primary mandate has been the production of archive QA/QC’d (Water level and Discharge) hydrometric data.

Various initiatives in data computation over the years have gradually moved us forward;

- Provisional data production on a monthly, weekly basis

- daily reporting of field results

- use of a regionally developed RTQ (Real Time Discharge)

At the same time there have been continuous improvement of data collection and telemetry data systems

All of which is looking to better provision near Real Time data to users.

2011 - Brought the implementation of HWS (Hydrometric Work Station) which, and along with major improvements to Water Survey of Canada’s web service, has ushered in the capability for Water Survey of Canada to process (QA/QC’d) real time data .

Identifying the Challenges

• Timeliness – data retrieval and ingest

• QA/QC’d data – continuously improved data through automated and manual review

• Data Dissemination – Reports and results distribution

Current Solutions

• Training to Address Paradigm shift – Annual archive data production (mean daily values) to continuously improved unit value data.

• Field Reporting – timely and accurate reporting of field results as soon as completed and ingesting data into HWS application

• Better web service, display and products through both partner and public sites.

Additional Products on INTERNAL Real time site

(http://www.wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/login_e.html)

Field Measurement Information

Current and Old Curves

Internal Web Data and Products

Field Measurement Reporting

WSC Manitoba Initiative - Priority station reporting of field results to support partner requirements

• Field Visit Info directly from tech• forwarded within 30 minutes to distribution list• for designated Priority Stations (25-30 stations in MB)

Future

• Further enhancements to WSC website for data display and dissemination.

• Improved report functionality with in the HWS application to assist in data dissemination.

• Datamart service associated with HWS to assist in data dissemination. Safe portal to allow partners direct/automated access to WSC hydrometric data and data products.

– WSC web site http://www.wateroffice.ec.gc.ca