Final Report Summary - MYWATER (Merging Hydrologic models and EO data for reliable information on Water)
Executive Summary:
MyWater was an FP7 Collaborative project, which started January 2011 and ended December 2013. The MyWater project provides reliable information on water quantity, quality and usage for appropriate water management. This has been done through coordinated research in the three areas: earth observation (EO), catchment modelling and meteorology. Data from these different sources have been integrated in the MyWater information platform, which provides user-tailored results to the water manager, such as high- and low-flow predictions for flood scenarios and reservoir management.
EO is used to identify Land Cover and Land Use (LCLU), and to estimate Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa), Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Soil Moisture. Catchment models simulate these parameters as well and have been used to confirm or complement the satellite data. Catchment models have also been used to assimilate the EO data to quantify the implications of the EO estimates of ETa on the simulated catchment run-off. Meteorological information, such as Precipitation and Temperature has been modelled through nested regional models, dedicated for the 5 case study areas in Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, Mozambique and Brazil.
The services developed have been operationalised in the MyWater platform. The platform allows for setting-up and customising data and model visualisations, alarms, and reports to be accessed or distributed through the web, mobile phones, desktop client, and e-mail. Integrating information from EO, meteorology, and catchment models, together with in-situ data, enables cross-validating the estimates of water quantity and quality in catchments and assessing the uncertainty range. An ensemble of model predictions can be formed on demand in the MyWater platform to quantify the uncertainty and assess when uncertainty is reduced and predictions are more reliable.
As such the MyWater Platform has become a versatile Information and Decision Support System that integrates data streams from EO, hydro-meteorological forecasting, and in-situ monitoring stations. The MyWater platform is flexible and can be set-up to support many services related to water management, such as flood early warning, support to irrigation activities, and reservoir operation.
Project Context and Objectives:
The MyWater project aims to provide reliable information on water quantity, quality and usage for appropriate water management. This objective was reached by conducting coordinated research in the three areas: earth observation (EO), catchment modelling and meteorology. Data from these different sources was integrated through a unique interface platform, which provides to the water manager user-tailored results, such as agriculture water needs, flood scenarios, and desertification scenarios.
EO can be used to identify Land Cover and Land Use (LCLU), and to estimate Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa), Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Soil Moisture.
Catchment models simulate these parameters as well and allow confirming or complementing the satellite data.
Meteorological information, such as Precipitation and Temperature is needed as input to the catchment models to determine the water availability.
Integrating information from EO, meteorology, and catchment models, together with in-situ data, will help cross-validating the estimates of water quantity and quality in catchments. These estimates become therefore less uncertain and more reliable. This supports water managers in determining long-term strategies, in designing their water systems, and in making their daily operational decisions. The water information will also support other sectors, such as agriculture, tourism, and industry.
Innovation
A major innovation of the MyWater project is the modelling approach that explicitly combines diversified input data in an optimal way in order to minimize the uncertainty of outputs and improve the quality of the predictions of the hydrological state at the watershed level.
The modelling approach makes optimal use of uncertain and diversified input data in off-line calibration. Both remote sensing products and catchment models are improved simultaneously. Also in on-line data assimilation of the remote sensing estimates, uncertainty is taken into account to make optimal use of the additional information. Together, the off- and on-line use of the satellite derived LAI, ETa and Soil Moisture provides an improved assessment of the real-time hydrological state of the catchment. This results in improved hydrological predictions for the short, medium, and long term.
Applications and case studies
The MyWater concept can support many services related with water management, however, the following Service Cases were developed and tested in the project:
- Early flood warning system;
- Support to Irrigation activities;
- Reservoir Management.
The consortium includes European, African and Latin-American teams working in selected case studies in Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, Mozambique and Brazil.
Products
The following tools and services were developed:
- Catchment models that are able to simulate the horizontal and vertical hydrological processes based on EO input data;
- Web-based data services for obtaining, sharing and publishing data;
- Technological MyWater platform to help users managing the data and evaluating the model results in a comprehensible way;
- Support and training services fitted to the needs of the different users.
Validation
The validation of the MyWater services and tools was mainly based on the response of the end-users. This includes the users’ satisfaction (user requirements), and the reliability of the services, asking the users to provide reports on operational continuity.
Project Results:
The MyWater project was constituted by 4 main work blocks:
Management (WP1);
Base data and methods (WP2, WP3 and WP4);
Services and tools development (WP5 and WP6); and
Implementation (WP7, WP8, WP9 and WP10).
The Management block was constituted by:
WP1 Project management which addressed, in general terms, all coordination and management issues and the interface to the Commission. This WP applies to the whole study spreading across the remaining WPs.
The Base data and Methods block respect to the base data gathering and processing, and data modelling procedures.
In this block:
WP2 Land core data was used for the derivation of the GMES land core services (i.e. LCLU, LAI, ETa, Soil Moisture) relevant to run the catchment models. This was performed through a detailed inventory of the already available GMES services, EO and ancillary data for the test sites, and through the development of methodologies based on EO data extraction for generating those services;
WP3 Meteorological data was used for the generation of the meteorological previsions needed to run the catchment models (e.g. Precipitation, Temperature). Methods were developed for meteorological forecasting at different temporal and spatial scales;
WP4 Soil data was responsible for the provision of the information necessary to the catchment models on soil data, which was derived by pedotransfer functions. Soil databases addressing soil depth, soil texture and Soil Organic Content (SOC) were developed;
WP5 Models and data integration allowed the integration of the catchment models with the land core data, the meteorological data and the soil data. Methodologies to check the models accuracy were developed. Models calibration and validation towards enhanced implementation in the study sites were also carried out.
In the services and tools development block:
WP6 Service chain focused on the development of the building blocks and information flows for each of the Service Cases: Early flood warning system; Support to irrigation activities; Reservoir Management. The idea was to breakdown in unitary blocks the technical procedures needed to go from GMES data to processed information useful to MyWater end-users.
WP7 MyWater platform development addressed the development of the MyWater information tool, in which the service chains were implemented in order to be handled by all users.
In the final block Implementation, the following work packages were carried out:
WP8 Test site implementation, where the MyWater platform was implemented in several locations and tested;
FWP9 User and market analysis, where was conducted: a) an analysis of the user needs; b) evaluation of competing solutions; c) preliminary business plan and final exploitation plan;
WP10 Dissemination, training and support, contributed to the definition of the project dissemination strategy and the training methodology to support all local partners to take the most advantage of MyWater tools and services.
MyWater WP2 Land core data (i.e. LCLU, LAI, ETa, and Soil Moisture) was an essential constituent of the catchment models, component of the MyWater concept. The project held a particular WP for the provision of such data for the test site areas. The WP2 main results can be summarized as follows:
A detailed inventory (D2.1) regarding the availability, and other characteristics, of land core data, satellite imagery, EO-based products and ancillary data (for the development of the land core data) over the test site areas;
A set of methodologies to provide LCLU, LAI, ETa and Soil Moisture datasets explained in D2.2;
LULC maps: The results comprise of 5 maps in regional (1:1,000,000) and 5 maps in local (1:50,000) scale.
The regional maps were produced by modifying the GLOBCOVER product from MERIS satellite images into the MyWater nomenclature. The local maps were produced by using spectral classification techniques on digitally enhanced SPOT and Landsat multispectral images and field surveyed data. The accuracy was accessed for all maps having been obtained Overall Accuracies higher of the defined limit of 80% in all test sites.
The maps and their metadata have been uploaded to the project ftp and reported in D2.3 "Spatially distributed LULC".
LAI maps: For the 5 sites, the results comprise of a total of 240 regional LAI maps and 30 local LAI maps, which were produced during the implementation phase.
The methodology for regional scale uses the MODIS satellite product LAI/FPAR (MOD15A2) which was downscaled from 1km to 250m using the MODIS product Vegetation Indices (MOD13Q1). The final maps were evaluated using field surveyed data. The methodology for local scale uses SPOT, Resourcesat LISS, and Landsat images to calculate the NDVI. A Look Up Table (LUT) is then used together with the LULC at local scale to convert each NDVI value to the corresponding LAI. The LUT had been developed by the MODIS Land Team after an investigation with ground truth data and Landsat 5 images all over the world. Regression analysis was performed in order to derive the equations from the LUT. The final maps were evaluated using field surveyed data
The maps and their metadata have been uploaded to the project ftp and reported in D2.4 "Spatially distributed LAI".
ETa maps: For all 5 sites, the results comprise of a total of 220 regional ETa maps, 148 regional cumulative ET maps, and 20 local ETa maps, which were produced during the implementation phase.
The ITA-MyWater (Integrated Thermodynamic Algorithms for MyWater) has been developed that incorporates raster meteorological data from WP3, soil maps from WP4, and satellite images with visible, near and thermal infrared bands to estimate ETa. MODIS data are used every 8 days as input for regional scale (1:1,000,000). For each 8-day period, a temporal integration is performed using the daily ETa maps together with the daily reference ET maps produced from meteorological data in order to produce cumulative ET maps. Landsat images are processed every 3 months for local scale maps (1:50,000).
The maps and their metadata have been uploaded to the project ftp and reported in D2.5 "Spatially distributed evapotranspiration".
SM maps: For all 5 sites, the results comprise of a total of 220 regional SMrz maps, 20 local SMrz maps, and 9 local SMsurf maps, which were produced during the implementation phase.
During the implementation phase, soil moisture maps are produced for each study site every 8 days at regional scale. The ITA-MyWater (Integrated Thermodynamic Algorithms for MyWater) has been extended to use the evaporative fraction (Λ) and the saturated soil water content (θsat) in order to estimate the average soil moisture content in the root zone (SMrz). Similar to ETa, MODIS data have been used as input for regional scale (1:1,000,000) and Landsat data for local scale (1:50,000). The final maps were evaluated using field surveyed data.
In addition, the production of surface soil moisture maps (SMsurf) from high resolution radar images was examined. Several ASAR, CosmoSkymed and Radarsat-2 radar satellite images have been acquired contemporary with the soil moisture surveys. The images have been pre-processed and calibrated and an empirical equation has been developed to estimate surface SM using as input the radar image, the slope and LAI maps.
The maps and their metadata have been uploaded to the project ftp and reported in D2.5 "Spatially distributed soil moisture".
Meteorological products were also required (i.e. temperature, relative humidity, wind, solar radiation and precipitation) to feed the hydrological models used in MyWater project. The project held a particular WP for the provision of such data for the test site areas. The WP3 main results can be summarized as follows:
High-resolution Numerical Weather Forecasts over the five test-case areas to provide data needed for the project during its duration - reported in D3.1: The CPTEC numerical weather forecast global and regional models were used to provide the data needed for the project during its duration. The outputs of the global model (CPTEC global model) were used to feed the ETa regional model for the downscaling with high resolution, with at least 5 kilometres in the horizontal resolution. The high-resolution outputs feed the hydrological and other models of the MyWater project with temperature, relative humidity, wind, solar radiation and precipitation. High resolution weather forecast data were generated two times every day during the implementation phase of the project.
Numerical Long range (Seasonal) forecasts over the five test-case areas - reported in D3.2: The CPTEC produces operational seasonal forecasts using a global atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) forced with prescribed sea surface temperature. These forecasts are produced every month and are valid for the following six months. The spatial resolution of the current operational version of CPTEC seasonal forecasting system is 1.875 x 1.875 degrees in latitude and longitude. The forecast variables available for the entire globe are precipitation, wind, temperature and specific humidity.
Soil data (WP4) and information derived by pedotransfer functions provide an essential constituent to the Land Models component of the MyWater concept. This drove the creation on another WP dealing with the provision of the information necessary to the catchment models on soil data (soil depth, soil hydrological properties, soil texture, Soil Organic Content (SOC), etc). The WP4 main results can be summarized as follows:
New soil information obtained from the LUCAS Soil Survey is integrated with the European Soil Database (D4.1): A number of continental and regional scale databases were used to support soil water modelling in Europe. Besides the European Soil Database the BioSoil forest soil monitoring data, a new set of soil data become available from 2010 through the LUCAS Soil survey, including soil organic carbon and soil texture information of over 22.000 sampling points over the EU.
Watershed-scale data is collected, an integrated soil database is developed for soil water modelling and validation (D4.2): In order to validate soil water models derived by pedotransfer rules (PTR) detailed catchment data are required. Two catchments were selected for data and PTR validation.
The Hungarian test site located in the western part of the country. Using the soil map database and the pedotransfer rules which were developed and tested on the basis of the Hungarian Detailed Soil Hydrophysical Database it is possible to predict the main hydrophysical parameters of the soils and to calculate the water regime with the actual soil water content of the soil polygons.
The test site in Greece. Apart from other data (land cover, meteorological data etc) a soil database will be available early in 2010. The soil database includes thematic maps, 1:20.000 in scale, of more than 20 soil properties (soil texture, SOC, soil depth, bulk density, calcium carbonate, pH, EC, CEC, SAR, macro and micro nutrients etc). Ground truthing activities for measuring actual soil water content were performed for calibrating and validating models and pedotransfer rules.
New pedotransfer rules to provide input on soil water characteristics to the MyWATER model have been developed (D4.3): Modelling component of this WP includes the development of new pedotransfer rules on the bases of available integrated dataset to provide differentiated soil water input information to the MyWater model. This PTR development focuses both on watershed and continental scales. Parallel PTR development took place for the different scales and were validated with satellite information.
Multiscale thematic soil water database is developed for current applications. Continuous data layer for further application were developed (D4.4): Implementation of a multiscale thematic soil water database - through the European Soil Data Centre - which was used as an input source to the MyWater model.
Catchment models were a fundamental component of the project as were the engine for the characterization of the water cycle and delivery of different water services. Models and data integration were therefore of the utmost importance to guaranty operationability of the services. A WP was created for this purpose, dealing with the integration of the catchment models with the land core data, the meteorological data and the soil data. The WP5 main results can be summarized as follows:
Integration the catchment models with EO based input data, i.e. land core data, meteorological data and soil data (methodologies and results) – D5.1.1: Experimental measured data (e.g. EO data already available for example developed in other projects) was used in models as input, validation and assimilation. LCLU data could only be used as input data. LAI could be used as input data replacing the traditional plant growth models included in the models. Soil Moisture and ETA (and also LAI) could be used for model validation or for model assimilation. Tests were made to evaluate the use that fits better the different services in terms of accuracy and efficiency.
Considering that data has a spatial grid size dependent on the satellite (and not on the model), grids were standardized. Methods for interpolation data grid in to model grid were tested (bilinear, spline 2D, triangulation, etc). Model sensitivity tests were made to evaluate:
• Impact of using different interpolation methods;
• Impact of using different Land Core data grid sizes;
• Impact of using different model grid sizes.
In WP2, WP3, WP4 and WP5 the base data and methods used to generate the MyWater services were defined. Another WP was then necessary to provide the framework for the development of the expected technical solutions to transform the MyWater data and methods into information useful for different users. The WP6 main results can be summarized as follows:
WP6 Service chain was responsible for the definition of the Service Cases that MyWater addressed and for the definition of the service chains (building blocks, information flows and data technical specifications), for each of these Service Cases.
The work developed followed the approach proposed in MyWater Annex 1 to deliver the appropriate services to the users. Starting from the available data the chains of value were set up in order to transform the data into useful information. The implementation of such a concept implied to breakdown in unitary blocks the technical procedures needed to go from data to processed information, taking into consideration the type of services, deliverables, etc., expected by the final users.
According the currently identified user needs, MyWater Service Chain will focus on the development of the building blocks and information flows for the following Service Cases:
Reservoir Management.
Floods early warning system;
Support to Irrigation activities;
For each of these Service Cases, technical requirements were defined. The idea was to define, in a first step the information (or products) that can be useful to end-users based on MyWater data and products. In a second step it is necessary to evaluate what characteristics the products need to have a significant added value for the end-users of the present activity.
In order to meet these objectives a set of procedures capable to pick up data and models results from different providers, apply the necessary methods to make it available in readable formats and then to implement analyzing tools and filters to transform it into useful information capable to fulfil the requirements of different user needs, was implemented. There were also defined the necessary procedures to observe quality assurance.
The detailed results of this WP are described in D6.1.1 D6.1.2 and D6.2. - D6.1.1 Definition of the service cases / D6.1.2 Service chains / Deliverable D6.2 Record specifications and Validation methodology
WP7 MyWater platform development addressed the development of the MyWater information tool, in which the service chains were implemented in order to be handled by all users. This information tool is intended to aggregate several components with focus on specific tasks (e.g. download data sets from different providers, running models, reporting, and exploitation of geospatial data) and provide appropriate services to different user needs demands. The WP7 main results can be summarized as follows:
MyWater Platform was setup and the integration of different data sources and models was performed. Several services are in place, such as daily precipitation and evapotranspiration forecasts maps, and different models have been integrated in the platform: SWAT, MOHID, SIMGRO, PRICE2D, etc.
The platform is able to produce automatic reports and alerts and prototype web and mobile clients were also made available to the users in order to improve the results usability.
The Deliverables that resulted were D7.4 MyWater user manual. There were produced versions in Portuguese and English. The Portuguese version is an extended version of the Manual that was specially produced to be used on the training courses that were held in Portugal, Brazil and Mozambique. D7.5 is the finalized version of the MyWater platform (software).
WP8 Test site implementation was responsible for the MyWater platform implementation in the several test sites. Models that were setup in WP5 were implemented and calibrated using data from users. For validation, data from users was used in some cases and in others the EO data on ETA was also used has validation of the models. The WP8 main results can be summarized as follows:
Catchment model validation using direct methods and by indirect methods. Direct methods include comparing model results with measurements (e.g. flow, soil moisture, etc). Indirect methods include comparison with values associated with the water budget (e.g. EO data, energy budgets).
Use of historical meteorological data and historical flow for calibrate/validate models.
Calibration with measured flow data. Models are running for all study sites.
The MyWater platform was set up in all test sites and all the available data sources were included.
The MyWater platform has shown in its validation in the 5 case studies that it is a flexible, easy to use, information system on which new operational services can be tested and shared with end users on a variety of graphical user interfaces.
Additional clients (mobile & web based) were developed under the MyWater project to access the same data available on the MyWater platform
ASCAT Surface Soil Moisture is very well correlated with soil water content obtained with SWAT and Mohid Land model
More details are available in D8.1 D8.2 and D8.3.
WP9 User and market analysis was responsible for the relation with the users and also for the evaluation and demonstration of the commercial feasibility and the business potential of the concept proposed.
WP10 was responsible for the activities undertaken by the project team regarding project dissemination, to ensure that both the scientific and end-user communities are kept well-informed of findings, with a view to ensure that these can be readily implemented with social and economic benefits. The dissemination strategy focuses on four types of dissemination activities: 1) Website; 2) Publications in international peer-reviewed journals and conferences; 3) Dedicated session in an international conference; 4) Specialised courses in the regions of the case study areas.
The WP10 main results can be summarized as follows:
D10.1 Project website
D10.2 Dissemination plan
D10.3 Flyers
D10.4 1st Policy brief
D10.5 2nd Policy brief
D10.6 Contribution to the Blueprint on Water Scarcity
D10.7 Special MyWater session at an international conference
D10.8 Course material
Potential Impact:
IMPACT
The increasing of water pressures with direct impacts on environment and public health is an important issue at a global level. Being this concern pushed by an increased educated population, by the legal system or by the economical activities (e.g. agriculture, tourism), or even by environmental factors such as droughts and floods, the result is the same: an increased necessity to be able to foreseen in due time and with the most possible accuracy the state of the water (e.g. availability, quality) for the uses to which they are submitted. In case of possible non-conformity, it is of prime importance that the necessary actions may be taken in time to avoid major consequences. This is the case, for instance, of possible pressures over water availability caused by extensive farming and irrigation, that may lead to water shortage for public use. If managed properly, being able to access the necessary information, may give the opportunity to take adequate risk minimization actions.
Moreover, the attention of the public is strongly focused on the environmental quality, and specifically, on the water availability which is today seen as the world future economic driver (instead of the current which is oil). MyWater addresses these needs through the implementation of fitted to user-needs functionalities in terms of operational water information services. The practical result may be a comprehensive alert system, a water availability information service, etc.
In line with these needs MyWater aims at supporting the use of the GMES Core Services to the establishment of local operational systems, capable of sharing the knowledge embedded in heterogeneous data (Core services, local) to provide advanced forecast capabilities (improving the managing capabilities by contributing to reduce the risks, both to the environment and the public health and increasing the degree of preparedness of the end-users in respect to possible natural or man-made risks) and making results available to professional and non-professional users.
As a result MyWater will bring added competitiveness to the companies to whom the MyWater services will be made available by providing them the means to propose services to their clients and a competitive cost which otherwise would not be possible. But MyWater will also bring an increased competitiveness to the Core Services Providers by means of the enlargement of the local companies that will require the use their products and services.
MyWater is though in line with the expected impact of to boost the stimulation of the development of GMES services in specific areas in, close collaboration with representative user communities in Europe. MyWater is in line with this goal by involving different partners from Europe that will be effective users and/or suppliers of core data for the services and it is even going further by extending this collaboration to other Non-European countries contributing to the creation of a global market. MyWater is also in line with the work programme expected impacts of being complementary to the Fast Track Services (land core services) and to make the best use of the products they will provide.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
Publication in peer-reviewed journal:
• Tóth, B., Makó, A., Guadagnini, A., Tóth, G. 2012. Water retention of salt affected soils: quantitative estimation using soil survey information. Arid Land Research and Management, 26. 103-121.
• Tóth, B., Makó, A., Tóth, G., Farkas, C., Rajkai, K. 2013. Comparison of pedotransfer functions to estimate the van Genuchten parameters from soil survey information. (A van Genuchten-függvény paramétereit átnézetes talajtérképi információkból becslő módszerek összehasonlítása és továbbfejlesztésük lehetőségei.) (in Hungarian) Agrokémia és Talajtan 62. 1. 5-22.
• Alexandridis, T.K. Cherif, I., Kalogeropoulos, C., Monachou, S., Eskridge, K., and Silleos, N., 2013. Rapid error assessment for quantitative estimations from Landsat 7 gap-filled images. Remote Sensing Letters, 4(9): 920-928.
• Cherif, I., Alexandridis, T.K. Jauch, E., Chambel-Leitao, P., Almeida, C., and Silleos, N., 2014. Improvement of remotely sensed actual evapotranspiration estimation using raster meteorological data. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, (submitted).
• Price R.K. 2014: White paper on PriceXD, submitted to Hydroinformatics journal
• Hartanto et al. (MyWater team), 2014: Merging Earth Observation Data, Weather Predictions, In-Situ Measurements, and Hydrological Models for Reliable Information on Water, Extended abstract – full paper submission to special issue on WATERNET in Journal of Physics and Chemistry of the Earth
• Tóth, B., Weynants, M., Nemes, A., Makó, A., Bilas, G., Tóth, G. New generation of soil hydrological pedotransfer functions. European Journal of Soil Science. (Submitted)
• Tóth B., Makó A., Tóth G. Role of soil properties in water retention of main Hungarian soil types. Journal of Central European Agriculture. (Submitted)
Oral presentations:
• Tóth, B., Makó, A., Farkas, Cs., Rajkai, K. 2012. Prediction of the soil water retention curve from differently detailed and different type soil properties. Conference of the Hungarian Soil Science Society. 23-24 Aug. 2012., Miskolc.
• Jauch, E., Chambel-Leitao, P., Almeida, C., Brito, D., Cherif, I., Alexandridis, T.K. and Neves, R., 2013. A watershed model to integrate EO data, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 15, EGU2013-14013, European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, 7-12 April.
• Galvao D., 2013: Platform development for merging various information sources for water management: methodological, technical and operational aspects, EGU2013-8683, Vienna, Austria
• Alexandridis, T.K. Stavridou, D., Strati, S., Monachou, S., and Silleos, N., 2013. LAI measurement with hemispherical photographs at variable conditions for assessment of remotely sensed estimations, ESA Living Planet Symposium, Edinburgh, UK, 9-13 September.
• Topaloglou, C., Monachou, S., Strati, S., Alexandridis, T.K. Stavridou, D., Silleos, N., Misopolinos, N., Nunes, A., and Araujo, A., 2013. Modeling LAI based on landcover map and NDVI using SPOT and Landsat data in two Mediterranean sites: Preliminary results, First International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of Environment, Paphos, Cyprus, 8-10 April.
• Hartanto et al., 2013: Merging Earth Observation Data, Weather Predictions, In-Situ Measurements, And Hydrological Models, For Reliable Information On Water, WATERNET conference, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
• Kwast H. van der, Hartanto I.M. Andel van S.J. 2013: Integrating in-situ measurements and remote sensing data in process-based hydrological modelling, VUB, Brussels, Belgium
• Almeida C. Et al., 2013: MyWater - Integração de informação em tempo real com modelos de previsão de afluências”, SILUSBA 2013 conference, Maputo, Mozambique
• Cherif et al., 2013: Merging raster meteorological data with low resolution satellite images
• for improved estimation of actual evapotranspiration, Geophysical Research Abstracts
• Vol. 15, EGU2013-11658
• Velickov S., Galvao D., et al, 2013: presentation of the MyWater project during the SME innovation day in Utrecht on the 15th May 2013
• Velickov S., Galvao D., et al, 2013: presentation of the MyWater project at the Chinese research workshop on monitoring data for farmers organised by the Province of Zuid Holland in Den Haag on 29th May 2013
• Velickov S., Galvao D., et al, 2013: presentation of the MyWater project at the joint NL- Brazilian research day at Deltares “From Satellite Data to Farmers” on 5th September 2013.
• Almeida C. et al., 2013: The use of catchment models coupled with weather forecasts to support water management in Mozambique Umbeluzi watershed, TWAM conference 2013, Aveiro, Portugal
• G. Tóth, M. Weynants, M. van Liedekerke, P. Panagos, L. Montanarella. 2013. Soil databases in support of pan-European soil water model development and applications. Procedia Environmental Sciences. Volume 19. Pages 411–415. doi. 10.1016/j.proenv.2013.06.047
• T. Antofie, G. Naumann, J. Spinoni, M. Weynants, S. Szalai, T. Szentimrey, Z Bihari, J Vogt. 2013. A drought severity climatology for the Carpathian Region using Sc-PDSI. EGU General Assembly 2013, held 7-12 April, 2013 in Vienna, Austria, id. EGU2013-9069
• Araujo, A., Chambel, P., Silva, A., Velickov, S., van Andel, S.J. Toth, G., Almeida, A., Mako, A., Alexandridis, T.K. and Cugala, D., 2013. FP7 project MyWater - Merging hydrologic models and EO data for reliable information on water, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 15, EGU2013-8576-2, European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, 7-12 April.
Poster presentations:
• Makó, A., Tóth, B., Tóth, G., Hermann, T., Hernádi, H. 2012. Estimation of soil water retention of a study area based on detailed categorical soil map information. EUROSOIL 2012. 2-6 July, Bari, Italy.
• Hartanto, I. M.; van Andel, S. J.; Lobbrecht, A. H.; van Griensven, A.; Solomatine, D. P., 2012: Integrating earth observation data into hydrological modeling and water management, EGU General Assembly 2012 p.13110
• Nunes, Α., Araujo, A., Alexandridis, T.K. and Chambel, P., 2013. Effects of different scale land cover maps in watershed modelling, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 15, EGU2013-11990, European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, 7-12 April.
• Commandeur T., 2013: Using satellite precipitation data for hydrological modeling, EGU2013-10272, Vienna, Austria
• Hartanto I.M. et al., 2013: Spatially distributed modeling of controlled low-lying catchments utilizing earth observation data, AGU fall meeting, San Francisco, USA
• Hartanto et al., 2013: Hydrological modelling of low-lying catchments in deltas using multiple data sources and SIMGRO modelling system,EGU2013-13081, Vienna, Austria
• Andel van et al., 2013: Multi-model methods for probabilistic streamflow forecasting, EGU2013-13931, Vienna, Austria
Other publications and events:
• Weynants, M., Tóth, G., Montanarella, L., Arnoldussen, A., Anaya Romero, M., Bilas, G., Borresen, T., Cornelis, W., Daroussin, J., Feichtinger, F., Gonçalves, M.D.C. Hannam, J., Haugen, L.-E. Hennings, V., Houskova, B., Iovino, M., Javaux, M., Keay, C.A. Kätterer, T., Kvaerno, S., Laktinova, T., Lamorski, K., Lilly, A., Makó, A., Matula, S., Morari, F., Nemes, A., Nyborg, Å., Vladimir, P.N. Riley, H., Romano, N., Schindler, U., Shein, E., Slawinski, C., Strauss, P., Tóth, B., & Wösten, H. 2013. European Hydropedological Inventory (Eu-HYDI). Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.
• Tóth, B., Weynants, M., Nemes, A., Makó, A., Bilas, G., & Tóth, G. 2013. New generation of hydraulic pedotransfer functions for Europe. European Journal Of Soil Science. submitted.
• Briefing of the director of Regional Water Authority of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace (a potential Greek user) by members of the team of AUTH regarding the project’s activities and the possibility for its application in other river basins. The briefing took place in Kavala on 9/12/13.
• Araujo A., 2013: contribution to Water in Africa in a Changing Climate, Africa Turns Green documentaries.
• Silva A., Araujo A., 2013: contribution to Blueprint on Water Scarcity
• Tóth B., Makó A., Tóth G. Water retention estimation of Hungarian chernozems based on soil map information. (Talajaink víztartó képességének meghatározása talajtérképi információk alapján - a csernozjom talajok példája.) (in Hungarian) Hidrológiai Közlöny.
• M. Weynants et al. 2013 European Hydopedological Data Inventory (EU-HYDI). EUR 26053 EN. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. 168pp. doi: 10.2788/5936.
List of Websites:
http://www.mywater-fp7.eu
mywater@gmv.com
MyWater was an FP7 Collaborative project, which started January 2011 and ended December 2013. The MyWater project provides reliable information on water quantity, quality and usage for appropriate water management. This has been done through coordinated research in the three areas: earth observation (EO), catchment modelling and meteorology. Data from these different sources have been integrated in the MyWater information platform, which provides user-tailored results to the water manager, such as high- and low-flow predictions for flood scenarios and reservoir management.
EO is used to identify Land Cover and Land Use (LCLU), and to estimate Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa), Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Soil Moisture. Catchment models simulate these parameters as well and have been used to confirm or complement the satellite data. Catchment models have also been used to assimilate the EO data to quantify the implications of the EO estimates of ETa on the simulated catchment run-off. Meteorological information, such as Precipitation and Temperature has been modelled through nested regional models, dedicated for the 5 case study areas in Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, Mozambique and Brazil.
The services developed have been operationalised in the MyWater platform. The platform allows for setting-up and customising data and model visualisations, alarms, and reports to be accessed or distributed through the web, mobile phones, desktop client, and e-mail. Integrating information from EO, meteorology, and catchment models, together with in-situ data, enables cross-validating the estimates of water quantity and quality in catchments and assessing the uncertainty range. An ensemble of model predictions can be formed on demand in the MyWater platform to quantify the uncertainty and assess when uncertainty is reduced and predictions are more reliable.
As such the MyWater Platform has become a versatile Information and Decision Support System that integrates data streams from EO, hydro-meteorological forecasting, and in-situ monitoring stations. The MyWater platform is flexible and can be set-up to support many services related to water management, such as flood early warning, support to irrigation activities, and reservoir operation.
Project Context and Objectives:
The MyWater project aims to provide reliable information on water quantity, quality and usage for appropriate water management. This objective was reached by conducting coordinated research in the three areas: earth observation (EO), catchment modelling and meteorology. Data from these different sources was integrated through a unique interface platform, which provides to the water manager user-tailored results, such as agriculture water needs, flood scenarios, and desertification scenarios.
EO can be used to identify Land Cover and Land Use (LCLU), and to estimate Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa), Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Soil Moisture.
Catchment models simulate these parameters as well and allow confirming or complementing the satellite data.
Meteorological information, such as Precipitation and Temperature is needed as input to the catchment models to determine the water availability.
Integrating information from EO, meteorology, and catchment models, together with in-situ data, will help cross-validating the estimates of water quantity and quality in catchments. These estimates become therefore less uncertain and more reliable. This supports water managers in determining long-term strategies, in designing their water systems, and in making their daily operational decisions. The water information will also support other sectors, such as agriculture, tourism, and industry.
Innovation
A major innovation of the MyWater project is the modelling approach that explicitly combines diversified input data in an optimal way in order to minimize the uncertainty of outputs and improve the quality of the predictions of the hydrological state at the watershed level.
The modelling approach makes optimal use of uncertain and diversified input data in off-line calibration. Both remote sensing products and catchment models are improved simultaneously. Also in on-line data assimilation of the remote sensing estimates, uncertainty is taken into account to make optimal use of the additional information. Together, the off- and on-line use of the satellite derived LAI, ETa and Soil Moisture provides an improved assessment of the real-time hydrological state of the catchment. This results in improved hydrological predictions for the short, medium, and long term.
Applications and case studies
The MyWater concept can support many services related with water management, however, the following Service Cases were developed and tested in the project:
- Early flood warning system;
- Support to Irrigation activities;
- Reservoir Management.
The consortium includes European, African and Latin-American teams working in selected case studies in Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, Mozambique and Brazil.
Products
The following tools and services were developed:
- Catchment models that are able to simulate the horizontal and vertical hydrological processes based on EO input data;
- Web-based data services for obtaining, sharing and publishing data;
- Technological MyWater platform to help users managing the data and evaluating the model results in a comprehensible way;
- Support and training services fitted to the needs of the different users.
Validation
The validation of the MyWater services and tools was mainly based on the response of the end-users. This includes the users’ satisfaction (user requirements), and the reliability of the services, asking the users to provide reports on operational continuity.
Project Results:
The MyWater project was constituted by 4 main work blocks:
Management (WP1);
Base data and methods (WP2, WP3 and WP4);
Services and tools development (WP5 and WP6); and
Implementation (WP7, WP8, WP9 and WP10).
The Management block was constituted by:
WP1 Project management which addressed, in general terms, all coordination and management issues and the interface to the Commission. This WP applies to the whole study spreading across the remaining WPs.
The Base data and Methods block respect to the base data gathering and processing, and data modelling procedures.
In this block:
WP2 Land core data was used for the derivation of the GMES land core services (i.e. LCLU, LAI, ETa, Soil Moisture) relevant to run the catchment models. This was performed through a detailed inventory of the already available GMES services, EO and ancillary data for the test sites, and through the development of methodologies based on EO data extraction for generating those services;
WP3 Meteorological data was used for the generation of the meteorological previsions needed to run the catchment models (e.g. Precipitation, Temperature). Methods were developed for meteorological forecasting at different temporal and spatial scales;
WP4 Soil data was responsible for the provision of the information necessary to the catchment models on soil data, which was derived by pedotransfer functions. Soil databases addressing soil depth, soil texture and Soil Organic Content (SOC) were developed;
WP5 Models and data integration allowed the integration of the catchment models with the land core data, the meteorological data and the soil data. Methodologies to check the models accuracy were developed. Models calibration and validation towards enhanced implementation in the study sites were also carried out.
In the services and tools development block:
WP6 Service chain focused on the development of the building blocks and information flows for each of the Service Cases: Early flood warning system; Support to irrigation activities; Reservoir Management. The idea was to breakdown in unitary blocks the technical procedures needed to go from GMES data to processed information useful to MyWater end-users.
WP7 MyWater platform development addressed the development of the MyWater information tool, in which the service chains were implemented in order to be handled by all users.
In the final block Implementation, the following work packages were carried out:
WP8 Test site implementation, where the MyWater platform was implemented in several locations and tested;
FWP9 User and market analysis, where was conducted: a) an analysis of the user needs; b) evaluation of competing solutions; c) preliminary business plan and final exploitation plan;
WP10 Dissemination, training and support, contributed to the definition of the project dissemination strategy and the training methodology to support all local partners to take the most advantage of MyWater tools and services.
MyWater WP2 Land core data (i.e. LCLU, LAI, ETa, and Soil Moisture) was an essential constituent of the catchment models, component of the MyWater concept. The project held a particular WP for the provision of such data for the test site areas. The WP2 main results can be summarized as follows:
A detailed inventory (D2.1) regarding the availability, and other characteristics, of land core data, satellite imagery, EO-based products and ancillary data (for the development of the land core data) over the test site areas;
A set of methodologies to provide LCLU, LAI, ETa and Soil Moisture datasets explained in D2.2;
LULC maps: The results comprise of 5 maps in regional (1:1,000,000) and 5 maps in local (1:50,000) scale.
The regional maps were produced by modifying the GLOBCOVER product from MERIS satellite images into the MyWater nomenclature. The local maps were produced by using spectral classification techniques on digitally enhanced SPOT and Landsat multispectral images and field surveyed data. The accuracy was accessed for all maps having been obtained Overall Accuracies higher of the defined limit of 80% in all test sites.
The maps and their metadata have been uploaded to the project ftp and reported in D2.3 "Spatially distributed LULC".
LAI maps: For the 5 sites, the results comprise of a total of 240 regional LAI maps and 30 local LAI maps, which were produced during the implementation phase.
The methodology for regional scale uses the MODIS satellite product LAI/FPAR (MOD15A2) which was downscaled from 1km to 250m using the MODIS product Vegetation Indices (MOD13Q1). The final maps were evaluated using field surveyed data. The methodology for local scale uses SPOT, Resourcesat LISS, and Landsat images to calculate the NDVI. A Look Up Table (LUT) is then used together with the LULC at local scale to convert each NDVI value to the corresponding LAI. The LUT had been developed by the MODIS Land Team after an investigation with ground truth data and Landsat 5 images all over the world. Regression analysis was performed in order to derive the equations from the LUT. The final maps were evaluated using field surveyed data
The maps and their metadata have been uploaded to the project ftp and reported in D2.4 "Spatially distributed LAI".
ETa maps: For all 5 sites, the results comprise of a total of 220 regional ETa maps, 148 regional cumulative ET maps, and 20 local ETa maps, which were produced during the implementation phase.
The ITA-MyWater (Integrated Thermodynamic Algorithms for MyWater) has been developed that incorporates raster meteorological data from WP3, soil maps from WP4, and satellite images with visible, near and thermal infrared bands to estimate ETa. MODIS data are used every 8 days as input for regional scale (1:1,000,000). For each 8-day period, a temporal integration is performed using the daily ETa maps together with the daily reference ET maps produced from meteorological data in order to produce cumulative ET maps. Landsat images are processed every 3 months for local scale maps (1:50,000).
The maps and their metadata have been uploaded to the project ftp and reported in D2.5 "Spatially distributed evapotranspiration".
SM maps: For all 5 sites, the results comprise of a total of 220 regional SMrz maps, 20 local SMrz maps, and 9 local SMsurf maps, which were produced during the implementation phase.
During the implementation phase, soil moisture maps are produced for each study site every 8 days at regional scale. The ITA-MyWater (Integrated Thermodynamic Algorithms for MyWater) has been extended to use the evaporative fraction (Λ) and the saturated soil water content (θsat) in order to estimate the average soil moisture content in the root zone (SMrz). Similar to ETa, MODIS data have been used as input for regional scale (1:1,000,000) and Landsat data for local scale (1:50,000). The final maps were evaluated using field surveyed data.
In addition, the production of surface soil moisture maps (SMsurf) from high resolution radar images was examined. Several ASAR, CosmoSkymed and Radarsat-2 radar satellite images have been acquired contemporary with the soil moisture surveys. The images have been pre-processed and calibrated and an empirical equation has been developed to estimate surface SM using as input the radar image, the slope and LAI maps.
The maps and their metadata have been uploaded to the project ftp and reported in D2.5 "Spatially distributed soil moisture".
Meteorological products were also required (i.e. temperature, relative humidity, wind, solar radiation and precipitation) to feed the hydrological models used in MyWater project. The project held a particular WP for the provision of such data for the test site areas. The WP3 main results can be summarized as follows:
High-resolution Numerical Weather Forecasts over the five test-case areas to provide data needed for the project during its duration - reported in D3.1: The CPTEC numerical weather forecast global and regional models were used to provide the data needed for the project during its duration. The outputs of the global model (CPTEC global model) were used to feed the ETa regional model for the downscaling with high resolution, with at least 5 kilometres in the horizontal resolution. The high-resolution outputs feed the hydrological and other models of the MyWater project with temperature, relative humidity, wind, solar radiation and precipitation. High resolution weather forecast data were generated two times every day during the implementation phase of the project.
Numerical Long range (Seasonal) forecasts over the five test-case areas - reported in D3.2: The CPTEC produces operational seasonal forecasts using a global atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) forced with prescribed sea surface temperature. These forecasts are produced every month and are valid for the following six months. The spatial resolution of the current operational version of CPTEC seasonal forecasting system is 1.875 x 1.875 degrees in latitude and longitude. The forecast variables available for the entire globe are precipitation, wind, temperature and specific humidity.
Soil data (WP4) and information derived by pedotransfer functions provide an essential constituent to the Land Models component of the MyWater concept. This drove the creation on another WP dealing with the provision of the information necessary to the catchment models on soil data (soil depth, soil hydrological properties, soil texture, Soil Organic Content (SOC), etc). The WP4 main results can be summarized as follows:
New soil information obtained from the LUCAS Soil Survey is integrated with the European Soil Database (D4.1): A number of continental and regional scale databases were used to support soil water modelling in Europe. Besides the European Soil Database the BioSoil forest soil monitoring data, a new set of soil data become available from 2010 through the LUCAS Soil survey, including soil organic carbon and soil texture information of over 22.000 sampling points over the EU.
Watershed-scale data is collected, an integrated soil database is developed for soil water modelling and validation (D4.2): In order to validate soil water models derived by pedotransfer rules (PTR) detailed catchment data are required. Two catchments were selected for data and PTR validation.
The Hungarian test site located in the western part of the country. Using the soil map database and the pedotransfer rules which were developed and tested on the basis of the Hungarian Detailed Soil Hydrophysical Database it is possible to predict the main hydrophysical parameters of the soils and to calculate the water regime with the actual soil water content of the soil polygons.
The test site in Greece. Apart from other data (land cover, meteorological data etc) a soil database will be available early in 2010. The soil database includes thematic maps, 1:20.000 in scale, of more than 20 soil properties (soil texture, SOC, soil depth, bulk density, calcium carbonate, pH, EC, CEC, SAR, macro and micro nutrients etc). Ground truthing activities for measuring actual soil water content were performed for calibrating and validating models and pedotransfer rules.
New pedotransfer rules to provide input on soil water characteristics to the MyWATER model have been developed (D4.3): Modelling component of this WP includes the development of new pedotransfer rules on the bases of available integrated dataset to provide differentiated soil water input information to the MyWater model. This PTR development focuses both on watershed and continental scales. Parallel PTR development took place for the different scales and were validated with satellite information.
Multiscale thematic soil water database is developed for current applications. Continuous data layer for further application were developed (D4.4): Implementation of a multiscale thematic soil water database - through the European Soil Data Centre - which was used as an input source to the MyWater model.
Catchment models were a fundamental component of the project as were the engine for the characterization of the water cycle and delivery of different water services. Models and data integration were therefore of the utmost importance to guaranty operationability of the services. A WP was created for this purpose, dealing with the integration of the catchment models with the land core data, the meteorological data and the soil data. The WP5 main results can be summarized as follows:
Integration the catchment models with EO based input data, i.e. land core data, meteorological data and soil data (methodologies and results) – D5.1.1: Experimental measured data (e.g. EO data already available for example developed in other projects) was used in models as input, validation and assimilation. LCLU data could only be used as input data. LAI could be used as input data replacing the traditional plant growth models included in the models. Soil Moisture and ETA (and also LAI) could be used for model validation or for model assimilation. Tests were made to evaluate the use that fits better the different services in terms of accuracy and efficiency.
Considering that data has a spatial grid size dependent on the satellite (and not on the model), grids were standardized. Methods for interpolation data grid in to model grid were tested (bilinear, spline 2D, triangulation, etc). Model sensitivity tests were made to evaluate:
• Impact of using different interpolation methods;
• Impact of using different Land Core data grid sizes;
• Impact of using different model grid sizes.
In WP2, WP3, WP4 and WP5 the base data and methods used to generate the MyWater services were defined. Another WP was then necessary to provide the framework for the development of the expected technical solutions to transform the MyWater data and methods into information useful for different users. The WP6 main results can be summarized as follows:
WP6 Service chain was responsible for the definition of the Service Cases that MyWater addressed and for the definition of the service chains (building blocks, information flows and data technical specifications), for each of these Service Cases.
The work developed followed the approach proposed in MyWater Annex 1 to deliver the appropriate services to the users. Starting from the available data the chains of value were set up in order to transform the data into useful information. The implementation of such a concept implied to breakdown in unitary blocks the technical procedures needed to go from data to processed information, taking into consideration the type of services, deliverables, etc., expected by the final users.
According the currently identified user needs, MyWater Service Chain will focus on the development of the building blocks and information flows for the following Service Cases:
Reservoir Management.
Floods early warning system;
Support to Irrigation activities;
For each of these Service Cases, technical requirements were defined. The idea was to define, in a first step the information (or products) that can be useful to end-users based on MyWater data and products. In a second step it is necessary to evaluate what characteristics the products need to have a significant added value for the end-users of the present activity.
In order to meet these objectives a set of procedures capable to pick up data and models results from different providers, apply the necessary methods to make it available in readable formats and then to implement analyzing tools and filters to transform it into useful information capable to fulfil the requirements of different user needs, was implemented. There were also defined the necessary procedures to observe quality assurance.
The detailed results of this WP are described in D6.1.1 D6.1.2 and D6.2. - D6.1.1 Definition of the service cases / D6.1.2 Service chains / Deliverable D6.2 Record specifications and Validation methodology
WP7 MyWater platform development addressed the development of the MyWater information tool, in which the service chains were implemented in order to be handled by all users. This information tool is intended to aggregate several components with focus on specific tasks (e.g. download data sets from different providers, running models, reporting, and exploitation of geospatial data) and provide appropriate services to different user needs demands. The WP7 main results can be summarized as follows:
MyWater Platform was setup and the integration of different data sources and models was performed. Several services are in place, such as daily precipitation and evapotranspiration forecasts maps, and different models have been integrated in the platform: SWAT, MOHID, SIMGRO, PRICE2D, etc.
The platform is able to produce automatic reports and alerts and prototype web and mobile clients were also made available to the users in order to improve the results usability.
The Deliverables that resulted were D7.4 MyWater user manual. There were produced versions in Portuguese and English. The Portuguese version is an extended version of the Manual that was specially produced to be used on the training courses that were held in Portugal, Brazil and Mozambique. D7.5 is the finalized version of the MyWater platform (software).
WP8 Test site implementation was responsible for the MyWater platform implementation in the several test sites. Models that were setup in WP5 were implemented and calibrated using data from users. For validation, data from users was used in some cases and in others the EO data on ETA was also used has validation of the models. The WP8 main results can be summarized as follows:
Catchment model validation using direct methods and by indirect methods. Direct methods include comparing model results with measurements (e.g. flow, soil moisture, etc). Indirect methods include comparison with values associated with the water budget (e.g. EO data, energy budgets).
Use of historical meteorological data and historical flow for calibrate/validate models.
Calibration with measured flow data. Models are running for all study sites.
The MyWater platform was set up in all test sites and all the available data sources were included.
The MyWater platform has shown in its validation in the 5 case studies that it is a flexible, easy to use, information system on which new operational services can be tested and shared with end users on a variety of graphical user interfaces.
Additional clients (mobile & web based) were developed under the MyWater project to access the same data available on the MyWater platform
ASCAT Surface Soil Moisture is very well correlated with soil water content obtained with SWAT and Mohid Land model
More details are available in D8.1 D8.2 and D8.3.
WP9 User and market analysis was responsible for the relation with the users and also for the evaluation and demonstration of the commercial feasibility and the business potential of the concept proposed.
WP10 was responsible for the activities undertaken by the project team regarding project dissemination, to ensure that both the scientific and end-user communities are kept well-informed of findings, with a view to ensure that these can be readily implemented with social and economic benefits. The dissemination strategy focuses on four types of dissemination activities: 1) Website; 2) Publications in international peer-reviewed journals and conferences; 3) Dedicated session in an international conference; 4) Specialised courses in the regions of the case study areas.
The WP10 main results can be summarized as follows:
D10.1 Project website
D10.2 Dissemination plan
D10.3 Flyers
D10.4 1st Policy brief
D10.5 2nd Policy brief
D10.6 Contribution to the Blueprint on Water Scarcity
D10.7 Special MyWater session at an international conference
D10.8 Course material
Potential Impact:
IMPACT
The increasing of water pressures with direct impacts on environment and public health is an important issue at a global level. Being this concern pushed by an increased educated population, by the legal system or by the economical activities (e.g. agriculture, tourism), or even by environmental factors such as droughts and floods, the result is the same: an increased necessity to be able to foreseen in due time and with the most possible accuracy the state of the water (e.g. availability, quality) for the uses to which they are submitted. In case of possible non-conformity, it is of prime importance that the necessary actions may be taken in time to avoid major consequences. This is the case, for instance, of possible pressures over water availability caused by extensive farming and irrigation, that may lead to water shortage for public use. If managed properly, being able to access the necessary information, may give the opportunity to take adequate risk minimization actions.
Moreover, the attention of the public is strongly focused on the environmental quality, and specifically, on the water availability which is today seen as the world future economic driver (instead of the current which is oil). MyWater addresses these needs through the implementation of fitted to user-needs functionalities in terms of operational water information services. The practical result may be a comprehensive alert system, a water availability information service, etc.
In line with these needs MyWater aims at supporting the use of the GMES Core Services to the establishment of local operational systems, capable of sharing the knowledge embedded in heterogeneous data (Core services, local) to provide advanced forecast capabilities (improving the managing capabilities by contributing to reduce the risks, both to the environment and the public health and increasing the degree of preparedness of the end-users in respect to possible natural or man-made risks) and making results available to professional and non-professional users.
As a result MyWater will bring added competitiveness to the companies to whom the MyWater services will be made available by providing them the means to propose services to their clients and a competitive cost which otherwise would not be possible. But MyWater will also bring an increased competitiveness to the Core Services Providers by means of the enlargement of the local companies that will require the use their products and services.
MyWater is though in line with the expected impact of to boost the stimulation of the development of GMES services in specific areas in, close collaboration with representative user communities in Europe. MyWater is in line with this goal by involving different partners from Europe that will be effective users and/or suppliers of core data for the services and it is even going further by extending this collaboration to other Non-European countries contributing to the creation of a global market. MyWater is also in line with the work programme expected impacts of being complementary to the Fast Track Services (land core services) and to make the best use of the products they will provide.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
Publication in peer-reviewed journal:
• Tóth, B., Makó, A., Guadagnini, A., Tóth, G. 2012. Water retention of salt affected soils: quantitative estimation using soil survey information. Arid Land Research and Management, 26. 103-121.
• Tóth, B., Makó, A., Tóth, G., Farkas, C., Rajkai, K. 2013. Comparison of pedotransfer functions to estimate the van Genuchten parameters from soil survey information. (A van Genuchten-függvény paramétereit átnézetes talajtérképi információkból becslő módszerek összehasonlítása és továbbfejlesztésük lehetőségei.) (in Hungarian) Agrokémia és Talajtan 62. 1. 5-22.
• Alexandridis, T.K. Cherif, I., Kalogeropoulos, C., Monachou, S., Eskridge, K., and Silleos, N., 2013. Rapid error assessment for quantitative estimations from Landsat 7 gap-filled images. Remote Sensing Letters, 4(9): 920-928.
• Cherif, I., Alexandridis, T.K. Jauch, E., Chambel-Leitao, P., Almeida, C., and Silleos, N., 2014. Improvement of remotely sensed actual evapotranspiration estimation using raster meteorological data. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, (submitted).
• Price R.K. 2014: White paper on PriceXD, submitted to Hydroinformatics journal
• Hartanto et al. (MyWater team), 2014: Merging Earth Observation Data, Weather Predictions, In-Situ Measurements, and Hydrological Models for Reliable Information on Water, Extended abstract – full paper submission to special issue on WATERNET in Journal of Physics and Chemistry of the Earth
• Tóth, B., Weynants, M., Nemes, A., Makó, A., Bilas, G., Tóth, G. New generation of soil hydrological pedotransfer functions. European Journal of Soil Science. (Submitted)
• Tóth B., Makó A., Tóth G. Role of soil properties in water retention of main Hungarian soil types. Journal of Central European Agriculture. (Submitted)
Oral presentations:
• Tóth, B., Makó, A., Farkas, Cs., Rajkai, K. 2012. Prediction of the soil water retention curve from differently detailed and different type soil properties. Conference of the Hungarian Soil Science Society. 23-24 Aug. 2012., Miskolc.
• Jauch, E., Chambel-Leitao, P., Almeida, C., Brito, D., Cherif, I., Alexandridis, T.K. and Neves, R., 2013. A watershed model to integrate EO data, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 15, EGU2013-14013, European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, 7-12 April.
• Galvao D., 2013: Platform development for merging various information sources for water management: methodological, technical and operational aspects, EGU2013-8683, Vienna, Austria
• Alexandridis, T.K. Stavridou, D., Strati, S., Monachou, S., and Silleos, N., 2013. LAI measurement with hemispherical photographs at variable conditions for assessment of remotely sensed estimations, ESA Living Planet Symposium, Edinburgh, UK, 9-13 September.
• Topaloglou, C., Monachou, S., Strati, S., Alexandridis, T.K. Stavridou, D., Silleos, N., Misopolinos, N., Nunes, A., and Araujo, A., 2013. Modeling LAI based on landcover map and NDVI using SPOT and Landsat data in two Mediterranean sites: Preliminary results, First International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of Environment, Paphos, Cyprus, 8-10 April.
• Hartanto et al., 2013: Merging Earth Observation Data, Weather Predictions, In-Situ Measurements, And Hydrological Models, For Reliable Information On Water, WATERNET conference, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
• Kwast H. van der, Hartanto I.M. Andel van S.J. 2013: Integrating in-situ measurements and remote sensing data in process-based hydrological modelling, VUB, Brussels, Belgium
• Almeida C. Et al., 2013: MyWater - Integração de informação em tempo real com modelos de previsão de afluências”, SILUSBA 2013 conference, Maputo, Mozambique
• Cherif et al., 2013: Merging raster meteorological data with low resolution satellite images
• for improved estimation of actual evapotranspiration, Geophysical Research Abstracts
• Vol. 15, EGU2013-11658
• Velickov S., Galvao D., et al, 2013: presentation of the MyWater project during the SME innovation day in Utrecht on the 15th May 2013
• Velickov S., Galvao D., et al, 2013: presentation of the MyWater project at the Chinese research workshop on monitoring data for farmers organised by the Province of Zuid Holland in Den Haag on 29th May 2013
• Velickov S., Galvao D., et al, 2013: presentation of the MyWater project at the joint NL- Brazilian research day at Deltares “From Satellite Data to Farmers” on 5th September 2013.
• Almeida C. et al., 2013: The use of catchment models coupled with weather forecasts to support water management in Mozambique Umbeluzi watershed, TWAM conference 2013, Aveiro, Portugal
• G. Tóth, M. Weynants, M. van Liedekerke, P. Panagos, L. Montanarella. 2013. Soil databases in support of pan-European soil water model development and applications. Procedia Environmental Sciences. Volume 19. Pages 411–415. doi. 10.1016/j.proenv.2013.06.047
• T. Antofie, G. Naumann, J. Spinoni, M. Weynants, S. Szalai, T. Szentimrey, Z Bihari, J Vogt. 2013. A drought severity climatology for the Carpathian Region using Sc-PDSI. EGU General Assembly 2013, held 7-12 April, 2013 in Vienna, Austria, id. EGU2013-9069
• Araujo, A., Chambel, P., Silva, A., Velickov, S., van Andel, S.J. Toth, G., Almeida, A., Mako, A., Alexandridis, T.K. and Cugala, D., 2013. FP7 project MyWater - Merging hydrologic models and EO data for reliable information on water, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 15, EGU2013-8576-2, European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, 7-12 April.
Poster presentations:
• Makó, A., Tóth, B., Tóth, G., Hermann, T., Hernádi, H. 2012. Estimation of soil water retention of a study area based on detailed categorical soil map information. EUROSOIL 2012. 2-6 July, Bari, Italy.
• Hartanto, I. M.; van Andel, S. J.; Lobbrecht, A. H.; van Griensven, A.; Solomatine, D. P., 2012: Integrating earth observation data into hydrological modeling and water management, EGU General Assembly 2012 p.13110
• Nunes, Α., Araujo, A., Alexandridis, T.K. and Chambel, P., 2013. Effects of different scale land cover maps in watershed modelling, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 15, EGU2013-11990, European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, 7-12 April.
• Commandeur T., 2013: Using satellite precipitation data for hydrological modeling, EGU2013-10272, Vienna, Austria
• Hartanto I.M. et al., 2013: Spatially distributed modeling of controlled low-lying catchments utilizing earth observation data, AGU fall meeting, San Francisco, USA
• Hartanto et al., 2013: Hydrological modelling of low-lying catchments in deltas using multiple data sources and SIMGRO modelling system,EGU2013-13081, Vienna, Austria
• Andel van et al., 2013: Multi-model methods for probabilistic streamflow forecasting, EGU2013-13931, Vienna, Austria
Other publications and events:
• Weynants, M., Tóth, G., Montanarella, L., Arnoldussen, A., Anaya Romero, M., Bilas, G., Borresen, T., Cornelis, W., Daroussin, J., Feichtinger, F., Gonçalves, M.D.C. Hannam, J., Haugen, L.-E. Hennings, V., Houskova, B., Iovino, M., Javaux, M., Keay, C.A. Kätterer, T., Kvaerno, S., Laktinova, T., Lamorski, K., Lilly, A., Makó, A., Matula, S., Morari, F., Nemes, A., Nyborg, Å., Vladimir, P.N. Riley, H., Romano, N., Schindler, U., Shein, E., Slawinski, C., Strauss, P., Tóth, B., & Wösten, H. 2013. European Hydropedological Inventory (Eu-HYDI). Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.
• Tóth, B., Weynants, M., Nemes, A., Makó, A., Bilas, G., & Tóth, G. 2013. New generation of hydraulic pedotransfer functions for Europe. European Journal Of Soil Science. submitted.
• Briefing of the director of Regional Water Authority of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace (a potential Greek user) by members of the team of AUTH regarding the project’s activities and the possibility for its application in other river basins. The briefing took place in Kavala on 9/12/13.
• Araujo A., 2013: contribution to Water in Africa in a Changing Climate, Africa Turns Green documentaries.
• Silva A., Araujo A., 2013: contribution to Blueprint on Water Scarcity
• Tóth B., Makó A., Tóth G. Water retention estimation of Hungarian chernozems based on soil map information. (Talajaink víztartó képességének meghatározása talajtérképi információk alapján - a csernozjom talajok példája.) (in Hungarian) Hidrológiai Közlöny.
• M. Weynants et al. 2013 European Hydopedological Data Inventory (EU-HYDI). EUR 26053 EN. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. 168pp. doi: 10.2788/5936.
List of Websites:
http://www.mywater-fp7.eu
mywater@gmv.com