Cold Regions Hydrology Workshop

AHPS Breakout Session

Scott Dummer - LSX

Brian Hahn - MKX

James LaRosa - MQT

Mike Lukes - FGX

Mark Walton - GRR

How can AHPS be improved to provide better service for National Weather Service offices in cold regions and their customers?

AHPS Proposal 1 –

Create two hydrographs, one displaying observed (or model generated) stage data and the other the corresponding flow using the open water rating table (or model generated flow). When ice cover is present and the observed data appears to be ice affected, the hydrograph for flow will display simulated flow provided by the RFC. This data will be represented by a different color and/or type of line (dashed for example). If a river becomes ice affected, the simulated flow provided by the RFC may be of use to hydroelectric power companies, water treatment plants, etc.

Two hydrograph example: Ice affected example:

AHPS Proposal 2 –

Create the ability to display messages in the hydrograph display for the following situations:

1) This river gauge will be discontinued on month, day year and data will no longer be available.

2) This river gauge is experiencing equipment problems.

3) Data from this river gauge is affected by ice and may be unreliable (picture?).

4) Free text message.

5) Indicate flood stage changes

6) The river gauge is looking for an observer

7) Others?

Users at the WFO level (Service Hydrologists, Hydrological-Meteorological Technicians, or those responsible for data quality and assurance) will use a local application GUI to click on or click off these messages. The GUI will interface with RivDat and over-ride the hydrograph generation.

AHPS Proposal 3 –

Change the time scale to fixed times (for example: 6am, 12pm, 6pm, 12am), and also change the data scales to uniform data increments.

AHPS Proposal 4 –

Display the forecast parameters governing the forecasts provided by the RFC and those generated by Site-Specific, including:

1) Past 24/48 hour basin average precipitation from Time A to Time B (12Z to 12Z for example)

2) Past 24/48 hour precipitation data from nearest rain gauge in basin

3) Basin average snow depth, including max and min values for the head-water and tail-water areas

4) Basin average snow water equivalent, including max and min values for the head-water and tail-water areas

5) Temperature

6) Data from nearest ASOS/AWOS or cooperative observer

7) QPF

8) Runoff

9) Frost data

10) Soil temperature data

11) Other related data or parameters affecting river forecasts

This data (observed and forecast) would be displayed in a graphical and tabular format.

Alternative/Supplemental Proposal Offered by APRFC

APRFC suggests an alternative to suggestion #1 above to provide multiple labeled time series on one graph to cover the situations when ice affects change the rating curve at a site.