The new flood forecasting organization system in FRANCE
SCHAPI
Jean-Michel Tanguy
Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development Direction of Water Central Hydrometeorogical Service for Flood Forecasting Support Director
CERFACS, 15 December 2003
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
AGENDA DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
1. Existing flood alert system 2. The new national forecasting and vigilance system 3. New information systems 4. Scientific challenges
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
1. French territorial organization
French territorial organization : 26 « Régions », 100 « Départements », about 37000 « Communes »
City mayors are responsible for public safety on their territories
The State, as a support for the mayors :
DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
Produces flood information Implements a flood alert system Alert the mayors who inform and provide the citizens with protection measures Provides civil defense means
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
1. Flood alert system Current situation DIRECTION DE L’EAU
52 Flood Alert Services (FAS)
The FAS provide State authorities and the prefects (local representative of the Government) with flood advisory messages
The prefects decide to declare alert and inform the mayors which take the civil security measures to inform and protect citizens again the forecasted flood
Each FAS produces documents with specific water level thresholds
Some difficulties et present time of the present system
SCHAPI
Insufficient human and financial resources To much local services No national harmonization Insufficient scientific and technical knowledge
Lucca March 16th-17th
Challenges
Necessity to rationalize existing resources Necessity to upgrade scientific and technical tools with the support of a national service Necessity to forecast flood events
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
1. Flood alert system Current situation DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
DDE = Departmental Direction of the ministry of Equipment SN = Navigation Service DDAF = Departmental Direction of Agriculture and Forests DIREN = Regional Direction of the ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
1. Flood alert system Current situation Météo-France meteorological « vigilance map » DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
1. Flood alert system Current situation The meteorological vigilance map : DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
• Defined by Météo-France, published at minima twice a day and may be more in case of severe event • Available to both authorities and the public on the Internet • Goes with follow-up meteorological bulletins as soon as the « orange » level is reached, including a forecast section • Goes with standard « behavior recommendations » • Accounts for severe precipitations and thunderstorms risks, which is of special interest for flood risk management
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
1. Flood alert – Current situation DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
The French hydrometeorological radar network partly funded by the Direction of Water, MétéoFrance and local collectivities.
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
2.
DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
Towards a national forecasting and vigilance system
Creation of the Central Hydrometeorological Service for Flood Forecasting Support (CHSFFS) which is a national technical service of the direction of Water - Staff 30 FTEs (June 2nd 2003) Creation of 22 Flood Forecasting Services (FFS) in lieu of the 52 Flood Alert Services Staff about 6 to 8 FTEs each Creation of a national flood vigilance system Goes with a national prevention plan (plan Bachelot) Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
Ministry of Interior DIRECTION DE L’EAU
COGIC
Ministry of Environment
CHSFFS
SCHAPI
Direction of weather forecasting
Prefect of Zone Prefect of Department Lucca March 16th-17th
MétéoFrance
FFS
Interregional meteorological center
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
1. Towards a national forecasting and vigilance system Map of the 22 FFSs and the CHSFFS CHSFFS Toulouse
Lucca March 16th-17th
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
2. The CHSFFS
DIRECTION DE L’EAU
National and technical support to the 22 FFS
SCHAPI
24 h / 24 mission on rapid watersheds during severe events Edition of a national vigilance flood map Lucca March 16th-17th
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
3. New information system: flood vigilance map
DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
Experience from European projects (eg OSIRIS, RISK-EOS) Improvement of the communication for mayors and for all citizens (use of the Internet) Use of Geographical Information Systems to locate inundations in real time Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
3. New information system: flood vigilance map (in progress) to be published on the Internet DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
4. Scientific challenges
DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Rapid floods
Water table floods
New realtime models
Estuary floods Lucca March 16th-17th
Plain floods Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
4. Scientific challenges Development of in situ or remote sensing observations : ground networks (rain, discharge and water levels), soil moisture measurement, satellites maps DIRECTION DE L’EAU SCHAPI
Assimilation of data in hydrologic and hydraulic models Coupling of atmospheric, hydrologic and hydraulic models Continuous model runs (vs. event-driven) Real-time cartography of flooded areas or pre-computed scenarios Rapid catchments Installation and tuning of different models for rapid watersheds of South-East France : global « tank-type » models, deterministic models,, etc Tests of deterministic models in an operational context (« numeric experimental watershed »)
Lucca March 16th-17th
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
Conclusions DIRECTION DE L’EAU
1st stage : consolidation and spreading existing technological knowledge, methodologies and tools to new born FFSs, with the support of training courses: 2005-2006 2nd stage : technological and scientific improvement including radars, hydrometeorological in situ measurements, information and telecommunication technologies, real-time data concentration, flood forecasting and prediction tools, information systems: already started
SCHAPI
Lucca March 16th-17th
Fundamental reorganization of the national flood forecasting system (one national technical service and 22 local services) On going actions:
Efforts to improve operational flood early warning and communicate to civil defense and public safety authorities and the citizens Link with the research community
Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable
