HR: 0800h
AN: GC41A-0387    [Abstracts]
TI: Satellite Rainfall Estimation for Operational use in Flood Warning and Reservoir Management
AU: * Vila, D A
EM: dvila@cptec.inpe.br
AF: Sistema de Alerta Hidrologico de la Cuenca del Plata, Instituto Nacional del Agua, AU Ezeiza-Ca¤uelas, Tramo J. Newbery Km 1,620, Ezeiza, BA 1804 Argentina
AU: Angelis, C F
EM: angelis@cptec.inpe.br
AF: Centro de Previsao de Tempo e Estudos Clim ticos, Rodovia Presidente Dutra, Km 40, SP-RJ , Cachoeira Paulista, SP 12630-000 Brazil
AU: Borus, J
EM: jborus@ina.gov.ar
AF: Sistema de Alerta Hidrologico de la Cuenca del Plata, Instituto Nacional del Agua, AU Ezeiza-Ca¤uelas, Tramo J. Newbery Km 1,620, Ezeiza, BA 1804 Argentina
AU: Quirno, M U
EM: muriburu@ina.gov.ar
AF: Sistema de Alerta Hidrologico de la Cuenca del Plata, Instituto Nacional del Agua, AU Ezeiza-Ca¤uelas, Tramo J. Newbery Km 1,620, Ezeiza, BA 1804 Argentina
AB: The proposed study is to assess the performance of the South-American version of the Hydro-Estimator (H-E), i.e., a satellite rainfall estimation technique developed by NOAA/NESDIS. The Hydro-Estimator (H-E) technique uses an empirically-derived relationship between rain rate and cloud-top temperature (GOES 8 - 10.7 æm channel). This version includes a screening technique for separation of raining and non-raining pixels and a cluster algorithm for system separation that uses a temperature threshold. The rain-rate curve is corrected according to the moisture environment of the storm, i.e., precipitable water and relative humidity in the 500 -1000 hPa layer, information obtained from numerical models. The site of choice was the Ibicui River basin, 43,000 km2 wholly spread out in Brazilian territory. The Ibicui River is a major tributary of the Uruguay River, which constitutes a bi-national boundary. The assessment was carried out based on a statistical comparison of the estimates with conventional data (from available rain gauges) along a recent period. Additionally, once areally averaged throughout the basin, rainfall estimates were input into a continuous hydrologic model (previously calibrated) in order to compare the resulting discharge hydrograph with observations at the outlet. The chosen model was the differential approach of the Sacramento model. Although a (relatively reduced) number of rain gauges are installed inside and near the catchment, availability of rainfall records strongly depends on formal agreements with network operators and these data are not to be supplied in real time. The possibility of having accurate estimates of rainfall, suitable for feeding hydrologic models, in quasi-real time is particularly important for operational purposes, including flood forecasting and reservoir management, which are two major requirements for the Uruguay River.
DE: 1808 Dams
DE: 1816 Estimation and forecasting
DE: 1821 Floods
DE: 3354 Precipitation (1854)
DE: 3360 Remote sensing
SC: Global Climate Change [GC]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005