The HYRADIER project aims at testing new approaches in hydrological modeling for operational flood forecasting, mainly the use of radar precipitation estimates and real-time assimilation of streamflow data. The goal is to propose technical improvements in a robust way i.e. such that they still allow to issue acceptable forecasts if the system has to run in degraded mode (typically when certain data are temporarily unavailable). This robustness will be evaluated in a statistical way on several representative catchments in France, Argentina and Brazil. This will require a good understanding of the specificities of forecasting issues in each country.

In 2015:

Under the HYRADIER project, IRSTEA researcher Maria-Helena Ramos went to Brazil and Argentina in August 2015 to organize and offer a course on hydrological modelling and forecasting in both hosting institutions, UNC and UFMG, and to exchange with radar data providers, local managers of flood alert systems and other stakeholders involved in hydrological monitoring and forecasting.
The objective of the short course was to present an overview of the main modelling tools for the forecasting of hydrological hazards, with a focus on hydrological risk assessment. About 30 people attended the courses in Argenina and Brazil, including post-graduate students from PhD and MSc programs, and professionals from operational organizations involved with hydrological forecasting

In 2016:

IRSTEA researcher Maria-Helena Ramos went to Brazil in August 2016, at UFMG, to offer, for the second time, the course on hydrological modelling and forecasting. The seminar was again offered as part of the post-graduate program in sanitation, environment and water resources, which includes the master’s degree and the doctorate, of the Engineering School of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (EEUFMG) (Programa de Pós-graduação Saneamento, Meio Ambiente e Recursos Hídricos – PG-SMARH). It was offered in two half-day periods and was part of a larger course offered by the PG-SMARH. About 25 people attended the seminar, including post-graduate students from PhD and Masters programs, and professionals from operational organizations involved with hydrological forecasting.

In 2017:

IRSTEA is hosting PhD candidate Fernando Neves Lima from UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, for a « PhD sandwich », from February to December 2017, to develop research on « Flood forecasting and warning in urban areas using radar data ». The case study is the Arrudas watershed in Belo Horizonte. At IRSTEA, Fernando is supervised by Maria-Helena Ramos.