Dominican Republic
"...providing a benefit where otherwise we do not have the internal capacity"
-Israel Acosta, Directory Hydrology INDRHI
The Dominican Republic faces significant risks from hydrological threats due to its location in the Caribbean Sea such as floods and hurricanes. For example, in 2017 GEOGLOWS forecasts were used to evaluate the impact of Hurricane Maria. So, accurate hydrological data and forecasting are necessary for decision-makers to mitigate these risks.
While the country has in situ stream flow monitoring provided by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), installing monitoring devices country-wide would be costly and impractical.
The GEOGLOWS ECMWF Streamflow Services model covers a large percentage of rivers in the country. However, to improve accuracy, the data from this model can be combined with raw data through GIS data analysis techniques. By doing so, decision-makers can better understand the risks associated with hydrological threats and take appropriate action to protect the health and safety of the population and the country's economy.
As a result of the collaboration, a platform was created and includes 12 apps. The Tethys platform also reduces the requirement for expensive and challenging to use technologies by making the model available to anybody with an internet connection. The model gives Dominican Republic decision-makers reliable information to use when making crucial hydrological choices.
HERE IS THE LINK: INDRHI GEOGloWS PORTAL
INDRHI participated in the nineteenth World Meteorological Congress in Geneva, in May 2023 organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). INDRHI presented GEOGLOWS platform and the results of the large collaboration between WMO and BYU in the context of HydroSOS .