DPWH spearheads nationwide riverflow database

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has just launched its Streamflow Management System (SMS), a nationwide effort to monitor the country's rive systems.

The SMS system is part of the DPWH's National Hydrologic Data Collection Program (NHDCP), an initiative which aims to aid in flood control management, water resource regulation, and water resources planning.

At the soft launch, Senior Hydrologist Adorable Jacinto  said the project will help measure and forecast floods in riverside areas.

DPWH launches Streamflow Management System website, a portal for monitoring and managing river flows in PH @gmanews pic.twitter.com/7afAxDib4s

— Gerv Tacadena (@GTacadena) June 2, 2016

It will also allow the engineering sector to study potential risks and to propose measures ahead of potential floods.

"Kasi yung mga ilog natin supposedly minomonitor natin para sa pagdedesign ng mga bridges, flood control structures and also para sa flood management. Kailangan magkaroon ng basic knowledge sa mga ilog natin. For us to be able to do that, we have to have the data, which includes the water level and water discharge," Jacinto said.

The system enables DSWD personnel in the field to instantly update the database via text messages.

Previously, gauge keepers stationed at rivers had to input data into separate logbooks three times a day. At the end of each month, the aggregated data would then be sent to the DPWH central station.

"It's been done so long na before by the DPWH but it was all manual. Ngayon, gusto namin ma-bring up gaano ka-importante ang pagmomonitor ng river flows especially mayroong climate change," she explained

Jacinto said this system could help riverside communities better prepare for floods.

"Kayang magkaroon ng prediction if we have reliable and sufficient data na manggagaling sa ganitong project," she said.

How the project works is simple: Gauge keepers will use mobile phones to text water level data to regional offices for validaton. The validated data will then be sent to a central server, which will publish the data and plot it on a map.

Jacinto said they are looking at integrating their efforts with Project NOAH, which already has its own nationwide system of automated sensors in place.

"It will be better kung magkaroon kami ng coordination," she said.

She added that Project NOAH data would be useful to further provide accurate data and information to the public.

For now, however, she said that the DPWH digitization project is still undergoing fine-tuning and further development.

"Supposedly dapat lahat ng major river systems dapat mayroon at least one station," Jacinto said.

This is particularly crucial for rivers with several tributaries like the Cagayan River which, according to Jacinto, has just one station for its 7 major streams.

Also, as of now, only rivers in regions 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11, are being monitored.

Nevertheless, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson sees this as a very important step towards making communities resilient to climate change.

"The importance of available data, particularly in the behaviour of rivers, has become a necessary tool for disaster management," Singson said.

"It will eventually operate on a nationwide scale and will be beneficial in terms of water resource regulation, flood control and localized disaster risk planning across the country," he added.

The project is expected to be fully operational by October 2016. The project is funded by the United States Agency For International Development (USAID) through its Water Security for Resilient Economic Growth and Stability program. — TJD, GMA News