DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROLOGICAL FORECASTING SYSTEMS IN SLOVENIA

Abstract

The Slovenian Environment Agency, with the help of the EU funds, launched the project for upgrading the system of monitoring and analysing the aquatic environment in the Republic of Slovenia. The project was named BOBER (Beaver) which, in the Slovenian language, is an acronym for Better Monitoring for Better Environmental Solutions. The fundamental objective of the project is to provide reliable, high quality and spatially representative meteorological and hydrological measurements that will allow comprehensive monitoring and analyses of the aquatic environment in Slovenia as well as more accurate forecasting of extreme hydrological events. Within the BOBER project, a system was developed for monitoring current hydrological conditions and forecasting conditions for six days in advance. The system combines hydrological and meteorological observations and meteorological model forecasts. It serves hydrologists as a quality tool for monitoring current hydrological conditions, preparing daily hydrological forecasts and issuing flood warnings in due time. The hydrological forecasting system is complemented by the Hydroalarm system, the purpose of which is timely and effective warning of the general public. The system combines various tasks which can be linked together into four groups: data management, creation of computational modules, establishment of a control and management mechanism, and presentation of results in an online spatial view.