Lok Sabha Question No. 674 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-22
Subject: Hydrometric Observations
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Rajmohan Unnithan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 674

ANSWERED ON 22.07 .2021

## HYDROMETRIC OBSERVAT IONS

## 674.      SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether Hydrometric Observations serve a very important role in the decision - making process with the application of real - time hydro - meteorological monitoring systems and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has used Hydrometric Observations to forestall cloud bursts in and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

## THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) Yes, long term Hydrometric Observations serve a very important role in decision - making process and are  fundamental  to  the  planning,  operation  and  management  of  water  resources  in  the  cou observations  serve  in  hydrological  design  of  water  resources  projects,  crop  planning, f irrigation, preparation of reservoir rule curve for guiding releases for various purposes. series assists in calculation of probability of occurrence of floods in a year.

Real  time  hydro - meteorological  observations  of  rainfall,  river  water level  /  discharge  and reservoir water levels play a crucial role in monitoring the flood situation in different p The data from these observations are used by Central Water Commission (CWC) in formulation inflow forecasts in its 330 locations / reservoirs covering 23 States and 2 UTs. Besides this installed  950  satellite  based  telemetry  systems  which  transmits  water  level  and  rainfall various locations all over the country. In addition, 23 real time sn ow hydrology sensors are also installed the hilly states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) receives rainfall data from 5000+ stations and is used by for generating daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal rainfall statistics at distric and national level on near real - time basis throu gh Customized  Rainfall Information system  (CRIS). The statistics are widely used by the concerned stakeholders like Ministry of Agriculture, Minis for their Policy based decision making, in addition to State and Local authorities.

## ANSWER

India Meteorological Department operationalised SAFFGS (South Asia Flash Flood Guidance System)  in  October  2020,  for  issuing  flash  flood  warnings  from  rainfall  events  using  b (manual  and  telemetric  data)  and  remote - s nsed  precipitation  viz.  radar  and  satellite - based  rainfall estimates. As a Decision support system, it helps in issuing Threats and Risk based guidance b Flash  Floods  with  a  validity  period  of  6  hrs  and  24  hrs  respectively  for  India  and  othe countries of Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri -Lanka.

(b) to ( c) Meteorological observations, including hydromet observatories, are useful for estim weather scenario and they serve as the initial condition for predicting the future state o Even though, the forecast for cloudburst is not given as such, forecast and warning for impending int rainfall activity associated with thunderstorms is provided by IMD for next five days on reg colour codes are used for representing the severity of the expected weather event, viz. Gr een -No warning (No action), Yellow -Watch (be updated), Orange -Alert (be prepared) and Red -Warning (take action).

Even  with  the  current  advances  in  the  field  of  meteorological  modeling,  the cloudburst events has not been possible and the refore it is difficult to predict such events. Howeve the hydromet observations, the rate of rainfall can be estimated to check whether occurrence was there or not.

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