2013 3rd International Workshop on Global Flood Monitoring and Modelling

The 3rd International Workshop of the Global Flood Working Group on Global Flood Monitoring & Modelling was held from 4-6 March 2013 hosted by the Earth Systems Science Interdisciplinary Centre (ESSIC) of the University of Maryland, in College Park, MD, USA. The workshop is jointly organized by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (Dr. Tom De Groeve), the Dartmouth Flood Observatory (Prof. G. R. Brakenridge) and the University of Maryland (Dr. R. Adler). The workshop gathered over 80 participants from over 33 organisations. The participants covered multiple scientific disciplines and humanitarian and development sectors. Participants came from organisations and countries spread over 5 continents.

The workshop consisted of 36 presentations from scientific and operational participants divided in 6 sessions ranging from flood observation to forecasting and modelling, from new scientific research to operational use and decisions making. Scientific progress was discussed and its applicability in operational contexts, including emergency response (early warning, evacuation and post-disaster recovery) and risk planning (mitigation measures and long-term climate change adaption). 
There was an overwhelming interest to continue to work together, coordinate R&D, and meet up on an annual basis. In particular, the participants agreed to:

• Reach out: Publish results of workshop with recommendations on way forward and identified gaps in data and funding. The workshop co-organizers will publish an article on behalf of the working group.
• Build Pilot Success Stories: publish joint validation studies, involving selected flood-prone countries, focused on value of systems for emergency management. This will be done on ad-hoc collaboration between two or more organisations.
• Create one voice: create a single portal for access of information (research publications, live systems, data, and links) and tools for collaboration. The JRC agreed to lead this action point.
• Demonstrate added value by integrating existing systems useful for particular needs. This will push integration of systems beyond the current co-visualization.

Furthermore, it was recognized that simple coordination of current efforts will not result in a toolbox and data services appropriate for target users. To achieve this, the working group concluded that a firm and funded partnership is necessary. It was agreed that a core team of interested organisations will develop a concept for a Global Flood Partnership. The vision of such a partnership is to provide operational globally applicable flood monitoring tools and services, complementary to national capabilities, for better managing current and future flood risk and reducing flood disaster impacts.

Participants

Participating organisations

• Cemaden (Brazil)
• Centre De Recherche Public-Gabriel Lippmann
• Deltares (Netherlands)
• European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)
• European Commission Joint Research Centre
• FM Global
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• HKV Consultants
• ICF International
• Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action (Ithaca)
• Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• International Center for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM)
• NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
• NASA GSFC, Science Systems and Applications, Inc.
• NASA Headquarters
• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
• NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)
• NOAA/NCEP/CPC (National Centre for Environmental Prediction)
• NOAA/NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service)
• NOAA/NWS/OHD (National Weather Service)
• Pacific Disaster Center
• Pacific Northwest National Lab
• Riverside
• SERVIR
• UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
• University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
• University of Connecticut
• University of Kansas
• University of Maryland, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Washington
• USAID/OFDA
• U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory
• World Bank
• World Food Programme

Feedback

USAID/OFDA

Thank you for the invitation to participate the Global Flood Working Group Workshop. I wanted you to know I thought the quality of presentations was excellent as was your efforts to organize and run this important meeting. I learned a lot and found this an excellent venue to network with our partners and colleagues. [...] I thought your mix of participants was well balanced and focused on providing improved products to meet users' needs. I'll be looking forward to browsing the PowerPoint presentations when you post them on the group site. I'll also look forward to work with you this year.

Thanks again for the experience.

Curtis B. Barrett
Hydrometeorological Hazard Advisor 
USAID-Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian

NOAA/NHW/OHD

Thank you so much for inviting me to the workshop - it was one of the best venue I have been in the last few years on this subject matter.

Yu Zhang, PhD
Physical Scientist

NOAA/NESDIS

I enjoyed the Conference the past few days and know I can use some of the things I learned to help me in my position of analysing heavy rainfall and their flooding aspects in my country. As an operational satellite analyst in the U.S., I was very much impressed by the different organizations represented at the Conference and I learned a lot about what all these people do for all the various aspects of the global flooding problem.

Sheldon