Presentation by Ms. Tran Thanh Huyen, Central for Environmental Fluid Dynamic (Vietnam) at the Seminar Hydro Software to support policy development and real-time decision making, during the Deltares Software Days South-East Asia 2019. Wednesday, 27 November 2019, Bangkok.

1. System Integration and Standard Operation Procedures for
Vietnam Hydro-Meteorological Administration
Presenter: Tran Thanh Huyen & Dinh Phuong Trang
On behalf of Center for Environmental Fluid Dynamics, CEFD, Vietnam and Stitching
Deltares, Netherlands
Bangkok, November, 2019

2. CONTENTS
1. Before the project started…
Forecasting and early warning system in Vietnam
2. Project design & framework
The integrated forecasting and early warning system
3. After the project’s finished…
Results and implications
4. Lesson learnt

3. Before the project started….
Forecasting and Early-warning System in Vietnam

4. Project synopsis
• Title: System Integration and Technical Assistance for
Strengthening of Weather Forecasting and Early
Warning Systems in Vietnam
• Part of: Component 2 of Vietnam Managing Natural Hazards
Project (VN-Haz)
• Duration: October 2014 – September 2019
• Client: Project Management Office Component 2 WB5 (PMO)
& National Hydrometeorological Service (NHMS) or
Vietnam Hydro-Met Administration
• Consortium: JV Deltares/HaskoningDHV/CEFD and
associates
• Aim: To assist NHMS/PMO in developing a Unified National
Integrated Meteorological and Hydrological System

5. Consortium
• Joint Venture:
- Deltares, the Netherlands (Lead)
- HaskoningDHV, The Netherlands / Vietnam
- Center for Environmental Fluid Dynamics, Vietnam
• Sub-consultants:
Bureau of Meteorology, Australia
RMSI Private Ltd, India
Mark Heggli (Innovative Hydrology Inc.), USA
Jayaraman K. V. Potty, India
December 2014
But most of all it is about people…

6. The forecasting and early warning systems
in Vietnam at a glance
STATUS
Ca. 3000 staff, mostly observers, divided
into top-down levels as shown
in the pyramid beside
LIMITATIONS
• Observation network mostly manual; equipment partly old
• Data transmission (relatively high latency)
• Radar coverage not optimal, poor data processing
• Limited NWP capacity
• Data management fragmented
• Dissemination mostly through textual forecast bulletins
01
National
Centre
09 Regional
Centres
54 Provincial Centres

7. Main bottlenecks, weaknesses of the
Vietnam Meteorological Hydrological Administration (VNMHA)
Observation
systems and stations
Transmission
Prov./Region/Central
Forecasts and
warning bulletins
Data collection
and processing
Models and
DSS
Distribution
and delivery
End Users
− Radar system needs upgrade
− Surface network too coarse
− More automated stations needed
− Lack of funds for O&M cause
unreliable network
− Insufficient reliability
− Limited bandwidth
− Too fragmented data handling
− Equipment from many different suppliers
− Many different databases
− Lack of integrated EWS software
− Enhancement of NWP and QPF needed
− More trained staff needed
− Complicated management system
− Limited resources for O&M
− Limited access to modern forecasting and
data display and management tools
Global / regional
weather models
− Dispersed / fragmented
− Manual fax and e-mail delivery
− More timely and accurate forecasts and
warnings needed
− More detailed and locally specific products
that meet specific user needs
− More access to data
− Diversification of end users needed
− Limited paying clients
Prov. / Regional / National Centers
General:
− No formalized forecast evaluation procedure
− Duplication of efforts between national, regional
and provincial centres.

8. WHY IS A INTEGRATED FORECAST & EWS
SYSTEM NEEDED FOR VIETNAM?
1. More automated station data
with higher reliability
2. Unification of database and data
handling
3. Better management in
coordination/cooperation between
different levels of Meteo-hydro
service centres in Vietnam
4. Modern forecast display and
visual tool supporting decision
making
5. Better means of issuing and
disseminating bulletins
6. Standardized operation
schedules for all activities
A comprehensive,
centralized
integrated
forecasting and
early warning
system

9. Project design & framework
The integrated forecasting and early warning system

10. Framework of the integrated forecasting and early warning system
designed by the consortium of Deltares (NL), RoyalHaskoningDHV (NL) & CEFD (VN)

11. • Central Data Hub (CDH) receives
all observation data from the
stations automatically
• Plug-in modules for standard
format.
• Storage of gridded data
• Data Quality Assurance (QA)
• Data synchronisation between
Regional Centres and CDH
• Provincial and Regional Centres
run their ‘own’ hydrological
models through a Client-Server
system.
Conceptual Design for data integration
and weather forecasting support

12. …after the project’s finished
Results and implications

13. Observation
systems and stations
Transmission
Prov./Region/Central
Forecasts and
warning bulletins
Data collection
and processing
Models and
DSS
Distribution
and delivery
End Users
− Radar system needs
upgrade
− Surface network too coarse
− More automated stations
needed
− Lack of funds for O&M
cause
unreliable network
− Too fragmented data handling
− Equipment from many different suppliers
− Many different databases
− Lack of integrated EWS software
− Enhancement of NWP and QPF needed
− More trained staff needed
− Complicated management system
− Limited resources for O&M
− Limited access to modern forecasting and
data display and management tools
Global / regional
weather models
− Dispersed / fragmented
− Manual fax and e-mail delivery
− More timely and accurate forecasts and
warnings needed
− More detailed and locally specific products
that meet specific user needs
− More access to data
− Diversification of end users needed
− Limited paying clients
Prov. / Regional / National Centers
General:
− No formalized forecast
evaluation procedure
− Duplication of efforts
between national,
regional
and provincial centres.
• 7 more radars installed
• Increase of 438 automated stations
• Manual stations reduced
• Various transmission mode
• Data ingested, processed
to/in CDH automatically
• One central database for
gridded and scalar data
• Centralized quality control
• Easy data access via Service
Layer
• HPC system upgraded
(from 1 to 70 Tflop)
• Ensemble NWP models run
• SMARTMET
• Client-server FEWS-Rivers
• Client-server FEWS-Marine
GENERAL:
- 5 SOPs developed
- All centres can connect to
the integrated system with
specified authentication
/authorization
• End-to-end early warning system down to commune levels (100 communes and 23
districts)
• Automatic forecast & warning bulletin creation and dissemination
• Warnings via SMS and website with eye-catching visualization and user interface
What do the project have achieved?

14. Map of new stations

15. Observations network: radar
• 3 existing radars (Dong Ha, Tam Ky, and
Nha Be) upgraded*
• 5* new radars will be installed at Nha
Trang, Viet Tri, Plei Ku, Qui Nhon, and
Pha Din (installed),
• 2** new radars already installed in Vinh
and Phu Lien
• IRIS/Radar software (Vailasa) for
integration of all radar data.
weather radars in near future
* Finland aid; ** Japan aid

16. Data transmission
• NHMS decided to
continue working
with GSM network
• Observation data
to be automatically
transmitted to
Central Data Hub
and to Regional
Centre

17. to a live system
The live system at the VNMHA
developed by KISTER (DE), JBA (UK) & Harmoniesoft (VN)
Source: DV4
…from sketched design

18. Schematic of Integrated System
18
System approach
• Central and highly integrated
• Complete meteorological and
hydrological data repository of Vietnam
• Model integration using Delft-FEWS
(inland and marine forecasting)
• Interface with
SmartMet
(meteorological
forecasting)
• Web-based Service Layer
Central Data
Hub
• Time series data
• Gridded data
Forecasting
Support
System
• Meteorology
• Hydrology
• Inland
• Coastal
Service
Layer
• Data validation
• Early warning
• Data
dissemination
• Station
controlling
• Forecasting
Source: Krister & JBA - Technical Proposal

19. Framework of the integrated forecasting and early warning system

20. • Central Data Hub (CDH) receives all
observation data from the stations
automatically ➔FieldVisits
• Plug-in modules for standard format.
➔ Perl commands to develop
converters to accepted formats in
CDH
• Storage of gridded data ➔ Array
storage (Stored in HPC SAN)
• Data Quality Assurance (QA) ➔ set of
validation rules
• Data synchronisation between
Regional Centres and CDH ➔
Synchovery software
• Provincial and Regional Centres run
their ‘own’ hydrological models
through a Client-Server system. ➔
Delft-FEWS client-server system which
uses CDH as the central database
Center Data Hub (CDH)

21. Framework of the integrated forecasting and early warning system

22. Model schema (Reservoir & 1D Hydraulic model)
Red River:
- MAR
INE
- MIKE
11
Ma
River:
NAM
Ca
River:
NAM
Hung River:
MARINE
Se
Ban:
MIKE
Srepo
k:
MIKE
Mekong
Delta: ISIS
D
i
n
h
The Live System at VNMHA
New river models
developed by Center For Water Resources Software (VN)
Source: DV3

23. Integration of marine models
The Live System at VNMHA
3 marine models: SuWAT, ROMS, SWAN
installed on HPC
SuWAT
ROMS
SWAN

24. Using Delft-FEWS as a forecasting sub-system
Source: Krister & JBA - Technical Proposal
Models can be integrated: MIKE (11-NAM),
WFLOW, SOBEK, etc.
Input data: NWP, Forecast, Satellites, Station
data…

25. Framework of the integrated forecasting and early warning system

26. Service Layer
Source: Kister (DV4)

27. System Deloyment
2
7
Server
Client
• CDH collection and
storage layer
deployed
• FSS server backend
deployed
• Backend of service
layer deployed
• Access to hydro.-
met portal and user
dashboards
• Several installations
CDH and Delft-FEWS
clients (expert
clients)
CDH data
management
SL data analysis
and forecasting
FSS model
forecasts
Source: Kister & JBA - Technical Proposal

28. Framework of the integrated forecasting and early warning system

29. Early warning system structure in Vietnam
Central Forecasting Service
Regional Forecasting Services
Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention Center
Regional/local SCDPC

30. End-to-end early warning system
Source: DV2

31. Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs)
Make life easier to everyone
SOP framework (DV1)

32. Example of SOP for Forecasting procedure:
Implementation of forecast and warning options
• a SOP can be linked and referred to other SOPs
to complete the entire loop of a bigger procedure
• SOPs should be developed, adjusted and
updated to suit to the current situation of the
institution
➔ These selected SOPs are template and basis to
develop other SOPs at the VNMHA
Flow diagram of a SOP
Checklist of a SOP

33. • The Integrated System increases O&M budget of 21%, but the
majority is needed for radars and automatic station
Adopt a business model which ring fences the pay service
activities with clear operating rules and a governance structure.
• The Integrated System requires higher qualified personnel for
operation
Human resources policy at VNMHA should pay increased
attention at how to attract and keep highly qualified
personnel, through continuous education, personal career
building and good employment conditions (e.g. salaries).
• A well organized institutional arrangement should be embedded
in the current organization structure while SOPs have to be
developed and updated to adapt to the most current situation.
Lesson learnt: how to maintain the live system “live”?
“There is a need to have incentive-driven policies and regulations to encourage and
recruit qualified staff to work in the hydromet sector. Developing a good working
environment that promotes creativity of staff and to retain qualified staff to
continue working in their units is very important”.

34. Impression of an ideal instructional arrangement
A “game” of all stakeholders…
Research
institutes:
• Model research
• Knowledge
development
• Optimization
studies
Management group:
• Coordinating the
developments
• Crisis communication
• Strategic decision
making
Developers:
• Update model
schematizations
• Optimize model
performances
• Model studies
• Operational
needs
Forecasters:
• System monitoring
• Assessing results
• What-if scenarios
• Internal/external
Communication
• Decision making
ICT department:
• System monitoring
• IT O&M
• System
administration
• Network
communication
• IT updates

35. Lesson learnt: Future improvements
• Embrace the concept of a “live system” – can and should
operate 24/7 under all conditions.
• Invest in radar calibration in order to get accurate rainfall
volumes
=> Enhance radar analysis enabling quantitative rainfall
estimation (QPE) and quantitative precipitation forecasting
(QPF)
• Improvements in data exchange with stakeholders, such as
reservoir operators and NHMS of neighboring countries.
• Integrate all medium and big sized rivers into FSS
• Develop automated drought forecasting system
• Pilot and Roll out impact-based flood forecasting to priority
rivers

36. Acknowledgement
• Information of projects is provided by Dr. Marcel Marchand from Deltares,
Project manager of the World Bank 5 Project
• Technical assistance consultants of the Project: Joint-venture: Deltares,
the Netherlands; Center for Environmental Fluid Dynamics, Vietnam
(CEFD); and HaskoningDHV, the Netherlands/Vietnam
• Vietnam Meteorological Hydrological Administration (VMHA)
• Joint-venture of JBA, UK and Kister, Germany

37. Thank you!