Good practice:

Integrated hydrological and water quality information system for the Douro basin (SAIH-ROEA-SAICA)

The SAIH-ROEA Integrated Network is currently the main tool for observing hydrological data used by the Confederation Hidrográfica del Duero. It consists of a network of hydrological and meteorological stations that transmit the information collected in real time, using S.A.I.H. with the historical experience and reliability of the R.O.E.A. network. This results in a unique, reliable and robust hydrological information system that has consolidated hydrological information databases and knowledge of the behaviour of the different rivers and main tributaries that form the Douro River Basin.
The information is transmitted via VSAT, GPRS and GSM communications, depending on the type of station and the communication frequency. It arrives directly at the Basin Control Centre located in Valladolid, where it is supervised, consolidated, and distributed among the different applications and information system databases for use and distribution.
The principal information provided is about the levels and flows of the main rivers and tributaries, the level and water volume blocked in the different dams, the flow discharged by the spillways, valves and gates, the rain in numerous points of the basin's geography, as well as the flows deducted by the main water uses in the Basin.

Human resources of the entity and contracting of external services.
Total investment: around 50 million euros

The greatest evidence of the success was the impulse in water management, in decision-making support as well as in the detection of extraordinary situations in the Douro region, through:
▪ real-time water quality monitoring;
▪ preparation of alerts against extreme phenomena;
▪ collection of information on the levels and flows of the main rivers and tributaries;
▪ identification of flood points in the entire geography of the river;
▪ information on the flows altered by the main water uses

Main challenges and next steps of the system: new technologies (data digitization and optical fibre); anticipation process (forecast models optimization and artificial intelligence); and interoperability (open data).

The combination of two systems presupposes correlation and adaptation, ensuring uniformity of action between the different administrative levels involved, based on a network of collaboration and common language.
As a learning potential, this good practice stands out for the detection of possible abnormal situations to minimise the social, economic, material and environmental impact of this type of phenomenon.
Infrastructure management and water use management with the integration of individual meters is essential to transfer knowledge for external application. Based on historical data, the replication of this system requires the collection of information (possibly non-digital) and relevant technological capabilities for the systematisation of information, ensuring organisation and standardisation for later sharing.