REPORT of THE UN ESCAP/WMO TYPHOON COMMITTEE WGH ACTIVITIES IN 2010 *

WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION Distr.: RESTRICTED ------------------------- WORKING GROUP ON HYDROLOGY RA II - WGH/ DOC 14 WMO REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA) (1 November 2010) SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, 23-26 NOVEMBER 2010 Original: ENGLISH REPORT of THE UN ESCAP/WMO TYPHOON COMMITTEE WGH ACTIVITIES IN 2010 * Within the framework of Strategic Plan 2007-2011, UN ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee (TC) Working Group on Hydrology (WGH) carried out a series of cooperation activities in 2010 among TC 14 members in aspects of flood forecasting, sediment-related disaster (flash flood, debris flow and landslide) forecasting and warning, forecaster on-jobtraining, etc, to enhance the capability of TC Members on reducing the loss of lives and minimizing social, economical, and environmental impacts by typhoon-related disasters in a changing climate. I. TC Key Area Results and Strategic Goals 2007-2011 The Typhoon Committee has identified seven Key Results Areas (KRAs) for special emphasis in the five years (2007-2011). These KRAs are defined as the critical, overarching, priority areas of special interest for the Typhoon Committee. The Committee must complete the Strategic Goals associated with these KRAs to achieve its vision and mission through regional, integrated actions. KRA 1: Reduced Loss of Life from Typhoon-related Disasters SG 1: To reduce the number of deaths by typhoon-related disasters by half (using the decade 1990-1999 as the base line to compare with the decade 2006-2015) in Typhoon Committee Region. KRA 2: Minimized Typhoon-related Social and Economic Impacts SG 2: To reduce the socio-economic impacts of typhoon-related disasters per GDP per capita by 20 per cent (using the decade 1990-1999 as the base line to compare with the decade 2006-2015) in Typhoon Committee Region. KRA 3: Enhanced beneficial typhoon-related effects for the betterment of quality of life SG 3a: To improve the beneficial use of typhoon-related effects of typhoons * Compiled by Mr. Jinping LIU, Hydrologist, UN ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee Secretariat (TCS). Tel: +853 88010521, Fax: +853 88010530. E-mail: JPLiu@typhooncomiitee.org 1

by 10 per cent in water management by selected Members (using the decade 1990-1999 as the base line to compare with the decade 2006-2015) SG 3b: To promote increasing use of the typhoon-related beneficial effects among the Members in many different sectors. KRA 4: Improved Typhoon-related Disaster Risk Management in Various Sectors SG 4a: To provide reliable typhoon-related disaster information for effective policy making in risk management in various sectors. SG 4b: To strengthen capacity of the Members in typhoon-related disaster risk management in various sectors. SG 4c: To enhance international and regional cooperation and assistance in the field of disaster risk reduction. KRA 5: Strengthened Resilience of Communities to Typhoon-related Disaster SG 5a: To promote and enhance culture of community-based disaster risk management among the Members. SG 5b: To promote education, training and public awareness of typhoonrelated disasters among the Members. KRA 6: Improved capacity to generate and provide accurate, timely and understandable information on typhoon-related threats SG 6a: To strengthen RSMC capacity to respond to the needs of the Members in forecasting and capacity building. SG 6b: To improve capacity of Members to provide timely and accurate useroriented and friendly TC products and information. SG 6c: To enhance capacity of Members' typhoon-related observation and monitoring. KRA 7: Improved Enhanced Typhoon Committee s Effectiveness and International Collaboration SG 7a: To strengthen the capacity of Typhoon Committee Secretariat (TCS) to effectively discharge its responsibilities and functions. SG 7b: To strengthen the capacity for resources mobilization for the implementation of the strategic goals. II. TC WGH AOPs Finalized in 2010 Each year during the 5 year period of this Strategic Plan, the Advisor Working Group (AWG) with input from the working groups and TCS will prepare a proposed draft Annual Operating Plan (AOP) at the next Typhoon Committee Session. The AOP which will contain detailed actions and success indicators to be conducted in that year as steps towards meeting the KRAs Strategic Goals. Thus, through the completion of the AOPs, the Committee and its Members should accomplish all of the KRA Strategic Goals and Activities contained in this plan. The AOPs of TC WGH finalized in 2010 are described as below. 1. The Project on Flood Hazard Mapping (FHM) FHMs project was kicked off in 2001. During its implementation in the past 8 years, the project of FHMs has been spreading the technique of Flood Hazard Mapping among TC Members. There are 11 of 14 TC Members taking part in this project, namely: Cambodia; China; Hong Kong, China; Japan; Lao People s Democratic Republic; Malaysia; Philippines; Republic of Korea; Singapore; Thailand and Viet Nam. The 76 trainees in total had studied how to build up and apply a flood hazard map at JICA/ICHARM Flood Hazard Mapping Training Course in 2004-2008. The trainees can be an engine to promote FHM in each 2

country. The Flood Hazard Map Manual for Technology Transfer has been adopted widely in TC area. TC WGH compiled the final report of this eight-year project led by Japan and outlined the activities of Member countries and highlighted the key achievements at Cebu IWS held in September, 2009. In response, Cambodia; China; Hong Kong, China, Lao PDR; Malaysia; Philippines; Republic of Korea; Singapore; Thailand and Vietnam made comments to reflect latest efforts of each country. After the workshop, each country confirmed the content of the final report, and participating members presented knowledge and obtained know-how from each other. The achievements of the FHM project include actual recommendations for water-related disaster prevention. The lessons learned from the implementation of this project were summarized as follows: Effectiveness of FHM FHM is an essential countermeasure to reduce flood damage at national/local/individual level. FHM can be effective within shorter-period of time, while structural measures such as embankment or dams need a longtime to be constructed. The most suitable FHM for a certain area can be developed, combining topographic map, past flood investigation, inundation analysis and required data. Role of the central government To reduce human/economic losses, FHM should acquire a primary position in national disaster prevention policy. Through the FHM project, a right perception on supposed disaster and facilities capacity shall be recognized in local society. For popularization of FHM, the central government is expected to set up a legal regulation, immediate target and technical domestic support system. Action in local community Local government/ngo shall relate other flood fighting services to residents by using FHM, and brush it up by referring to many activities in other regions. Residential collaborative action of information/experience sharing is a key factor of FHM to ensure the local livelihood sustainability. FHM work may become a culture to live in flood-prone area through identification of area-specific dangers, resources and warning messages. 2. The Project on Debris Flow and Landslides Forecasting and Warning System This project was kicked off in 2001. During its implementation in the past 8 years, the project on Sediment-Related Disaster Forecasting / Warning System has been spreading the technique of establishing Sediment-Related Disaster Forecasting/Warning among TC Members. There are 6 of 14 TC Members taking part in this project, namely: China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, United States of America and Japan. Following a decision made at the forty-first session of the Typhoon Committee held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from 19 to 24 January 2009, this project was finalized in 2009. This final report aims to review and summarize the progress and the achievement of the project in the past years. All participating Members contributed their experiences and achievement. The report consisted of four parts: a) In the first chapter, the history of this project was introduced. This project was established in 2002 as one of the RCPIP projects, and China, Japan, Malaysia, 3

Thailand, United States of America and Viet Nam had participated. This project would originally be closed up to 2007, however, due to the limitations of data concerning to precipitations and record of disasters, it was difficult for each Member to establish the critical line in pilot areas. So Members agreed to extend the project to two more years. b) In the second chapter, the methodology for setting the critical line was introduced briefly. In order to understand easily, the examples for setting the critical line were supplied as an appendix. c) In the third chapter, the achievements of the participating Members were introduced. It had been a challenging task to establish the critical lines in pilot areas. Participating Members found some technical problems on the procedures suggested by Japan. However they modified the procedures and established the critical lines. The difficulties and modifications were also reported. Some members are still trying to establish the critical lines. d) In the fourth chapter, future works and research topics were reported. This final report will provide the other Members, who did not take part in the project and were damaged by sediment movement such as debris flows and landslides, technical and administrative hints for establishing non-structural measures from the final report. The final report on the project of Sediment-related Disaster Forecasting Warning System was published by TC in 2010 as WMO/TD-No.1520. 3. On-the-Job Training on Flood Forecasting for TC members This project was launched in 2002 and led Malaysia. It will be closed in 2011. Since 2007, four training courses were successfully conducted by Drainage & Irrigation Department (DID) of Malaysia. Totally 11 participants from China, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, respectively and 43 domestic participants took part in the training courses. TCTF funded $11,000USD for supporting the TC participants international transportations and Malaysia government funded $42,600USD for supporting all local expenses. OJT Objectives To gain knowledge, appreciation and experience on use of the Tank Model for flood forecasting. To configure a flood forecasting model based on the Tank Model for a selected catchment in the participant s country. To calibrate the Tank Model and preparing the model for operational use in the participant s respective organization. To develop expertise in writing simple macros (MSExcel) to automate model computations a skill which can be used to customize the model and further enhance the model in the future. Main Contents To understand the concept of the Tank Model in simulating flood runoff. To configure and calibrate a Tank Model for a river basin in the participant s country. To develop expertise in simple programming techniques which is useful for future continual enhancement of the model which is to be expected III. TC WGH Ongoing AOPs in 2010 4

1. Urban Flood Risk Management (UFRM) in TC region This project was launched in 2008 and led by China. Following the decisions at TC 42 nd Annual Session which was held in Singapore in January 2010, major activities on this cross-cutting project have been down before this TC IWS, the activities of next steps were discussed and some new proposals up to next TC annual session were put on the table. Questionnaire for collecting good practice on UFRM. TCS issued questionnaire as circular letter (TCS/103 2010) to the focal points of WGH, WGM and WGDRR in China, Japan and Republic of Korea in March 2010. Above three members provided experiences and good practice on UFRM in Shanghai (China), Yokohama (Japan) and Ansung (R. of Korea). China representative presented the study report of the questionnaire and summarized the good practices on UFRM from three cities as: to establish the comprehensive urban flood management strategy; to highlight the land use planning; to enhance meteor-hydrological monitoring, forecasting and warning to provide timely, accurate and all-sided information support to the urban flood management; to apply flood hazard/risk map widely as an important technique of urban flood preparedness; to emphasize on the function of retarding basins and discharge ponds in the urban flood management; to build up various dissemination ways of flood warning information to individual residents. TC UFRM Expert (Task Force) Meeting. The meeting was also named strengthening regional cooperation towards flood resilient cities considering climate change: ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee Meeting on Urban Flood Risk Management Project (UFRM) was held in Bangkok on 19-20 July, 2010, supported by ESCAP Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division (IDD). The main topics discussed at the Task Force meeting includes: project overview and information exchange; mechanism of implementing UFRM; pilot cities of project and activities of next steps. The hydrologist of TCS reported the summary of this meeting at WGH Session. Metro Manila (Philippines), Hanoi (Viet Nam), HatYai (Thailand) and Macao (China) were initially nominated as pilot cities. TCS sent a circular letter (TCS/194 2010) to invite TC members to confirm the above initial nominations and nominate new potential pilot cities in their home country if needed according to the criteria described in TOR of Task Force. Metro Manila (Philippines), Hanoi (Viet Nam) and HatYai (Thailand) have been confirmed to be pilot cities. Macao, China was unfortunately withdrawn from the list. TC is suggested to seek the further technical cooperation or funding support from UN agencies, international organizations, private companies or individuals as Support Groups of UFRM. And WMO, ADPC, ADRC, ICHARM and JAXA were initially proposed as support groups of the project. The activities of next steps were discussed and confirmed at the Session: the Study Report of Good Practice for UFRM shall be finalized and submitted by China to next TC Annual Session to be held in Jeju, Korea in January 2011; the Guidance Material for Pilot Cities shall be finalized based on the consultancy and provided to Pilot Cities at the next TC Annual Session; 5

to conduct the mission of Task Force members visiting the pilot cities before the end of this year. to conduct the consultancy on the desk review of the proposed cities supported by IDD of ESCAP. the Support Groups should be confirmed. Pilot Cities should prepare their implementation plan in consultation with Task Force by march 2011; the final guidelines of UFRM should be down and Task Force reports to the TC Annual Session in January 2012. 2. Assessment System of Socio-economic Impacts of Water-related Disasters for Infrastructure This project was launched in 2008 and led by Republic of Korea. The progresses of this project on 2010 was reported at the session: D/B construction for flood damage estimation to classify local characteristic for construction of flood damage data; Frequency based flood estimation by using established analysis results such as probable isohyetal charts as one of the possible ways; Damage estimation system construction including floodplain simulation by using HEC-RAS, Damage estimation by setting damage estimation standards and multi-dimension flood damage analysis. The project s name was proposed to be changed to Assessment System of Flood Control Measures on Socio-economic Impacts in order to closely link to the new TC Strategic Plan 2011-2016. Korea will conduct the following activities as next steps based on the requirement and discussion at the session: to complete the construction of the System & Inside module until November 2010; to complete the System Manual & Technical Report until December 2010; to distribute the system computer file and the draft manual to TC members until November 2010; to seek the possibility of funding support from MLTM/KICT to host a small workshop or seminar one day prior to the next TC Annual Session to be held in Jeju, Korea in January 2011 (coping with the TC 43 rd Session) in order to let TC Members be involved in this very interesting project; to prepare the technical documentation of the methodology used in the project in 2011. 3. Hazard Mapping for Sediment-related Disasters This project was launched in 2009 and led by Japan. A field training was successfully conducted by SABO Department of MLIT and NILIM at a debris-flow site in Zhuhai, China, with cooperation and supporting of TCS, SMG of Macao and the government of Zhuhai of China on September 4 and 5, 2010, prior to the TC IWS. A linked indoor lecture of Japanese technique how to set hazardous area and how to make and use hazard map was held in Macao Science Center. The training was attended by 20 people from 9 TC Members, including Cambodia; China; D.P.R.Korea; Hongkong, China; Republic of Korea; Macao China; Thailand; Philippines and Japan, and 15 local people from government offices of Zhuhai City and village residents. All participants highly commended this field training. This project will be closed in 2011. For next steps, the following activities will be conducted: to help participating members countries make hazard maps; to find requirement from TC Members and hold workshop to solve the Member's issues, if required; to publish the guideline to reduce damage of sediment-related disaster and to spread Japanese technique in Typhoon Committee Region. 6

4. Establishment of Flood Disaster Preparedness Indices (FDPI) This project launched in 2009 and led by ICHARM of Japan. ICHARM developed a set of disaster preparedness indices (a questionnaire survey including 78 points to be checked) and acquired the web site at http://www.fdpi.jp/fdpi/ where proposed questionnaire survey will be taken. At Session, Japan presented in detail the configuration of questionnaire set together with introduction of the usage of the web-page. TC Members are encouraged to response the questionnaire and will be benefit from this project. For next steps, Japan will conduct the following activities: to conduct the questionnaire survey in TC members until next TC Annual Session. Answers will be compiled and processed by IHARM. The results will be sent to TC Members, as well as diagnosis report; to develop revised/improved set of FDPI, and inform participating municipalities/communities and test again the revised set of FDPI by the 2011 TC IWS; to present final proposed set of FDPI together with self-diagnosis manual for flood preparedness level at 2011 TC IWS; to compile the final set of FDPI questionnaires, together with the selfdiagnosis manual. The final report for the project will also be prepared by the end of 2011. IV. New Proposed WGH AOPs 1. Satellite-based information utilized on reducing water-related disaster risks. This project is proposed by IDD of ESCAP, collaborated with ICHARM and JAXA of Japan. The project was proposed to be lasted up to 2012. The concept of the project is to utilize newly developed space-based technology application to water-related disaster risk reduction (DRR) by the mutual cooperation, with an objective to seek the possibility, find the solution and utilize space-based technology application to water-related DRR. The draft steps of implementation of the project are listed as: First step( December 2010): Hold a workshop to share the information of newly developed space-based information technology status and the issues of water-related disaster risks and to seek the utilization possibility of the space-based information technology to reduce water-related disaster risks Second step (2011; draft): to find solutions of the issues Third step (2012; draft): to make the load map and/or handbooks to apply the space-based information 2. Project on Assessment of the Variability of Water Resources Impacted by Climate Change This project was initially proposed at Cebu Workshop last year. The purpose is to set up a cross cutting topic and collaborative programme among TC WGs, with a objective to promote the actions of local government bodies/communities to strengthen the level of preparedness and adaptation measures for problems on water resources impacted by Climate Change. Philippine side was recommended to prepare a proposal for 2010 Integrated Workshop in order to formally launch this project. However, unfortunately, the proposal is not available at that moment. As a commitment, the representative of PAGASA of Philippines expressed to take measures to initiate as a new proposed project in 2011. V. Hydrology-related Workshops and Publications 7

Participation of Regional/International Workshop/Conference Strengthening regional cooperation towards flood resilient cities considering climate change: ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee Meeting on Urban Flood Risk Management Project (UFRM). Bangkok, Thailand. 19-20 July, 2010 TC Integrated Workshop on Urban Flood Risk Management in a Changing Climate: Sustainable and Adaptation Challenges. Macao, China. 06-10 September 2010 Stakeholder Meeting on the Regional Cooperative Mechanism on Disaster Monitoring and Early Warning, Particularly Drought. Nanjing, China. 16 September 2010, The Regional Workshop on ICT Application for Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Economic Development. Astana, Kazakhstan, 28-30 September 2011 International Workshop/Conference on Extreme Hydrometeorological Events and Flood-Protection & Disaster Reduction. Nanjing, China. 15-16 October 2010 Third WMO International Conference On Quantitative Precipitation Estimation And Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting and Hydrology. Nanjing, China, 18-22 October 2010 5 th International Workshop on ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction. Incheon, Korea. 25-26 October 2010 Seventh WMO International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones (IWTC-VII). La Réunion, France, 15 to 20 November 2010 TC WGH Publications WMO/TD-No. 1471: Guidelines for Reservoir Operation in Relation to Flood Forecasting. December 2008 WMO/TD-No. 1472: General Guidelines for Setting-up a Community-based Flood Forecasting and Warning System. December 2008 WMO/TD-No. 1519: Final Report on Flood Hazard Mapping Project, January, 2010 WMO/TD-No. 1520: Sediment-Related Disaster Forecasting/Warning System Project. January, 2010 VI. Recommendations To enhance the cooperation among WGs. at Working Group level: the information exchange and cooperation among WGM, WGH and WGDRR can make good improvement for the activities; at national level: each Focal Point of TC Member should contact and communicate each other to exchange their activities and progress; and for better implementation of the cross cutting projects, such as Urban Flood Risk Management, three WGs should enhance their cooperation on research and real-time operation. To enhance regional/international cooperation The TC WGH recognized the importance to further close collaboration with the WMO RA II Working Group on Hydrological Forecasts and Assessments in several themes of common interest and potential for cooperation. To share existing achievement with international agencies in aspect of Urban Flood Risk Management, flood-related and sediment-related disaster reduction. 8