eHYD also as WebApp for mobile devices

eHYD Mobile

In addition to the desktop version there exists also a mobile version of eHYD. eHYD Mobile is a WebApp, which is retrievable in the browser (e.g. Google Chrome, Firefox, Windows Explorer, Safari etc.) under the well-known URL. The application identifies a mobile device and switches by itself from the desktop version to the mobile version (pictures 2 and 3 of the picture gallery). We have opted for a WebApp because it has the advantage, compared to an App that it is independent from the operating system, and the platform and screen resolutions, and is available to every internet-compatible mobile terminal device without download and installation. Also for us, the updating of the application as WebApp is easier.

The following software and technologies constitute the basis for eHYD Mobile: OpenSource Software and Libraries, OpenLayers, HTML5/CSS3, PostgreSQL/PostGIS databases, GeoServer/GeoWebCache, Apache Tomcat, Angular, and jQuery. The application shall facilitate a user-friendly and intuitive graphical surface (GUI).

Most browsers offer the possibility to link a website as an app symbol to the surface of the facility. Thus, the eHYD WebApp appears as an app. With a fingertip you will receive the desired hydrographic information and are warned against floods. 

Please send suggestions concerning the improvement of eHYD and requests concerning problems with the application on a mobile device by email. 

The Hydrographic Data Network

The Hydrographic Service Austria operates a basic measuring network for the purpose of recording the precipitation and for the determination of the flow rate and the water level on running waters and lakes and for the monitoring of groundwater levels in Austria. The data of many measuring sites are transmitted via special installations from the hydrographic organisational units in the Federal Provinces to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Managment.  The Hydrographic Data Network ensures that these data are sent every half hour to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, forestry, Regions and Water Managment and imported into a data network.

Uniform presentation all over Austria

The data are classified into precipitation, run-off and groundwater level classes and represented in the eHYD maps with different colours and symbols in a uniform way all over Austria. Areas with low or medium water level or flood situations can thus be identified at a glance. Detailed information on the time patterns of the measuring values is available via the link to the internet address of the desired Federal Province integrated in the map.

From low water to flood, everything at one glance

The presentation of the water flow on the measuring sites of Hydrographie Österreich (Hydrography Austria) provides a survey of the current runoff and precipitation situation. With the classification of the Pegelaktuell-WebGIS map a presentation, which is reduced to a few categories from low water to extreme flood, is provided (see picture 4 of the pictures gallery). With different signal colours in combination with symbols low water conditions, medium-water flow, increased water flow, and 3 categories for flood are represented. The limits are the extreme value statistical parameters HQ1, HQ10 and HW30.  HQ10 refers to a theoretical runoff - a ten-year event - a value, which can be reached and/or exceeded once in 10 years. By analogy, the same applies to HQ1 and HQ30.

What do the flood levels mean?

In general, it is proceeded on the assumption that along the most water stretches in Austria the level up to HQ1 can be discharged in the waterbed (bankfull). Runoffs in the field of Flood Level 1 (HW1 to HQ10) can result in overflows into natural or utilized agricultural forelands.  The closer the runoff gets to HQ10, the higher the probability that objects located in the immediate vicinity of the waters are endangered as well. If level 1 is exceeded, (Flood Level 2 with runoffs higher than HQ10) there is a high probability that agricultural areas and runoffs without sufficient flood control will be affected. If there are several levels located in a region in Flood Level 3 (>HQ30) one can proceed on the assumption that large-scale flooding of agricultural areas and settlements, and a massive impairment of the infrastructure – roads, water supply and disposal - are possible (see picture 5 of the picture gallery).

Current information on the precipitation of the past few hours.

Information on the precipitation fallen is a basic requirement for calculating the runoff of the immediate future. For this reason, more and more measuring sites are equipped with remote data transmission devices and the measuring results are forwarded to provincial hydrographic services.

The Hydrographic Data Network ensures that these data are sent as well every hour to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Managment and imported into a database. The data are classified according to precipitation categories and also represented by different colours in a uniform way all over Austria. In the same way as with the run-off detailed information on the time patterns of the measuring values by mouse click on a measuring site symbol can be represented in an own diagram. Via the link “weitere Infos...” (Further information) integrated in this tooltip you will get to the measuring site on the website of the respective Federal Province (hydrographic Service).

Flood forecasts and warnings

The warning of a flood event constitutes an important element in the cycle of actions - event, coping, recovery and prevention - of integrated flood management. The water level news service, thus the representation and spreading of current, historical and predicted water levels, has accordingly been a central task of hydrography in Austria for more than 100 years.  

The data collected by the hydrographic measuring network constitute the basis of the news service and are, apart from other input data, the prerequisite for the establishment of forecasts and the flood warnings derived from them.

eHYD provides up-to-date information in case of a flood event

In order to prevent damage in case of a flood event timely and reliable information is important. In all Federal Provinces flood warnings, in the form of status quo reports or in the form of hydrographs for every measuring site, are published on the internet. If a flood situation occurs, an on-call service will be established at the hydrographic service of the respective Federal Province.  Directorate I/III - Water Balance at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, which summarizes all warnings and status quo reports, and informs the public on all eHYD pages by means of a warning triangle (see picture 6 of the picture gallery), will be informed about that.