Design of an automatic hydro-meteorological observation network for a real-time flood warning system: a case study of Vu Gia-Thu Bon river basin, Vietnam

Abstract This paper presents an interdisciplinary approach, along with Vietnam's legal frameworks, to design an automatic hydro-meteorological (HM) observation network for a real-time flood warning system in Vu Gia-Thu Bon (VGTB) river basin, Vietnam. The automatic HM monitoring network consists of weather-proof enclosures containing data loggers, rechargeable batteries, sensors for air temperature, air humidity, solar radiation, wind speed, water level with attached solar panels and mounted upon masts located at fixed ground stations. A total of 20 meteorological stations and five hydrological stations have been built in VGTB river basin. To capture changes in weather and stream flow in the basin, the 5-minute and half-hour recording frequency options were set for meteorological and hydrological variables, respectively. All HM data was transmitted every 30 minutes to the data server at the data processing centre via Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network. These data were then input into hydrological-hydraulic models for inundation simulation in the basin. The results showed that the performance of flood simulation at hourly time step has significantly improved during flood events in September and November 2015. Overall, near-real-time HM data recording from an automatic monitoring network proved beneficial for an flood early warning system.