India launches ‘FloodWatch’ app for real-time flood updates

Subject: Geography

Section: Physical geography

Context:

The Central Water Commission launched an app, called ‘Floodwatch’, which can forecast the chances of floods a day in advance.

Features of the App- Floodwatch:

It also provides a seven-day advisory on the chances of floods at various stations in the country where the CWC maintains its measurement gauges.
The app has a map of India with coloured circles at water stations across the country indicating the current risk of flooding.
- A ‘green’ circle indicates ‘normal’; yellow, above normal; orange, ‘severe’ and red, ‘extreme’.
- Clicking on a circle shows the current water level at the station, the highest level historically attained, the danger level and warning level. The warnings are in English or Hindi with an option for a voice-enabled prompt.
The app will also provide State-wise/basin-wide flood forecast up to 24 hours or flood advisory, up to seven days, that can be accessed via selecting specific stations.
Floodwatch uses advanced technologies such as satellite data analysis, mathematical modelling and real-time monitoring to deliver accurate and timely flood forecasts.
With this app, users can access essential information regarding flood situations.

Central Water Commission (CWC):

Central Water Commission is an attached office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
The Commission is entrusted with the general responsibilities of initiating, coordinating and furthering in consultation of the State Governments concerned, schemes for control, conservation and utilization of water resources throughout the country, for purpose of Flood Control, Irrigation, Navigation, Drinking Water Supply and Water Power Development.
It also undertakes the investigations, construction and execution of any such schemes as required.
CWC is headed by a chairman, with the status of Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government of India.
The work of the Commission is divided among 3 wings namely:
- Designs and Research (D&R) Wing,
- River Management (RM) Wing and
- Water Planning and Projects (WP&P) Wing.
A separate Human Resources Management Unit headed by a Chief Engineer, deals with Human Resources Management or Development, Financial Management, Training and Administrative matters of the CWC.
National Water Academy located at Pune is responsible for training of Central and State in-service engineers and it functions directly under the guidance of Chairman.
Headquarters: New Delhi.