EPA River Flow Estimation Model

Tender description

The Hydrometric & Groundwater section, Office of Evidence and Assessment (OEA), are responsible for maintaining records of river and lake levels and flows, and for providing such hydrometric information as may be required for the EPA to fulfil its objectives including, but not limited to, licencing, enforcement, Water Framework Directive (WFD) monitoring and assessment. To assist in such work areas, the Hydrometric & Groundwater Section requires a Flow Duration Curve (FDC) based model to provide estimates of naturalised and augmented river flows in gauged and ungauged catchments in Ireland. The existing EPA HydroTool model produces Flow Duration Curve (FDC) estimates based on a statistical analysis of Irish hydrometric time series in conjunction with various additional input layers. The model does not readily facilitate the integration of abstraction or discharge data and does not produce consistent results in impounded or heavily karstified catchments. The existing model is also static, and it does not facilitate on-the-fly calculations, which has come to be expected in up to date applications.The HydroTool model is now ten years old, and the underlying software is obsolete. The EPA therefore requires an updated model to meet its objectives into the future.