RAPHAEL free access web site

Runoff and Atmospheric Processes for flood HAzard forEcasting and controL

contract ENV 4-CT97-0552

The Study Areas

Simulation experiments with hydrological-meteorological models will be implemented in two areas represented in the figure: the Ammer watershed (600 kmē) in the Bavarian Alps and the watershed upstream the Lago Maggiore at its outlet (6599 kmē). The last basin, across Switzerland and Italy, is drained by the Ticino, Maggia, Verzasca (in Switzerland) and Toce (in Italy) rivers and other minor tributaries but can be referred as Ticino-Toce, for simplicity. The last region is in the core of one of the MAP target areas. The Ammer watershed is north of the Brenner Pass, onother area of specific interest for the MAP scientific objectives.

The two test areas of the RAPHAEL Project seen from the NOAA satellite view.

The project will implement simulations of some relevant flood events that occurred in the Alps in the last years, by means of a coupled use of meteorological and hydrological models.

The predictive capabilities of some advanced mesoscale models will be tested against rainfall 'observations' by means of raingauge and radar (Monte Lema and DLR) operational networks as well as by means of river discharge measurements and computations by hydrological models. Hydrological models will use the precipitation forecasts and observations for implementing a flood forecasting system in a complex environment where snowmelt and reservoir regulation affect flood regimes.