Spatial-temporal analysis of hydrological alerts and warnings for immediate phenomena in 2022 and 2023 in Romania

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the spatial-temporal distribution of hydrological alert messages issued at the national level in the last two years, with a special focus on the accomplished percentage of the forecasted projected information. This paper used information from the database generated within National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management as part of the National Administration of Romanian Waters (NARW), which is the national authority to elaborate and distribute the warnings and alerts for immediate phenomena in Romania. The criteria for validating the hydrological warnings were based on the achievement of the predicted stream defense water levels, reaching precipitation thresholds or the existence/evidence of recorded damages. The actual analysis was carried out on the major hydrographic basins associated with the regional basin administrations. Three particular case studies were also analyzed, which spatially cover three distinct heterogeneously positioned regions, in order to have a better representativeness: the upper part of Someșului Mare river, the Bistrița, Moldova and Suceava rivers in Suceava county and the lower basin of Jiu River with its tributaries, as well as the Danube River on its sector within Iron Gates II Dam and its confluence with the Jiu River.

Keywords

• spatial distribution
• temporal analysis
• hydrological alerts and warnings for immediate phenomena