Introduction
PLOTO seeks to enhance the resilience of Inland Waterways (IWW) and their connected hinterland infrastructure against weather-related hazards, the impacts of climate change, flooding, and seismic events. Accurately predicting water discharge—the flow of water through rivers and streams—is essential for flood management and preparing for extreme weather events. These predictions help minimize damage and initiate measures within Ports to mitigate flooding and droughting risks during periods of heavy rainfall or drought respectively.
Why It Matters
Floods and extreme weather events are increasing due to climate change, challenging existing infrastructure and preparedness. Predicting water discharge ensures timely and precise information for emergency planning making it a vital tool for decision-makers responsible for planning and implementing sustainable resource use according to the level of the risk.
Input Data
The ML based prediction model relies on different key types of input:
- Precipitation: Total rainfall measured at different stations over time, which helps estimate how much water will flow into rivers.
- Water Discharge: The amount of water currently flowing through a discharge station, providing a baseline for future predictions.
- Precipitation: Total rainfall measured at different stations over time, which helps estimate how much water will flow into rivers.
- Air temperature: Temperature of the air measure at 2m from the ground, which helps estimate how much water will flow into rivers.
- Water Discharge: The amount of water currently flowing through a discharge station, providing a baseline for future predictions.
These data inputs allow the model to generate reliable forecasts that are essential for proactive decision-making.
Applications
Within PLOTO, the model that is developed by EXUS has two main applications:
- Real-Time Forecasting
By providing immediate predictions, the model helps authorities for emergency planning by giving early warnings and helping allocate resources to reduce risks. - Simulating Extreme Scenarios
The model is used alongside climate simulations to explore how extreme weather events might impact water discharge. This capability allows port authorities to prepare for rare but high-impact scenarios.
Davide Mastricci, Tech Lead-ML engineer | Alexis Melitsiotis, Research and Innovation Manager | EXUS AI labs
