Observing and Monitoring Drought
Abstract

Abstract Author: Chung-Hsiung Sui

Abstract Title: A pilot study of spring droughts and early warning in Taiwan

Abstract: The spring season is one of the rice growing seasons in Taiwan that requires plenty of irrigation water. But the spring time is also a dry season. So whether major water reservoirs have enough water for irrigation depend critically on timely rainfall. Consequently, observing and predicting spring rain is an important task for the meteorological and hydrological agencies in Taiwan.

A pilot study has been conducted to develop an integrated project for monitoring and predicting spring rainfall and hydrological variables within the catchments of major reservoirs in Taiwan. The outcome to be presented includes the following three items:
1. A systematic review of climate oscillations that affect spring rainfall in Taiwan.
2. A SVD-based dynamical-statistical downscaling approach for rainfall over the catchments of major reservoirs in Taiwan. This is part of the established climate prediction system at the Central Weather Bureau in Taipei. Currently, the prediction is made with lead time of month and season.
3. A risk-based drought early warning system in reservoir operation.

The pilot study established a framework for a joint climate-hydrologic project. Now a new initiative is proposed to further develop the project.