Department of hydrological forecasts

Department of hydrological forecasts is a structural unit of the Center for analysis, forecasting and ensuring hydrometeoconditions of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, headed by the chief of the department. There are 8 hydrologists and 7 technical hydrologists. Most of the experts are with the experience of operational hydroforecasting work in the department of more than 10 years.

The main tasks of the department are:

• regular analysis of the actual hydrological regime of water bodies of Ukraine (primarily level, temperature, ice) through the receipt and processing of relevant technical and technological resources survey of state hydrometeorological network;
• evaluation of possible trends in hydrological situation, forecasting indicators of water and ice regime of rivers and reservoirs at certain intervals based on hydrological forecasting models and systems;
• warnings about the likely development of hydrological and dangerous natural phenomena - floods and overflows, congestion of ice, debris flows and avalanches - and possible negative consequences of these processes impact on the objects of management, settlements, territory, etc.;
• methodical guidance of hydrological forecasts service of State Hydrometservice of Ukraine, which operates on the principle of basin and includes 9 organizations, each with its own area of hydroforecasting activity (map and text block below);
• prepare and provide to interested consumers, whose activities depend on hydrological factors varied background, accounting and forecasting information in standard formats, and depending on the content of certain queries.

   Department of hydrological forecasts is a structure that has the most complete information about the current hydrological events on rivers and reservoirs and is qualified and able to adequately assess the actual and expected hydrological regime. Department receives daily and processes information from 260 (summer) and 480 (rest of the year) hydrological posts and neighbouring states in the shared river basins. In quiet periods the data collected per 1day, and during floods or high water - every 4 hours. To the analysis of possible changes to the status and parameters of the hydrological regime also are involved observations by snow - gauging , meteorological and agrometeorological hydrometeonetwork of Ukraine and neighboring countries, forecasts of weather parameters.

     Relevant scientific and methodological bases and relevant professional training make up and distribute the long-term (earliness of 16 to 100 days) forecasts of the maximum levels and costs and volumes of spring high water, water inflow to the main reservoirs of Ukraine at different calendar periods, the timing of phases of ice regime; short (earliness 1-15 days) forecasts of water and ice regime, including water levels during floods and high water, storm warning of dangerous hydrological phenomena. Every year before spring high water the department prepares and distributes special analytical information about the expected nature and consequences of spring overflow, indicating the areas and facilities which may be under negative effects of river and melt water (here February and the spring may be a link to this information) . Similar data are provided in case of floods or during the formation of high water (may be links to information, if we prepare, but it is not tied in time). The department along with power governmental agencies, provides forecasting information and materials to hydropower, water organizations, municipal, fishery, agricultural, water transport enterprises and organizations of MES at various levels. 

    Specialists of the department ensure compliance with relevant regulations of cooperation in meteorology in the framework of intergovernmental agreements with neighbouring countries of Ukraine on joint use of border water resources, taking part as experts in the ongoing international projects in Ukraine on the management of floods and water use.