PROPOSAL FOR THE

ASSESSMENT OF THE
PERFORMANCE OF FLOW
MEASUREMENT
INSTRUMENTS AND
TECHNIQUES
Paul J. Pilon(1), Janice M. Fulford(2), Zurab
Kopaliani(3), Patrick J. McCurry(4), Nurullah
Ozbey(5) and Claudio Caponi(6)
April 25, 2007
 Existing WMO guidance on flow
measurements
 Technical Regulations – Volume III Hydrology (WMO, 2006)
 Guide to Hydrological Practices (WMO, 1994) Chapters 10, 11, 12,
and 13
 Manual on Stream Gauging (WMO, 1980)

 Not intended to provide detailed results of testing of

flow measurement technology and measurement
techniques
 Doesn’t address newest instrumentation technologies
 OBJECTIVES

 Help make information and standardized test

results on hydrometric instrumentation and
measurement methodologies generally available to
Hydrological Services (HSs)
 Encourage and solicit testing of the newer
hydrometric instrumentation and methodologies.
 APPROACH
 Provide a web site as a forum for the exchange of
instrumentation and measurement methodology test results and
information.
 Compile a list of existing information on the newer and older
instrumentation, the existing and new methodologies for flow
measurement
 Compile HS standards for hydrometric measurements with the
help of staff from contributing HSs
 Encourage the use of standard uncertainty analysis and test
format when reporting instrumentation test results.
 Solicit loans of instrumentation and/or funding from
instrumentation manufacturers and contributions from HSs of
personnel, equipment and test facilities
 EXPECTED OUTPUTS
1) Summary of state-of-the-art discharge
measurement instrumentation and
methodologies;
2) Summary of international and national
instrumentation standards and guidelines;
3) Information and guidance on conducting
uncertainty analysis and verifying the
performance characteristics of instrumentation;
 EXPECTED OUTPUTS
4) Recommended standards for the analysis and
presentation of test data to assist with the
comparison of instrumentation and
methodologies;
5) Collection of test reports on specific
instruments and methodologies, where HSs
will make these available and/or contact details
of HSs where testing is conducted and
information may be available; and
6) Web site to disseminate all of the above.
 EXPECTED RESULTS
1) Improve the understanding of the accuracy of
hydrometric instruments;
2) Encourage the development of instrumentation that
meets the measurement needs of HSs;
3) Encourage the standardization of hydrometric
measurements and the computation of estimates of
measurement uncertainty, leading to improved quality
of data;
4) Improve water use planning for sustainable
development; and
5) Improve cooperation among HSs.
 SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES
1) Flow measurement standards and manuals of
HSs,
2) Existing instrumentation and methodologies
used for flow measurement, and
3) Existing HS testing facilities and measurement
standards. Other identified specific activities
are
4) Guidance for testing instrumentation and
methodologies to a known standard,
 SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES
5) Development of a reporting format for
documenting instrument and methodology test
results,
6) Adoption of a methodology to use for
estimating the uncertainty of hydrological
measurements, and
7) Development of a central web site for sharing
hydrometric instrumentation information.
 POTENTIAL LINKAGES
 WMO Commission for Instrumentation and Methods of
Observation (CIMO)
 WMO Regional Associations’ Working Groups on Hydrology
 UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP)
 International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and
Research (IAHR)
 International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS)
 ASCE/EWRI
 International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
 The Association of Hydro-Meteorological Equipment Industry
(HMEI)
COLLABORATION NEEDED

 National Testing Laboratories

 National Hydrological Services
 International Organizations and Associations
 Instrumentation Manufacturers
 Academia
 TIME FRAME

 A time frame developed to achieve each of the

outputs.
 Activities will be prioritized
 On-going or planned activities of others will be
taken into consideration
Working Together Offers the Greatest
Potential for Success