Integrated Flood and Rainfall Management (IFFRM)

Integrated Flood Forecasting and river Monitoring (IFFRM) is a project that integrate Flood Forecasting Model and monitoring on water resources related issues like water quality, drought and debris flow. Klang River Basin was choosen as the first river basin to implement this concept because Klang Valley is the most developed area in the country. Kuala Lumpur, the capitol city with 4 million population experienced severe flood every year is situated in the Klang Valley. For this reason a total 88 hydrological stations have been setup across Klang River Basin to record and monitor rainfall, water level, soil moisture, water quality, water flow and weather (using met stations). These data will be used as input for flood forecasting model to give efficient and accurate flood forecasting and warning to relevant agencies related with water namely JPS Kuala Lumpur, JPS Selangor, DBKL, Local Autorithy , Dam operator and media. With this information, the agencies can made decision and make preparation for incoming flood to reduce the impact of flood in the affected area.

Control Room of the IFFRM project

2.WATER RESOURCES STUDY

Integrated Water Resources Study For The Northern Region Of Peninsular Malaysia

The northern region of Peninsular Consisting of perlis, Kedah and Pulau Pinang is an important area for agriculture particularly paddy cultivation. The Muda Irrigation Scheme, known as the rice bowl of Malaysia and the Integrated Agricultural Development Project Pulau Pinang jointly produces more than half of the country’s rice production. Nevertheless, the region is facing water resources problem in the last few decades due to rainfall variability and increasing water demand as a result of rapid social economic development. Padio planting had to be abandoned or delayed in the year 1977, 19778, 1982, 1991 and 1998 in Muda Scheme consequent to water shortages. Domestic and industrial water supply in the region has been interrupted due to water resources availibility constraint.

JPS is the national agency in charge of hydrology and flood forecting function. JPS establish thousand of hydrological stations country–wide and maintain the national database on hydrology. Reliabiliry of any water resources study will require adequate hydrological data, in term of quantity and quality. Hence it is a great importance to develop a hydrological databese with complete set of accurate data. The database so developed shall be used to update and improve upon previous water resources studies.

The scope of the study are to review and update the water resources availibility, water demand and water quality status for the study area using the JPS databases and field collection of additional data, to study and proposed improvement of the hydrological network in the study areas for the optimal development and management of water resources, to review the feasibility and implementation schedule of the proposed water resources projects under NWRS (EPU 2000) within the study area and to suggest areas that needs to be preserved and refined from any develipment project for sustainable water resources.

The total cost of the project is RM 2.5 Millions and the study is expected to be completed by middle of year 2009.

3.DROUGHT MONITORING AND FORECASTING

Drought Monitoring Website(InfoKemarau)

Drought monitoring program was initiated since early 2001 as a result of 1998 drought incident among its first initiative was to establish a website (known as infokemarau) wholly focusing on drought monitoring. Its objective is to assist relevant agencies to make early preparation to face drought events. In 2013, the website was further improved to include additional features to better reflect the drought situation in Malaysia. DID is given responsibility to report on river water reservoirs water level. In this website, 41 selected rainfall stations were set up to monitor rainfall pattern. Apart from that, 21 water level stations were set up to monitor reservoirs level and another 25 stations for river.

DID also use the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and water level in river and dam as a tool to monitor hydrological drought. Hydrological drought is a term use to define the deficiencies in surface flow into reservoir, stream flow and rainfall. A hydrology drought situation would occur when any river discharges reduces or any dam level decrease continuously. This situation can be defined by the changes as given:

a) Rainfall

If a deficit for total rainfall for at least 3 consecutive months above 35% from normal and the latest SPI index is less than -1.5, or the  deficit for 6 consecutive months above 35% and latest SPI index is less than -1.5 Met Malaysia will issues for drought early warning to  the responsible agencies.

b) River Discharges

When the low flow exceed 5 years Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) continuously for 3 months, a drought event is considered as  occurring. On a daily basis, DID Malaysia reports the 7-day low flow ARI of 2,5 and 20 year for 25 stations throughout Peninsular  Malaysia and upload the information via its website.

c) Dam Levels / Storage Dam

Drought event would be considered when a dam levels falls below the normal level for 3 months continuously. DID Malaysia reports  the water level in 21 dams and include useful information such as maximum water level, percentage of balance of storage, and  minimum level. This information may also be derived from the InfoKemarau.

This website is expected to deliver an early information so that the relevant agencies, stakeholders and the public are always in alert and ready to take certain preparatory action before the occurrence of drought.