Optimal Rain Products with Dual-Pol Doppler Weather Radar (OSAPOL)

OSAPOL was a research project funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes). The aim of the project was to increase the exploitation of high quality precipitation radar measurements in water supply industry. In the course of the project the rain products were customized to efficiently serve in the control and optimization of water and sewerage systems: Pilot study was performed with the Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authorities.

In respect to spatial and time resolution the rain measurements with weather radar are superior in comparison to traditional rain gauges

Precipitation is a central variable for both hydropower production and ? business, and water supply management. Rain governs the planning and the operation of systems. Especially heavy rainfalls set challenges for the adaptability of the water supply networks. A strategy launched in 2012 by the European Commission, Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources, stated that the water efficiency as one of the five themes in securing the water resources. Intelligent management of the water and sewerage network is one key methods to effect on the quality and amount of water supply.

Weather radar is an ideal instrument to measure areal precipitation, because the time and spatial resolution are superior in comparison to separate traditional rain gauges. The typical measurement resolution in time is 5 minutes and in space 0.1 - 2 km2. Although the rain gauges are more precise for measuring the rain accumulation at a certain spot, the required coverage cannot be reached. The radar network of Finnish Meteorological Institute has been updated from 2009 with new radars that utilize two polarizations for the radar measurement. With this dual-pol technique identification of the precipitation type and removal of false echoes can be further improved. Also the measurement of rain intensity can be corrected, as the rain itself causes attenuation and distorts the results, and this can be more precisely estimated.

The essential goal in the OSAPOL-project was to develop high quality rain products based on the optimal use of the dual-pol radar measurements. The overreaching objective was to demonstrate the potential of the radar-based rain products and to promote that these would contribute and integrate into water industry.

The project coordinator was the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Other members of the consortium from the water and hydropower industry are Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authorities, Tampere water, Lahti Aqua and Jyväskylä Energy Group, and planning and consultation companies Ramboll Finland Oy and FCG Oy.   

OSAPOL- project was linked with Tekes program INKA Smart city and renewal of industries and closely co-operating with HSY project INKA Smart water.