Research projects

SMHI hydrological research unit is involved in many national and international projects in hydrological modeling. Here below, on-going and finished projects are listed alphabetically with a short summary.

Forsande vatten

On-going projects

CEMS-Floods

To improve flood preparedness, the Copernicus Early Warning Service – Hydrological forecasting (CEMS-Floods) monitors and forecasts the hydrological status at the European and global scales. This allows support national flood forecasting authorities by providing complementary and added value information. The CEMS-Floods Analytics and Dissemination Centre analyzes the forecasts daily, requests pre-tasking for rapid impact assessment, disseminates information to partners and the Emergency Response Coordination Centre. In addition, the centre organizes the annual partner meetings, provides trainings webinars and videos, collects feedback from partners, as well as manages the communication tool. Finally, the centre is compiling various reports during the year to justify the high-quality service provided to the partners and European Commission, and also to share the deep understanding and knowledge on extreme flood events and how these events are handled by early warning services. The investigations and service process understanding provides feedback for the future evolution of the CEMS-Floods awareness services.
Funding: Copernicus programme
Period: 2022-2028
Partners: JRC, SMHI, SHMU, RWS, ECMWF, DWD, Kisters, Soologic
Contact at SMHI: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link: emergency.copernicus.eu/

CLINT

The main objective of CLINT is the development of an Artificial Intelligence framework composed of Machine Learning techniques and algorithms to process big climate datasets for improving Climate Science in the detection, causation, and attribution of Extreme Events (EEs), namely tropical cyclones, heatwaves and warm nights, droughts, and floods. The CLINT AI framework will also cover the quantification of the EE impacts on a variety of socio-economic sectors under historical, forecasted, and projected climate conditions, and across different spatial scales (from European to local), ultimately developing innovative and sectorial AI-enhanced Climate Services. Finally, these services will be operationalized into Web Processing Services, according to the most advanced open data and software standards by Climate Services Information Systems, and into a Demonstrator to facilitate the uptake of project results by public and private entities for research and Climate Services development.
Funding: Horizon 2020
Period: 2021-2025
Partners: POLIMI, CMCC, HEREON, CSIC, SMHI, HKV, E3M, TCDF, DKRZ, IHE, ECMWF, Universidad de Alcala, JLU, OGC, UCM
Contact at SMHI: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link: climateintelligence.eu/

DIRT-X

Purpose: The project DIRT-X addresses the question of how the changing climate and socioeconomic conditions influence water reservoirs and the services they provide to different economic sectors through integration of existing climate services, projections of socioeconomic conditions (SSPs), impact models, and close cooperation with stakeholders from the relevant sectors. By combining local scale analyses with regional and global scale analyses of hydrological processes and relevant socio-economic developments we achieve better understanding and quantification of the impacts and uncertainties inherent in climate impact assessments, especially as they relate to scale and resolution. The integration of hydrological process modelling with economic models assessing water stress, cross-sectoral conflicts, and energy system enables investigation into the how hydrologic impacts are best translated into economic consequences and what are the implications of climate impacts within these systems.
Funding: JPI-AXIS
Period: 2019-2023
Participants: SMHI, USTUTT, LUH, UIBK, NTNU, UU
Contact SMHI: Alena Bartosova
Link: dirtx-reservoirs4future.eu/

EDUCAS

Purpose: A new generation of Regional Climate Models (CPRCM) with very high spatial resolution (<5 km) is under development. With this resolution, both atmospheric processes and geographical conditions can be described in a much more realistic way than in earlier, more low-resolution models. From a hydrological point of view, it is particularly interesting that convective processes in the atmosphere are explicitly described in CPRCMs, which means that rainfall and rainfall consequences can be studied more realistically. One problem, however, is that CPRCMs require extremely large computing capacity and therefore only a limited number of simulations can be done, for a selected region, for selected time periods. A key question then becomes which of all global scenarios should be selected for downscaling with a CPRCM, to get a "mini-ensemble" that best describes the uncertainty and is as useful as possible for climate adaptation. In EDUCAS, in dialogue with end users, we will assess the added value of CPRCM simulations for different hydrology applications, air environment and oceanography, and use this information to make an optimal selection of global scenarios. The hydrological analysis will focus on rainfall, its properties on different scales in time and space, in today's and future climate.
Funding: Formas
Period: 2020-2023
Participants: Koordineras av Rossby Centre, SMHI, med deltagare från SMHIs forskningsenheter för hydrologi, luftmiljö och oceanografi.
Contact SMHI: Jonas Olsson

E-SHAPE

Summary: E-SHAPE brings together decades of public investment in Earth Observation and in cloud capabilities into services for the decision-makers, the citizens, the industry and the researchers. It allows Europe to position itself as global force in Earth observation through leveraging Copernicus, making use of existing European capacities and improving user uptake of the data from GEO assets. In total 37 pilot applications under 7 thematic areas address societal challenges, foster entrepreneurship and support sustainable development, in alignment to the three main priorities of GEO (SDGs, Paris Agreement and Sendaï Framework).

E-SHAPE aspires to:

Provide significant impetus to activities that will enable and accelerate a breakthrough in the European EO sector and the downstream markets that benefit from EO services.

  • Coordinate EO actions, leverage on existing European heritage benefiting from open science and link to GEO flagships and initiatives;
  • Deliver concrete EO-derived benefits with and for users through a rigorous co-design;
  • Implement a coordinated and comprehensive portfolio of activities with emphases on user uptake, operational services, business support and aggressive outreach strategy;
  • Onboard new pilots currently being developed outside the project, providing them access to the strategic knowledge and communication channels of e-shape.

Funding: Horizon2020
Period: 2019-2023
Partners: Led by ARMINES (68 partners)
Contact: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link: e-shape.eu/

EXTREME-INDEX

Purpose: The aim of project is to deepen understanding of physical processes that lead to compound natural hazards. The project will develop and implement a multi-hazard tool that can include different types of extreme natural events and their potential interactions. The modular-based tool will consist of several single hazard indices (e.g., flooding, forest fire, etc) and methodology for their combination. The developed tool aims to be used as a training and planning tool for first responders and regulators or government organizations for resource planning and deployment, and evacuation planning.
Funding: MSB and Formas
Period: 2019-2023
Participants: Fire Safety Engineering (Lund University) (coordinator); Water Resources Engineering (Lund University); SMHI; NRC in Canada; Movement Strategies in UK.
Contact SMHI: Wei Yang & Jonas Olsson

EviWet - Evidence-based decision support for wetland hydrological ecosystem services

The aim of the project is to quantify the hydrological function of different wetlands, both natural and landscaped. Several different models are used to investigate how different wetland types work in varying environments. The results are used to improve the description of wetlands in SMHI's national hydrological model S-Hype. The model has a wide use throughout the country, and the results are made available via water web. The project also develops a specific tool for decision support in close dialogue with wetland administrators. The tool will increase the ability of municipalities, county administrative boards and other actors to evaluate wetland projects at the planning stage.
Funding: The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) and Formas.
Period: 2020-2023
Participants: SMHI, SLU, Uppsala universitet and University of Zurich
Contact: Göran Lindström

GlobalHydroPressure: model-based global assessment of hydrological pressure

Purpose: To explore how a global hydrological modelling and forecasting system can be used for quantitative impact and risk assessment of hydrological pressure by a comprehensive multi-scale and multi-pressure approach where hydro-meteorological hazards operating at different scales are considered together with additional environmental pressures. The assessment and adaptation will be tailored to local and regional conditions using local data, location-specific critical thresholds, etc., in a bottom-up approach where end-users are involved in all phases of the modelling and analyses.
Funding:The Swedish Research Council Formas through Water JPI
Period: 2019-2022
Participants: SMHI, Lund University, Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, Norwegian Inst. of Bioeconomy Research, Federal University of Alagoas, Brazil,Federal University of Itajubá, Brazil.
Contact SMHI: Jonas Olsson

HydroHazards

Purpose: The aim of the project is to investigate multiple hydrometeorological extremes and compound events that might occur simultaneously, cascadingly or cumulatively and can cause severe impacts. In Sweden, these events arise mainly from snowmelt and peak river flow, heavy and persistent large-scale rainfall, small scale cloudbursts, and coastal surges. Together with the Oceanography Unit and the Rossby Centre of SMHI, we assess risk hot-spots and related physical processes for water-related multiple extremes and compound events in Sweden. The overall aim of the project is to examine how exposure and vulnerability to multiple water-related hazards lead to different types of cumulative and interactive impacts on Critical Societal Services (CSSs) and Infrastructure and populations. The project wants to contribute to the Swedish Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) policies and practices with a specific focus on the management of multiple water hazards and potential mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Funding: Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and FORMAS
Period: 2020-2024
Participants: Stockholm Environment Institute (coordinator); Swedish Institute of International Affairs; Oceanography Unit and Rossby Centre of SMHI
Contact: Wei Yang & Peter Berg
Link: HydroHazards: Managing vulnerabilities to multiple water hazards in Sweden | SEI

Hydrological seasonal forecasts for C3S-WaterSIS

Purpose: The C3S2_410 contract ensures the continuation and evolution of operational hydrological seasonal forecasts of water information for the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) run by the ECMWF on behalf of the European Commission. Current operations are supported, while key upgrades to the service are developed, including the incorporation of an improved bias adjustment methodology (improving skill scores), a second meteo forecast system, as well as more forecasted variables at higher temporal resolution.
Funding: Copernicus/ECMWF
Period: 2022-2024
Participants: SMHI and Wageningen University (NL)
Contact SMHI: Peter Berg and Ursula McKnight
Link: WaterSIS

Håva2

This project aims to analyze the spatiotemporal covariation between solar, wind and hydropower in Europe, and to explain how hydropower's storage capacity in Scandinavia can contribute to increased energy system benefits in the form of virtual storage capacity and power capacity in the European electricity market. It also aims to develop methods for long-term energy forecasts that consider climate variability and to develop planning models for power production that consider energy system benefits.
Funding: Swedish Energimyndigheten
Period: 2021-2024
Partners: KTH, University of Lund, Svenska Kraftnät
Contact at SMHI: Ilias Pechlivanidis

I-CISK

 I-CISK’s ambition to innovate how climate information is used, interpreted and acted on through a next-generation of Climate Services (CS) that follow a human centred, social and behaviourally informed approach; integrating the knowledges, needs and perceptions of citizens, decision makers and stakeholders with climate information at spatial and temporal scale relevant to them. I-CISK aims to seize these untaken opportunities through a human-centred framework for co-production of next generation CS that spans the full CS value chain taking the downstream part of the value chain as a starting point. The I-CISK framework realises the full potential of information provided through CS by empowering actors to take the impacts of extreme climatic events and climate change into account in their decisions.
Funding: Horizon2020
Period: 2021-2025
Partners: IHE, ECMWF, SMHI, IVM VU,
Contact: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link: icisk.eu/

Långtidsprognos

The project aims to improve both the scientific methods used to predict the seasonal variability of hydrological variables over Sweden but also to further improve the operational water services that communicate the seasonal predictions to the users. Different methods are explored based on climatology, ensemble streamflow predictions and dynamic modelling to improve the predictions, whilst diagnosis is conducted to understand the physical drivers affecting the predictability.
Period: 2022
Partners: SMHI
Contact at SMHI: Ilias Pechlivanidis

Model development, hazardous substances

Purpose: To develop methods for transport of hazardous substances, both within the HYPE model and within the simplified NET model.                   
Funding: SMHI, Water Framework Directive support
Period: continuous work
Participants: SMHI
Contact SMHI: Göran Lindström, Johan Strömqvist, René Capell

Model development, human impact on stream water flow

Purpose: To improve the description of discharge and human impact in water courses and lakes, with focus on regulations and water diversions.  
Funding: SMHI, Water Framework Directive support
Period: continuous work
Participants: SMHI
Contact SMHI: Göran Lindström, Charlotta Pers

PIGALL

PIGALL (Forecasting the Effects of Climate Change on Groundwater and Pore Pressure Levels in the Built Environment) explores how climate change affects so-called geostructures through changes in groundwater levels. A geostructure can be, for example, a built slope, or foundation for a building structure. Changing groundwater levels can affect structures by causing subsidence or affect the risk of landslides and sludge flows. SMHI contributes with knowledge and data on climate change and hydrological projections of the future.
Funding: FORMAS
Period: 2021-2025
Participants: SMHI, The Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI), The Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU). and Gothenburg university (GU).
Contact at SMHI: Peter Berg

PrimeWater

PrimeWater generates information on the effects of upstream changes on future water quality and quantity. Building on advanced Earth-Observation data products, integration with additional data sources and diagnostic modelling tools, public and private sector decisions for water resources management are provided with better and actionable information.

The services produced will provide:

  • Increased situational intelligence
  • Enhanced predictive and early warning capabilities
  • Adaptive management of water resources

PrimeWater’s service line will be operationalized and tested in three international show cases for multiple downstream water services and operations. PrimeWater is designed to impact: (a) research in the fields of EOs, and hydrological and ecological modelling, (b) innovation in the water sector and the downstream sector of the European space market, (c) specific societal and environmental challenges, and (d) policy implementation.
Funding: Horizon2020
Period: 2019-2023
Partners: Led by EMVIS. Also CNR, SMHI, EOMAP, IWA, BSB, ENAS, CSIRO, EPA, Melbourne Water, SatDek
Contact: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link: www.primewater.eu/

Source to sea: tracing causes of water quality problems and evaluating potential mitigation options. Case study of uMngeni river, South Africa.

Purpose:Sweden and South Africa have initiated a bilateral cooperation with the goal of creating a support system that can provide a basis for water management planning and decision-making. This is accomplished through developing hydrological models (1) for greater water management area of uMngeni River and (2) for South Africa. The models are used to evaluate different scenarios that can be used as a basis for the water management in the area, including future climate projections.
Funding: NV
Period: 2016-current
Participants: SMHI, University of Kwazulu-Natal
Contact SMHI: Alena Bartosova & Berit Arheimer
Link:Source to sea

SPARC: Stakeholder participation for climate adaptation – data crowdsourcing for improved urban flood risk management

SPARC is a 4-year research project funded by FORMAS on cloudburst flood risk and its management. The project involves a trans-disciplinary project group.

The objectives of the project are:

  • To develop systematic management of crowdsourced data for rain and flood characteristics, and to enhance resolution and accuracy of existing official rain data from SMHI and Swedish municipalities.
  • To validate the significance of high-resolution input data on the performance of two hydraulic models: LISFLOOD and HEC-RAS.
  • To increase the knowledge of flood damage to the built environment and to establish a method for systematic and secure damage data collection.
  • To assess and communicate the use of small-scale flood adaptation measures as a way for property owners to be part of a space-for-water approach to reduce flood risk for themselves and their communities.

Funder: FORMAS
Period: 2021-2025
Partners: Karlstad University, Lund University, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, City of Malmö, Karlstad municipality, and City of Gothenburg.
Contact at SMHI:  Jonas Olsson, Louise Petersson and Remco van de Beek. 

WACCA-Ethiopia

A programme to strengthen the development of climate and water information services in Ethiopia (2017 – 2022). WACCA-Ethiopia is a capacity development project directed to the hydro-meteorological sector. It aims to address capacity gaps in water and climate information services by improving requisite skills for weather forecast and early warning systems, climate and hydrological information services, as well as communication and dissemination of user-relevant information. The project improves production and delivery of data, information and services from relevant Ethiopian authorities to key stakeholders and sectors within the country. The overarching goal is to contribute toward developing a strong and resilient infrastructure for providing credible and actionable weather and climate information for the people of Ethiopia, from decision and policy making to enhancing quality of life and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for the vulnerable population.
Funder: Swedish development cooperation agency (Sida)
Period: 2017-2022
Partners: SMHI, Ethiopian Meteorological Institute, Ministry of Water and Energy, Ethiopian Environmental Protection Agency
Contact: Jafet Andersson

The list is regularly updated.

Finished Projects

HYPOS

Purpose: HYPOS is catalyzing innovation with an operational service for appropriate environmental and economic investment planning and monitoring based on Earth Observation (EO) technologies and modelling for the Hydropower industry. The online accessible Decision Support Tool developed within HYPOS will provide essential assets for hydro power managers, planners and decision makers in their work. The portal will bring together high-quality satellite based measurements for historic time periods, actual current monitoring, near-real time modelled hydrological parameters, and available in-situ data for integrated baseline and environmental impact assessments.
Funding: European Union’s Horizon 2020-SPACE-2019
Period: 2019-2022
Participants: EOMAP, SMHI, NTNU, STUCKY, CNR
Contact SMHI: Alena Bartosova
Link: hypos-project.eu/

FANFAR

Purpose: The aim of the FANFAR project is to reinforce the cooperation between West African and European hydrologists, ICT experts, decision analysts, and end-user communities to provide a co-designed, co-adapted, integrated, and co-operated streamflow forecasting and alert pilot system for West Africa. FANFAR builds on established forecasting technologies, e.g. http://hypeweb.smhi.se/nigerhype/forecast/. FANFAR incrementally refines these technologies and builds capacity on how to use them through a set of workshops in the region. The refined forecasting system will be operated, supported and tested in practical flood management by regional, national and local institutions. Social science frameworks are employed to aid development decisions, analyse behavioural responses, and understand technology adoption processes aiming to facilitate sustainable uptake of the system in the region.
Funding: EU / H2020
Period: 2018-2021
Participants: SMHI (coordinator), Terradue, isardSAT, EAWAG, AGRHYMET, NIHSA
Contact SMHI: Jafet Andersson och Berit Arheimer
Link: www.fanfar.eu

Future City Flow

Purpose: Aging lines, changed climate with intense rainfall, large paved surfaces, combined with stormwater and wastewater ends up in the common pipes, creates major problems in cities. The deficiencies in sewage systems means that they are not future proof, either for society’s economy, environment or human health and wellbeing. Future City Flow will develop an information and decision support system that can describe the link between action and effect in a clear and educational way. 
Funded by: Vinnova
Period 2020-2021
Participants: Göteborgs kommun, DHI AB, Cactus Univeiw AB, NSVA, Lunds universitet, Institutionen för kemiteknik, SMHI, VA SYD, 4IT AB, Gryaab AB, WIN (Water Innovation Accelerator), Rhetikfabriken, Sweden Water Research
Contact SMHI: Jafet Andersson
Link: Future City Flow

Integrated Arctic Observation System (INTAROS)

Purpose: The overall objective of the project is to build an efficient integrated Arctic Observation System (iAOS) by extending, improving and unifying existing observation systems in the different regions of the Arctic. The project includes in-situ and remote sensing observation systems covering atmosphere, land, cryosphere, sea ice and ocean. SMHI contributes to the assessment,  gap analysis, and exploitation of existing hydrological and atmosphere observation systems, as well as to the demonstration of the usefulness of the iAOS for climate and hydrological modelling.
Funding: European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under GA No. 727890 Period:2016-2021
Participants: 47 organisations from 20 countries in Europe, North America, and Asien. Swedish partners are SMHI and Stockholm University.
Link: INTAROS

Snow_cci

Purpose:The Snow_cci project aims to contribute to the understanding of snow in the climate system by generating homogenized long-time series of daily global snow extent maps from optical satellite data and daily global snow water equivalent products from passive microwave satellite data. SMHI is part of the Snow_cci Climate Research Group, leading a case study on ‘The role of snow for climate related changes in Arctic hydrological regimes and fresh water flow to the Arctic Ocean’.
Funding: European Space Agency (ESA)
Period: 2018-2021
Participants: Environmental Earth Observation IT GmbH (ENVEO IT GmbH), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), EURAC Research (EURAC), Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), Gamma Remote Sensing AG (GAMMA), Norwegian Computing Centre (NR), Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), University of Berne (UBE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS/IGE), Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh (UED), European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)
Contact SMHI: David Gustafsson
Link: CCI ESA and Snow_cci

SNOw Distribution and Data Assimilation for improved spring flood forecast and Sustainable hydropower reservoir regulation (SNODDAS)

Purpose: The objective of the project is improve monitoring and modelling of snow and snow melt runoff forecast, with the aim to contribute to a more sustainable use of water resources for hydropower production. The main idea of the project is to combine information from ground-based snow observations, satellite based remote sensing and high-resolution distributed snow models using so-called data assimilation technique.
Funding: Swedish Energy Agency
Period: 2018-2021
Participants: Uppsala University, SMHI, Vattenregleringsföretagen
Contact SMHI: David Gustafsson
Link: SNODDAS

WaterSIS (C3S_424)

Purpose: The C3S_424 contract aims at developing water information for the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) run by the ECMWF on behalf of the European Commission. The service will be operational and provide seasonal forecasts and climate impact indicators for water managers across Europe.
Funding: Copernicus
Period: 2018-2021
Participants: SMHI och Wageningen University (NL)
Contact SMHI: Berit Arheimer och Michaela Borg
Link: WaterSIS

A snow quality assessment tool based on new techniques and sámi knowledge (snow4all)

Purpose: The objective of this study is to develop tools for assessing snow quality relevant for reindeer husbandry combining sámi knowledge and observations of current snow conditions made by reindeer herders, with numerical modelling and data from satellite and drone based remote sensing and national monitoring programs. The project is collaboration between researchers, reindeer herders and technical developers.
Funding: Vinnova
Period: 2018-2020
Participants: Stockholms universitet, Laevas sameby, Svenska Samernas riksförbund, SMHI, Uppsala universitet, ÅF-Technology AB 
Contact SMHI: David Gustafsson

Green Climate Fund - Climate Science basis

Collaboration between the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and SMHI to enhance the climate science basis for future proposal of developing countries to the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Funding: WMO
Period: 2019-2020
Participants: WMO, SMHI, GCF, and 5 pilot countries (St. Lucia, DR Congo, Cape Verde, Cambodia, and Paraguay)
Link: climateinformation.org/

HazardSupport

Purpose: Researchers shall improve knowledge concerning the information that early climate change adopters require to be able to make decisions. This, in its turn, shall stimulate more effective decision-making about climate adaptation.
Funding: MSB - Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
Period:2015-2020    
Participants: SMHI, SEI, Swedish National Knowledge Centre for Climate Change Adaptation
Contact SMHI: Peter Berg 
Link: HazardSupport

H-TEP CCN – Arctic EO Network

Purpose: Develop a network of virtual station on the major Arctic Rivers for monitoring of water levels and discharge using satellite altimetry, and stage-discharge relationships established by integration of satellite and in-situ observations in the Arctic-HYPE model. The ability of the satellite based river discharge and water level data to improve 1) spring flood forecasting will be assessed in a case study in Yakutia, Russia together with Melnikov Permafrost Institute in Yakutsk. The impact on estimate for fresh-water flow to the Arctic Ocean will be assess within the Arctic-HYCOS project.
Funding: European Space Agency
Period: 2019-2020
Participants: isardSAT, SMHI, Terradue, Deimos, TUD, EOMAP, LIST
Contact SMHI: David Gustafsson
LINK: hydrology-tep.eo.esa.int/

MEMO

Purpose:The aim of the MEMO project is to further develop rainfall monitoring using microwave links (MWL) in telecommunication networks, and to explore the potential to utilize such links to monitor snowfall, fog and air quality. MEMO builds on a successful pre-operational pilot test of rainfall monitoring using MWLs in Gothenburg (https://www.smhi.se/en/services/professional-services/micro-weather-example-data/). MEMO extends this by (1) collecting operational MWL data in Stockholm, (2) refining the rainfall derivation algorithms, (3) exploring the capacity of present and future operational MWLs to detect snowfall, fog and air quality parameters, (4) assessing the value of MWL-based precipitation for urban hydrological applications (e.g. flood forecasting), and (5) investigating appropriate business models and potential integration with other systems.
Funding:Vinnova
Period:2017-2019
Participants:Ericsson (coordinator), SMHI, Stockholm Vatten & Avfall (SVOA)
Contact SMHI: Jafet Andersson and Jonas Olsson

PLUPP

In the PLUPP (Pluvial flooding support) project, the results of the two previous Formas projects SPEX and MUFFIN will be utilized by implementing a number of new products. PLUPP aims to improve our capacity to describe and predict both very intense rainfall (cloudbursts) and its hydrological consequences such as urban flooding, which both require observation and modeling with high resolution in both time and space. Specifically, four new products will be implemented, all based on extensive user needs analysis: 1/ app for cloudburst visualization, 2/ high-resolution national hydrological model, 3 / prototype of a new Nordic radar-based precipitation product, 4/ prototype of a  high-resolution European hydrological model.
Funding: Formas
Period: 2019-2020
Deltagare: Staff from the hydrological research and forecasting units at SMHI
Contact SMHI: Jonas Olsson

S2S4E

Purpose: To offer an innovative service to improve renewable energy variability management by developing new research methods exploring the frontiers of weather conditions for future weeks and months. S2S4E will provide a user co-designed Decision Support Tool (DST) that for the first time integrates sub-seasonal to seasonal (S2S) climate predictions with renewable energy production (wind, solar and hydro) and electricity demand.
Funding: EU Horizon 2020
Period: 2017-2020
Participants: BSC (coordinates), and 11 partners from Europe
Contact SMHI: Ilias Pechlivanidis

Visual Water

Purpose: Water related impacts, such as extreme short-term rainfall leading to flood hazards are already causing severe damage in urban built environments and are expected to be further intensified in thenear future due to climate change. VISUAL WATER develops an interactive visualization platform to support cities in sustainably addressing such climate related risks.
Funding: FORMAS
Period: 2016-2020
Participants: Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research (CSPR), Linköping University
Contact SMHI: Jonas Olsson
Link: Visual Water

AQUACLEW

AQUACLEW sets out to answer the following research questions:

  • How do we improve co-development to better incorporate multiple user feedbacks along the entire climate service production chain, from research to production, service use and decision making?
  • How should data, quality-assurance metrics and guidance be tailored along the whole data-production chain to closer meet user requirements, including resolution and precision?

Funding: ERA4CS JPI Climate / Formas
Period: 2017-2020
Participants: SMHI (coordinator), BOKU, GEUS, INRAE, TUDO, UCO, UGR, UIBK
Link: aquaclew.eu/

CLARA

Purpose: The aim of CLARA innovation action is to develop a set of leading edge climate services building upon the newly developed Copernicus Climate Change Services near term forecasts and sectorial information systems (SIS) and sustain their marketability and value.
Funding: EU / H2020
Period: 2017-2020
Participants: CMCC, SMHI, ARPAE, UCO, GECOS, ISPRA, APERTUM, ISPRA, TCDF, DCMR, RER
Link: CLARA

CLARITY

Purpose: CLARITY is aimed at developing a cloud based integrated Climate Services Information System that provides a practical means to evaluate the effects of CC hazards and possible adaptation and risk management strategies into the planning and implementation of large-scale urban infrastructure projects to increase their resilience to CC. A user-centered design process will be implemented, where end-users, purveyors, and providers of climate intelligence will be involved in co-creating the system by maximizing re-use and tailoring of existing data, technologies, and services.
Funding: EU/H2020
Period: 2017-2020
Participants: Coordinated by Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) and has 17 partner institutions and organizations from 5 European countries.
Contact SMHI: Yeshewatesfa Hundecha
Link: CLARITY

MUFFIN

Purpose: MUFFIN is working to bridge the gap between the urban and large-scale hydrological modelling communities, providing mutual benefits and an arena for new thinking. The project will develop innovative systems and solutions that diminish the adverse effects of urban flooding. The basic approach is to analyze, develop, join, compare and evaluate observational and forecasting systems operating at different scales (local, regional/national, continental).
Funding: FORMAS
Period: 2016-2019
Participants:Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI), Aalborg University (Denmark), Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands), Aalto University (Finland)
Contact SMHI: Jonas Olsson
Link: Muffin

Floodview

Purpose: The project aims to provide a web-based flood control decision support system for municipality managers/decision makers to identify effective solutions to minimize urban flooding. It includes an early warning system through flood forecasting, drainage system impact assessment, low impact development practices, insurance issues and management framework.
Funded by: Vinnova
Period: 2016-2019
Participants: Swedish partners: 4IT AB, Water Resources Engineering (Lund University), Industrial Electrical Engineering and Automation (Lund University), SWR (Sweden Water Research) + Greenland (Canada), Aegir (France)
Contact SMHI: Jonas Olsson
Link: Floodview

IMPREX - IMproving PRedictions and management of hydrological EXtremes

Purpose: IMPREX is designed to support the reduction of Europe’s vulnerability to extreme hydrological events through improved understanding of the intensity and frequency of future disrupting features that may be very different from today’s reality. By combining expertise from both public and private sector, the IMPREX project consortium aims to bridge the gap that often exists between users and providers of hydro-climatic information. The goal is to substantially improve our forecasting capability of hydrological extremes and their impacts at short to seasonal time scales. SMHI contributes with development of meteorological and hydrological forecast systems, as well as a case study involving hydropower users in Sweden, France, Spain and Italy. 
Funding: EU Horizon2020
Period: 2015 (Dec)-2019
Participants: IMPREX is coordinated by KNME (Netherlands) and has 23 partners representing European and national meteorological and hydrological institutes as well as small and medium sized companies within EU.
Contact SMHI: Erik Kjellström (SMHI coordinator, climate modelling), Ilias Pechlivanidis and David Gustafsson (hydrology), Tomas Landelius and Magnus Lindskog (numerical weather prediction).
Link: IMPREX

C3S Global Impacts Service (C3S_422_Lot1_SMHI)

Purpose: The C3S_422_Lot1_SMHI contract (Global users in the copernicus climate change service) will provide key indicators on climate change drivers and impacts at the global scale. The aim is to build a global service based on the C3S Climate Data Store (CDS) and its toolbox, but will start with a solution from a previous C3S Proof-of-concept Contract (SWICCA). Some twenty showcases will give inspiration and the climate service will provide user guidance in best practices for climate-change adaptation. 
Funding: Copernicus
Period:2017-2019
Participants: CAS, HZG(GERICS), WUR, AGRHYMET, BOM, CIIFEN, isardSAT, Meteodat, MPI, NAWAPI, NCWQR, NIH, UCR, UKZN.
In kind: Global Water Futures, Tokyo Metropolitan University, AoN, Fonterra, Heineken, IAHS, OXFAM, PwC, Ramböll, UNHABITAT
Contact SMHI: Berit Arheimer
Link: C3S Global Impacts

SPEX (Small-scale Precipitation EXtremes)

Purpose: To improve our knowledge on small-scale precipitation extremes and our capacity to describe them for e.g. engineering applications. A new high-resolution and high-quality data base with radar observations will be developed and used to identify, analyze and characterize extreme events.  Extreme events simulated with atmospheric models will be evaluated. The hydrological response to different descriptions of small-scale extremes will be analyzed through high-resolution hydrological modelling. An end-user study will be performed aiming at finding out how extremes are handled today in different practical engineering applications and the conceived limitations and needs.
Funding: Swedish Research Council, Formas
Period: 2016-2018
Participants: SMHI, SGI
Contact SMHI: Peter Berg

WaterRain-Him

Purpose:WaterRain-Him aims to assess the impacts on water fluxes due to change in climate, land use and population in the Indian-Himalayan basins, i.e. Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra. Adaptation strategies will be developed to drive planning for proper and efficient water resources management for food security and poverty alleviation.
Funding: VR
Period: 2015-2017
Participants: SMHI, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), India’s National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Indian Institute of Technology-New Delhi (IIT-New Delhi)
Contact SMHI: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link:

SOLUTIONS

Purpose: SOLUTIONS (Solutions for present and future emerging pollutants in land and water resources) general objective is to collect information about the land and water systems of Europe to set up simulations for emerging pollutants. SMHI provide data on catchment geometry and water balance components from E-HYPE.
Funding: EU FP7
Period: 2013-2018 
Participants: see webpage, SMHI is a subcontractor.
Contact SMHI: Charlotta Pers
Link: SOLUTIONS

SPACE-O

Purpose: To integrate state of the art earth observations technology and in-situ monitoring with advanced hydrological/water quality models and ICT tools, into a powerful decision support system. The service generates short range forecasts of water quantity and quality in reservoirs, used to optimize water treatment plant operations and establish a complete service line from science to the water business sector.
Funded by: EU Horizon 2020
Period: 2016-2018
Participants: EMVIS (coordinates), and 7 partners from Europe
Contact SMHI: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link: SPACE-O

MIRACLE

Purpose: MIRACLE aims for developing new solutions to minimise eutrophication in the Baltic Sea Basin (BSR). New governance methods will be developed which build on integrating new stakeholders and linking to related sectors in order to create new mutual benefits in an integrated governance framework. SMHI contributes with model simulations for the BSR and hydrological model knowledge transfer.
Funding: BONUS
Period: 2015-2017
Participants: LiU (Coordinator), POMinnO (PL), Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (PL), Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (GER), UFZ (GER), University of Latvia (LV), Latvia University of Agriculture (LV), University of Copenhagen (DK), SMHI,  SEI,  Uppsala University
Contact SMHI: René Capell
Link: Miracle

MAGIC

Purpose: Develop tools for processing of climate data for the C3S climate services.
Funding: Copernicus Contract
Period: 2016-2018
Participants: KNMI (coordinator), BSC, DLR, ISAC-CNR, NLeSC, SMHI, URead
Contact SMHI: Peter Berg

FIRE RISC

Purpose: To deepen a mechanistic understanding of fire ignition and fire causes conditioned to Swedish fuel beds and their connection to weather conditions. The present weather-driven risk model is to be improved and used to assess future fire load under changing climate. An investigation of present national preparedness to deal with large fire incidents and an assessment of future needs for mitigation and response tactics are also to be studied. SMHI hydrological research contributes to develop present weather-driven risk model and downscale climate variables (i.e. precipitation, temperature, relative humidity and wind speed) to carry out climate change impact study over the whole Sweden.
Funded by: MSB (i.e. Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap)
Period: 2012-2015
Participants: SLU (coordinates), and SP (i.e. Sveriges Tekniska Forskningsinstitut)
Contact SMHI: Wei Yang

Africa Links

Purpose: To develop existing and new cooperation between water scientists in Sweden and West Africa (Burkina Faso, Mali, regional institutes in Niger). We will provide results and conclusions from a previous project to a larger group of scientists and users, discuss strengths and weaknesses in existing computational systems, and together formulate a new research project with the aim to improve the operational forecasts systems for floods and droughts in West Africa.
Funding: VR/Research Links
Period: 2015-2017
Participants: SMHI (coordinator), Dr Pleah, OICM (Mali), Dr Ali, AGRHYMET (regional center, Niger)
Contact SMHI: Jafet Andersson and Berit Arheimer

Assimilation of raw satellite radiances in hydrological and meteorological models

Purpose: The main objective of this project is to make progress in km-scale numerical weather prediction and hydrological predictions by enhancing the description of the surface initial model state with the use of remote sensing data. We will directly assimilate the raw radiance and backscatter data of surface properties with modern data assimilation methods such as ensemble Kalman filters. On the longer term we foresee a fully integrated meteorological-hydrological forecasting system and this project include some first steps towards such an integrated system.
Funding: Swedish National Space Board
Period: 2015-2017 (3 years)
Participants: SMHI Research hydrology and Research Meteorology
Contact SMHI: David Gustafsson (hydrology) and Tomas Landelius (meteorology)

UERRA

Purpose: UERRA stands for Uncertainties in Ensembles of Regional Reanalyses and aims to create an ensemble of regional re-analyzes for Europe. Within FoUh we will use the E-HYPE as a tool for verifying the regional breakdowns of precipitation for the members of the ensemble for different catchments.
Funding: EU FP7
Period: 2014-2017
Participants: 12 partners from across Europe
Contact SMHI: Peter Berg
Link: UERRA

SWICCA

Purpose: To provide a ”proof-of-concept” for a pan-European climate service in water management. The service will be web-based and contain a large number of indicators, mainly to be used by consultancies for climate adaptation in operational management and policy making. The content and web-design are based on 15 real case-studies across Europe, for which user-uptake and benefits for decision-making will also be evaluated.
Finansiär: Copernicus/ECMWF
Period: 2015-2017
Deltagare: SMHI with 10 subcontractors and 3 in-kind partners from across Europe
Kontakt FoUh: Berit Arheimer, Lorna Little
Link: SWICCA

SWITCH-ON

Purpose: To show how open data can stimulate research and product development. The project will develop research infrastructure and commercial products for water management in Europe by establishing a portal with a Virtual Water Research Laboratory, 14 commercial products , searching abilities among open data and the opportunity for dialogue between different interest groups. SMHI Hydrological research helps with coordination, project management , building IT infrastructure , design and execution of research experiments in the laboratory and the development of commercial products linked to the E- HYPE.
Funded by: EU FP7 Environment
Period: 2013-2017
Participants: SMHI (coordinates), and 14 partners from Europe.
Contact SMHI: Berit Arheimer, Lorna Little
Link: SWITCH-ON

SHAPE - The Sentinel-3 Hydrologic Altimetry Processor prototypE

Purpose: Overall project aim is to prepare for the operational exploitation of altimetry data from the upcoming ESA Sentinel-3 satellite in hydrological applications. The project will develop and test new optimized algorithms for processing of satellite based altimetry data and assimilation in hydrological models for improved information on river stage and discharge, and lake water level. SMHI will contribute to the project by assimilation of water level data in the HYPE model and evaluation of the resulting “Alti-hydro” products in selected case study areas. The potential study areas include the Amazon River in South America, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in South Asia, Niger River in Africa, Danube River in Europe, Ob River in Ryssland, as well as a number of lakes, for instance Lake Vänern in Sweden.
Funding: European Space Agency (ESA)
Period: September 2015 – September 2017 (24 months)
Participants: Along-Track (France, project lead), SMHI (FoUh), IsardSAT (UK/Spain), University of Porto (Portugal) 
Contact SMHI: David Gustafsson, Berit Arheimer

Urban-SIS (Climate information for European Cities)

Purpose: To produce high-resolution meteorological, air quality and hydrological data for urban climate change impact assessment. A range of Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) will be produced with 1x1 km2 resolution in 150x150 km2 domains covering European cities. From the ECVs, key impact indicators will be calculated to assist planners and decision makers. Impacts focus mainly in infrastructure and health and the concept will be demonstrated in Stockholm, Bologna and Amsterdam/Rotterdam. Various end-users involved in the project will evaluate the products using local models.
Funding: EU Copernicus
Period: 2016-2017
Participants: SMHI, Umeå University, University of Reading, University of Bologna, ARPA (IT), WSP (SE), Veryday (SE)
Contact SMHI: Lena Strömbäck
Link: Urban-SIS

Soils2Sea

Purpose: To improve policies and measures for reducing nutrient loads to the Baltic Sea and coastal waters by identifying cost-effective and regionally differentiated regulation approaches. In order to achieve load reduction goals, additional new and innovative measures are required and Soils2Sea aims at utilising local information and find locally designed and optimised solutions relating to prevalent nutrient retention volumes and release time scales. SMHI hydrological research contributes with Baltic Sea basin scale model assessment of basin-wide impacts of new nutrient load regulation strategies and land cover and climate changes on total riverine nutrient loading to the Baltic Sea.
Funded by: BONUS Call 2012: Viable Ecosystem
Period: 2014-2017
Participants: GEUS (coordinates), and 7 partners from Europe
Contact SMHI: René Capell
Link: SOILS2SEA

ISI-MIP2

Purpose: The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP) aims to assess impacts across sectors and scales through common input datasets, scenarios and focus regions. ISI-MIP phase 2 focuses on model validation and improvement with respect to variability and extreme events at 11 focus regions around the globe. SMHI contributes at the water sector with results from E-HYPE, Arctic-HYPE, India-HYPE and Niger-HYPE at 6 focus regions.
Period:2014-2017
Participants: 16 international participants in the water sector
Contact SMHI: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link: ISI-MIP2

Hydro TEP – Hydrology Thematic Exploitation Platform

Purpose: Develop a cloud service for processing and exploitation of earth observation data in hydrological applications including assimilation in hydrological models The project involve pilot studies in Niger River basin and Red River in Vietnam. SMHI contribute with hydrological modelling service for the TEP platform and coordinate the Niger Pilot study with users from national and regional institutes in the Niger River basin.
Funding: European Space Agency
Period: 2015-2017
Participants: SMHI Research Hydrology, IsardSAT (Spain, coordinators), EOMAP (Germany), TU Delft (Netherlands), DEIMOS (Portugal), Altamira (Spain), Terradue (Italy)
Contact SMHI: Jafet Andersson, Lena Strömbäck, Tharcisse Ndayizigiye, David Gustafsson, Berit Arheimer
Link: Hydro-TEP

Great fire in Västmanland 2014

Purpose: To quantify the effects on water flow of the great fire of Västmanland in 2014: (1 ) What is the impact of the fire and similar events in hydrology at different scales; in a local basin respectively . larger streams? (2) how long does the hydrological change in the measured time series at different scales? (3) how big is the effect compared with other observed changes in hydrology in Sweden caused by land use regulations or climate?
Funding: FORMAS
Period: 2014-2016
Participants: SMHI
Contact SMHI: Johan Strömqvist and Berit Arheimer

CLIM4ENERGY

Purpose: Demonstrate an operational climate service and its use for the energy sector. SMHI’s consulting department (APh) together with the hydrological research unit (FoUh) will produce and analyse seasonal forecasts and climate scenarios for all of Europe as well as develop commercial products to simulate the potential energy from hydropower in Twh.
Funding: Copernicus
Period:2015-2017
Contacts SMHI: Barbro Johansson (Aph), lias Pechlivanidis (FoUh)

 

Wind information in PTHBV (HUVA)

Purpose: The aim of this project is to evaluate the use of current wind information in pTHBV for the period 2000-2011, and to study how the spatial distribution of the snow model and division into classes (wind exposure, topography and vegetation) influence the effect of wind information in pTHBV.
Funding: ELFORSK/HUVA
Period: 2013-2015
Participants: SMHI (FoUh and A)
Contact SMHI: Barbro Johansson, Joel Dahné och David Gustafsson
Link: Wind information in PTHBV (HUVA)

SPECS, Case study - Ångermanälven

Purpose: Evaluation of new seasonal meteorological forecasts as input to operational hydrological models.
Funding: EU FP7
Period: 2012-2016
Participants: SMHI, LTH
Contact SMHI: Kean Foster
Link: SPECS

Pathogens in water

Purpose: To develop a module for simulation of growth and transport of pathogens for the HYPE model, and to test this module in different scenarios in a number of test catchments.                                                        
Funding: Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB)
Period: 2014-2016
Participants: SMHI, National Veterinary Institute, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology
Contact SMHI: Göran Lindström, Johan Strömqvist, Charlotta Pers

Multi model seasonal forecasts (HUVA)

Purpose: To develop multi model methods to improve hydrological seasonal forecasts.
Funding: HUVA
Period: 2012-2015
Participants: SMHI, LTH
Contact SMHI: Kean Foster

Model update with terrestrial and satellite based snow information

Purpose: The aim of this project is to develop better methods to utilize satellite-based snow observations and SMHI snow depth measurements to improve snow and runoff forecasts in Swedish mountain and forest areas. Model Updating is done both with data assimilation techniques (Ensemble Kalman Filter) and more simpler and direct update methodology.
Funding: ELFORSK / HUVA
Period: 2013-2015
Participants: SMHI (Fouh och A)
Contact SMHI: David Gustafsson, Göran Lindström och Joel Dahné

MicroP

Purpose: The MicroP project aims to explore the potential to measure precipitation with microwave links in mobile telecommunication networks. In MicroP, we (1) collect microwave data from an operational network in Sweden, (2) calculate precipitation from this data, and (3) evaluate the information relative to conventional methods (e.g. stations and radar).
Funding: SMHI, Ericsson
Period: 2015
Participants: SMHI, Ericsson
Contact SMHI: Jafet Andersson

Cryoland

Purpose: CryoLand aims to develop, implement and evaluate a standardized and sustainable service to provide spatial information on snow, glaciers, and ice on lakes and rivers throughout Europe and other requested continents.
Funded by: EU FP7, Space Research and Development
Period: 2011 - 2015
Participants: EOX IT Services GmbH (Austria), ENVEO IT GmbH (Austria), Finnish Environment Institute (Finland), Finnish Meteorological Institute (Finland), Kongsberg Satellite Services AS (Norway), Northern Research Institute Tromsø (Norway), Norsk Regnesentral ( Norway), Administratia Nationala Meteorologie The RA (Romania), Gamma Remote Sensing Research and Consulting AG (Switzerland)
Contact SMHI: David Gustafsson
Link: CRYOLAND

ESCWA

Purpose: Climate Impact Study for the Arab world. In the Arab region is fresh water a limited resource. How will climate change affect water resources there in the future? SMHI has contracted to do the Arab states first hydrological climate impact study covering the whole region. Project leader is Phil Graham, SMHI.
Funded by: ESCWA (with grant from SIDA)
Period: 2011-2015
Participants: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), League of Arab States (LAS), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), World Metrological Organization (WMO), United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)
Project leader at SMHI: Phil Graham
Contact SMHI: Jafet Andersson
Link: ESCWA, RICCAR

EUPORIAS

Purpose: The project (EUropean Provision Of Regional Impact Assessment on a Seasonal-to-decadal timescale) will develop and deliver reliable predictions of the impacts of future climatic conditions on a number of key sectors (water, energy, health, transport, agriculture and tourism), on timescales from seasons to years ahead. As a result, EUPORIAS will provide the basis for developing a strong climate service market within Europe.
Funded by: European Commission under the FP7
Period: 2012-2016
Participants: SMHI and many other institutions (see webpage)
Contact SMHI: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link: EUPORIAS

Intense rainfall and hydrological risk

Purpose: Local extreme flooding caused by local intense rainfall of short duration causes problems in Sweden, which may further increase in a future, warmer climate. It is therefore important to analyse this type of events, in order to increase predictability as well as preparedness. In this project, different types of precipitation observations and forecasts, with high resolution in both time and space, are investigated and combined. Further, the HYPE model is developed to better simulate fast flow processes. The final target is a pre-operational system for high-resolution flood forecasts.
Funded by: MSB
Period: 2012-2016
Participants: Karlstad University, SGI, SMHI
Contact SMHI: Jonas Olsson
Link:

IMPACT 2C

Purpose: To study the potential impact of a global temperature increase to +2 Celcius ("Quantifying the projected impacts below 2 ° C warming"). Primary focus is on Europe, but also focus on "vulnerable areas", which include the Niger River.
Funded by: EU FP7
Period: 2011-2015
Participants: SMHI and many other institutions (see website). Led by the Climate Service Center that is part of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht
Contact SMHI: Thomas Bosshard (WP4, downscaling), Joel Dahne (WP6, impact on Europe), Jafet Andersson (WP12, the Niger River)
Link: IMPACT2C

Niger-HYPE

Purpose: To increase knowledge about the factors that affect water variations in the Niger River basin in current and future climate . A computational model will be adapted to the processes that are most dominant for the water balance and flow paths in West Africa in collaboration with local scientists and technicians from the region. The model will be used as a virtual research laboratory where various research hypotheses are tested . For the results to come into practical use a large group of end users from Mali and Burkina Faso is participating in the project.
Funding: SIDA Uforsk
Period: 2012-2015
Participatns: AGROHYMET Regional centre on Sahelien food security, desertification control and water control & management + 10 national organisations in Mali.
Contact SMHI: Berit Arheimer och Jafet Andersson
Link: 

Correction of systematic errors in meteorolgical forecasts

Aim: Accurate spring flood forecasts are important for optimal hydropower production. In this project, the possibility to improve these forecasts by correction of systematical errors in meteorological seasonal forecasts from ECMWF is investigated. Further, forecasts from the two models HBV and HYPE are compared.
Funding: HUVA
Period: 2013-2015
Participants: SMHI
Contact SMHI: Jonas Olsson

E-HYPE in EFAS

Purpose: To test operational forecasts from E-HYPE in  EFAS (European flood awareness system). As well as testing operational production, an evaluation of forecast skill will be made.
Funding: JRC
Period: 2015
Participants: SMHI (coordinator), ECMWF, JRC
Contact SMHI: Chantal Donnelly
Link: EFAS

CLEO

Purpose: CLEO project aims to examine how climate change affects the ability to achieve the national environmental objectives for Fresh Air, Natural Acidification Only, Zero Eutrophication and Non-Toxic Environment.
Funding: The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
Period: 2010-2012 + Phase 2, 2013-2015
Participants: IVL (Swedish Environmental Research Institute, SLU, University of Gothenburg, Stockholm University, Lund University
Contact SMHI: Berit Arheimer
Link: CLEO

eMap

Purpose: To develop tools that make it easier to make available scientific achievements in the field. Special focus is on effectively make the entire chain in the analysis available, ie, model development, calibration, operation and data analysis.
Funding: VR
Period: 2012-2014
Participants: SMHI
Contact SMHI: Lena Strömbäck

ADSIMNOR

The aim of the project 'Advanced simulation of Arctic climate change and its impact on Northern Areas' is to improve the understanding of climate change in the Arctic and its effects in northern Sweden. A HYPE model (Arctic-HYPE) will be developed for the catchment area of Arctic Ocean.
Funded by: Formas
Period: 2010-2014
Participants: University of Stockholm, Lund University, Abisko Scientific Research Station and SMHI
Contact FoUh: Chantal Donnelly
Link:

HYDROIMPACTS2.0

Within the hydrological climate impact studies examined how climate change will affect the hydrological processes, such as flood, floods / droughts and transport of pollutants. This has a key role in a number of important public services but to be able to perform the analyzes needed better links between climate models and impact models. The project aims both to methodological improvements and efficacy studies in different scales.
Funded by: Formas
Period :2010-2014
Participants: SMHI coordinates - the other is the University of Lund and Luleå University of Technology
Contact SMHI: Jonas Olsson
Link:

JERICO

Purpose: Jerico stands for Joint European Research Infrastructure of Coastal Observatories and the project will build both infrastructure and collaboration on coastal observations for oceanography. Within the project we will deploy a pan-European hydrological model to calculate real-time and continuous 10 day forecasts of water and nutrients to the seas around Europe.
Funded by: EU FP7
Period: 2011-2014
Participants: 15 partners from across Europe
Contact SMHI: Chantal Donnelly
Link: JERICO

SIRIUS

Purpose: To develop an effective water resource management, primarily for food production. SMHI Hydrological Research contributes with a comparison of large scale estimates of flow for the whole of Europe calculated by E-HYPE compared with the local projections used in SPIDER system.
Funded by: EU FP7 Space
Period: 2010-2014
Participants: 18 partners from around the world. Universidad de Castilla-Mancha (Spain) coordinates.
Contact SMHI: Chantal Donnelly
Link: SIRIUS

ECLISE

Purpose: To develop and demonstrate local climate services in support of climate adaptation strategies in the sectors of water resources, urban areas, energy and coasts. A concept for a pan-European climate service should also be defined. SMHI hydrological research contributes to downscaling of precipitation for local impact studies and hydrological modeling on both the local and pan-European scale.
Funded by: EU FP7 Environment
Period: 2011-2013
Participants: KNMI (coordinates), and 11 partners from Europe.
Contact FoUh: Chantal Donnelly
Link: ECLISE

Early warnings for drought on the local scale - can they increase resilience in local societies?

Objective: Test how a local warning system can be designed with the purpose to reducing the negative effects of drought in local sosieties in the Limpopo basin through a combination of a functioning institutional network, local definitions of the relevant index, wireless sensor networks for local measurements, and regional seasonal and decadal forecasts linked to hydrological and agricultural models.
Funding: SIDA U-Forsk
Period: 2012-2014
Participants: CSPR / TNT, Linkoping University, ISY, and local partners - the University of KwaZulu Natal and the CSIR in South Africa and Universidade Eudardo Mondlane, Mozambique.
Contact SMHI: Lotta Andersson

Modelling of Snow (HUVA)

Purpose: To develop methods for modeling of snow and precipitation, and assimilation of various types of Snow information to improve flood forecasting.
Funded by: HUVA
Period: 2012-2014
Participants: Royal Institute of Technology, LTU
Contact FoUh: David Gustafsson, Göran Lindström, M: Barbro Johansson
Link: HUVA

Climate Hydrologi in Luni River:

Purpose: The project investigates the impact of climate change on the water availability in the arid/semi-arid region of the Luni River basin, Rajasthan, using the CORDEX-SA climate projections. The aim is to represent and quantify the major hydrological variables (e.g. streamflow, surface runoff, groundwater level) and their sensitivity to climate change, which further relates to adaptation strategies for the region’s water resources.
Funded by: SIDA
Period: 2012-2013
Participants: Department of Environmental Science: Central University of Rajasthan (CURAJ)
Contact FoUh: Ilias Pechlivanidis
Link:

Sea meets land

Purpose: To work together on climate, water and planning for Kattegat and Skagerrak.
Funding: Part-financed by EU Interreg
Period: 2010-2013
Participants: 24 municipalities, regions, universities and government agencies in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Contact FoUh: Johan Strömqvist
Link: Sea meets land

Marine Environment

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of phosphorus reducing measures
Funding: The Swedish Environment Protection Agency
Period: 2011-2012 (has been extended)
Participants: SMHI, IVL
Contact SMHI: Johan Strömqvist

North Hydrology

Aims to develop knowledge of how the river processes and the ice on the lakes affect hydrological systems, by developing and making better use of remote sensing and in situ observations of ice/snow distribution and sea surface temperature, and apply this to improved models of climate, weather and hydrology.
Funded by: European Space Agency (ESA)
Period: 2010 -2012
Participants: coordinated by the University of Waterloo (Canada). Other partners = Environment Canada (Canada), ENVEO IT GmbH (Austria), Finnish Environment Institute (Finland), Finnish Meteorological Institute (Finland), INRS - Centre Eau Terre Environment (Canada), Northern Research Institute Tromsø (Norway), Norsk Regnesentral (Norway), SMHI (Sweden)
Contact FoUh: David Gustafsson
Link: North Hydrology

OPERR

Purpose: Designed to operationalize a pan-European hydrological model to estimate the 20-year history and current 10 day forecasts of water and nutrients into the sea, and validates the use of these data into oceanographic models.
Funded by: EU FP7, GMES
Period :2010-2012
Participants: coordinated by SMHI. Other partners: IMR (Institute for Marine Research, Bergen, Norway), met.no (Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo, Norway), AZTI-Technalia (Spain), MHI (Marine Hydrographic Institute, Ukraine)
Contact FoUh: Chantal Donnelly
Link:

SUDPLAN

The purpose of the project SUDPLAN - Sustainable Urban Development Planner for Climate Change Adaptation - is to develop a web-based decision support tools for urban planning in a changing climate. SMHI hydrological research contributes to downscaling of climate signal and power modeling.
Funded by: EU FP 7, ICT
Period: 2010-2012
Participants: SMHI coordinates. Other partners = AIT Air Institute of Technology GmbH (AIT), cismet GmbH, Czech Environmental Information Agency, Apertum IT AB, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Stockholm - Uppsala Air Quality Management Association (SULVF), City of Wuppertal, Graz University of Technology (TUG)
Contact FoUh: Jonas Olsson / Lena Strömbäck
Link:

BaltAdapt

BaltAdapt is an EU project intended to develop a macro-regional climate change adaptation strategy for the entire Baltic region, and an action plan for its implementation. The focus is on the Baltic Sea and its coastal zone.
Funded by: EU Baltic Sea Region Programme
Period: 2010-2013
Participants: Danish Meteorological Institute, Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience (former NERI), Federal Ministry for the Environment Agency (UBA), Germany, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, Germany, the Finnish Environmental Institute (SYKE), Finland, SMHI, University of Tartu, Estonian Marine Institute, Estonia, The Secretariate of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), Sweden
Contact FoUh: Lotta Andersson
Link: BALTADAPT

PBD

Purpose: To increase coordination and availability of data for the water to meet water management needs. This is done by collecting these data in a national database and make them available to modern web services.
Funding: Water management
Period: 2008 -
Participants: SMHI, referees from the water authorities, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies.
Contact FoUh: Lena Strömbäck
Link: Results of the project is available at vattenweb.smhi.se

GENESIS

The goal of GENESIS (Groundwater and Dependent Ecosystems: New Scientific and Technological Basis for Assessing Climate Change and Land-use Impacts on Ground Water) is to integrate existing and new scientific knowledge into new methods and tools for management of groundwater resources.
Funded by: EU FP 7, Environ.
Period: 2009-2013
Participants: coordinated by Bioforsk, Norway, and Oulu University, Finland. Total number of partners: 25.
Contact at FoUh: Jonas Olsson
Link: GENESIS

CLARIS

Purpose: To assess climate change impact on water resources in the catchment area of La Plata. A HYPE model for La Plata Basin will be developed, LPB-HYPE.
Funded by: EU FP7
Period: 2008-2012
Participants: Consortium of 20 participating institutions
Contact FoUh: Johan Strömqvist
Link: CLARIS

GEOLAND2

The project is linked to the EU initiative GMES - "Global Monitoring of Environment and Security 'and means that the utility of remote analyzed data for land use and other geographic variables tested. SMHI contributes to the 'Core Information Service on Water' with a pan-European water model (E-HYPE).
Funded by: EU FP7 Space
Period :2009-2012
Participants: The project coordinator is Astrium GmbH Services Germany. Total number of partners = 50.
Contact FoUh: Chantal Donnelly
Link: GEOLAND2

Where comes the phosphorus from?

Purpose: To test new methods to quantify the distribution of flow paths and source apportionment for phosphorus and sediment losses in an agricultural dominated catchment. The methodology is based on a combination of distributed hydrological modeling and fingerprinting methodology.
Funding: The Foundation of Agricultural Research (SLF)
Period: 2009-2012
Participants: University of Linköping (IFM Biology), Östergötland County Administrative Board, SMHI
Contact FoUh: Lotta Andersson

Quantification of sources and flow pathways of phosphorus and sediment losses from catchments.

Purpose: To analyze the sources and flow paths for phosphorus in an agriculture-dominated watershed. Oxygen isotopes in phosphates are used for tracking the origin of the phosphate and O18 for the distribution of flow paths from land. These analyzes are linked to internal validation of HYPE.
Funded by: Formas
Period: 2009-2012
Participants: University of Linköping (IFM Biology), SMHI
Contact FoUh: Lotta Andersson

SAWA

A principal objective of the project is how the flood risks in particularly vulnerable areas could be reduced in light of climate change.
Funding: European Union through the Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme
Period: 2008-2011
Participants: A total of about 30 partners from the Netherlands, Britain, Norway, Sweden, Belgium and Germany.
Contact FoUh: Jonas Olsson

Participatory modelling for facilitationg adaption to climate change (VR)

Purpose: To develop, analyze and communicate results from PAMO research project, funded by Sida / SAREC
Funding: VR
Period: 2009-2012
Participants: SMHI / CSPR, the University of Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa
Contact FoUh: Lotta Andersson

Liming in Vindån, Sweden

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of structural liming on phosphorus losses from agricultural land.
Funding: The Agricultural Society in Östergötland, Sweden.
Period: 2011-2012
Participants: Agricultural Society, farmers
Contact FoUh: Göran Lindström

MISTRA-SVECIA

The project aims to create better understanding and the conditions for adopting the actions for adaptation. The work at SMHI hydrological research includes both estimates of future changes in local rainfall, and simulations of the impacts in terms of runoff and flooding in urban areas.
Funding: Mistra
Period :2008-2011
Participants: SMHI coordinates - the other partners are the University of Lund, Stockholm University and Stockholm Environment Institute.
Contact at FoUh: Jonas Olsson

CPA

CPA (Climate Proof Areas) is an international project on climate change and how a region can adapt to increased flood risk.
Funded by: EU Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme
Period: 2008-2011
Participants: A total of about 30 partners from the Netherlands, Britain, Norway, Sweden, Belgium and Germany.
Contact FoUh: Jonas Olsson

MYOCEAN

The aim is to build a common European system for operational oceanography. SMHI hydrological research delivers real-time operational flows and närsaltsflöden to the sea shore with a focus on the Baltic and North Sea.
Funded by: EU FP7 Space
Period: 2010-2011
Participants: 59 partners
Contact FoUh: Chantal Donnelly
Link: www.myocean.eu/

ECOSUPPORT

ECOSUPPORT is a research collaboration between the Baltic countries, which aims to find out how climate change affects the Baltic Sea ecosystem. SMHI hydrological research contributes to a system for simulating water flow and närsaltflöde from one country to the Baltic Sea (Balt-HYPE model), and efficacy studies of changing climate and action under HELCOM.
Funding: BONUS
Period :2009-2011
Participants: coordinated by Markus Meier, Research Oceanography at SMHI, with 10 other partners around the Baltic.
Contact FoUh: Chantal Donnelly
Link: www.baltex-research.eu/ecosupport/index.html

Distributed measurement system for improved snow and runoff forecasts

Purpose: This project focuses on combining model and measurement technology development to determine how the model structure and method for integrating the measured data (data assimilation) can be optimized with respect
to available snödata.
Funding: Elforsk / HUVA
Period: 2009-2011
Participants: KTH, Luleå Technical University.
Contact FoUh: Fredrik Wetterhall

Improved spring flood forecasts

Purpose: To optimize the current methodology and examine whether long-term meteorological forecasts can improve the result.
Funding: Elforsk / HUVA
Period :2009-2011
Participants: University of Lund
Contact FoUh: Jonas Olsson

Updating

Purpose: Improved snow forecasts
Funded by: HUVA
Period: 2011
Contact FoUh: Göran Lindström

Climate impact on many, unknown, small streams

Purpose: Small streams may be sensitive to changes in climate. The purpose of this project is estimating climate change on forest streams, primarily water flow and content of total organic carbon (TOC acronym). SMHI has developed a model, HYPE (Hydrological Predictions for the Environment).
Funding: The Foundation (www.kks.se)
Period: July 2008 - June 2010
Participants: Department of Water and Environment, Swedish University
Contact FoUh: Berit Arheimer, Johan Temnerud

Constructed wetlands effects on phosphorus transport in agricultural areas

Purpose: To study the capacity of wetlands to reduce phosphorus transport from agricultural areas and the importance of catchment character has.
Funded by: Formas
Period: 2007-2009
Participants: Linköping University and SMHI
Contact FoUh: Berit Arheimer

Groundwater levels in a changing climate

Purpose: The project aims to describe how climate change may affect groundwater recharge and groundwater levels in different parts of the country and in different types of aquifers.
Funding: SGU
Period: 2008-2009
Participants: Professor Allan Rodhe, Uppsala University.
Contact at FoUh: Göran Lindström

PAMO

The project PAMO (Participatory Modelling for Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources in Southern Africa) analyzes how participatory modeling can be used to develop locally suggested adaptation plans for the impact of climate change on water resources.
Funded by: Sida / SAREC, VR
Period: 2006-2009
Participants: University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, Linköping and Lund University.
Contact FoUh: Lotta Andersson