Water Data Explorer a Solution to Store, Visualize and Query Observed Data Through CUAHSI WaterOneFlow Compliant Endpoints in a Web Application Framework

Abstract:

Water is one of the most important resources that we have on the planet, and it is also limited. Therefore, observation networks associated with water are important to monitor the distribution and nature of water. Different variables can be monitored in observation networks in order to address environmental, flooding, water resources, and erosion problems. However, storing the observed data, and performing operations such as querying or visualizations are not possible without addressing data issues such as data formatting, data broker endpoints, and user interfaces. Many solutions can be explored such as the use of unique data formats like WaterML for the observation network which can be retrieved using a broker endpoint. The development of broker endpoints can be time consuming and require financial and technical resources. This can cause developing countries to face obstacles when getting observed data from the installed monitoring network. Tools such as HydroServer helps the user to overcome the obstacles of setting a broker endpoint through a CUAHSI WaterOneFlow compliant broker, so it can be accessed by a client site. However, operations such as querying, visualizing, and downloading the retrieved data still require different tools. Water Data Explorer (WDE) is a web application which uses the Tethys platform framework to provide a tool that stores, queries, and visualizes the data retrieved by HydroServers. WDE provides a user interface that groups different CUAHSI WaterOneFlow compliant broker endpoints , so the user can have multiple groups of these endpoints, but visualize each one individually. Querying data can be done by keywords in groups of broker endpoints or in an observation site individually. As a result, WDE offers a client side to CUAHSI WaterOneFlow compliant endpoints, so users can have a set of tools to store and analyze observational data from monitoring networks. This presentation will focus on the implementation of the Water Data Explorer as a tool for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ter federate observational data generated, managed, and maintained by national hydrometeorological services.