HydroSOS Caribbean Implementation Plan Workshops

Background

Following the end of the HydroSOS pilot phase, approved in Cg-EXT (2021), the way forward is to start implementing and operationalizing HydroSOS globally through regional implementation plans led by Regional Association (RAs). In Regional Association IV (RA IV), an initial HydroSOS Implementation Plan has been drafted for Central America (available in Spanish here). A similar exercise is now required for the Caribbean region, as requested by several Members during Cg-19 in May 2023 and during previous RA IV Hydrological Advisers Fora. Therefore, the HydroSOS Caribbean Implementation Plan Workshops aim to convene key NMHS experts, national institutions related to hydrological activities or water management and Regional Centers, to kick-start the development of a HydroSOS Caribbean Implementation Plan, based on National HydroSOS implementation plans, and develop an implementation roadmap for submission to potential funders, including  HydroSOS activities to be covered under the project CREWS Caribbean 2.0, and facilitate partnerships towards the implementation of HydroSOS in the Caribbean.

Objectives

  1. Identify key needs and gaps, as well as opportunities and challenges to know the status and outlook of water resources
  2. Develop national HydroSOS Regional Implementation Plans
  3. Develop a HydroSOS Regional Implementation Plan, including:
    •  a roadmap and milestones to achieve full HydroSOS implementation in the Caribbean countries
    • the identification of demonstration areas (ie basins, aquifers, islands, etc.)
  4. Develop an implementation plan for priority activities to be addressed by CREWS Caribbean 2.0 project;
  5. Identify partnerships and linkages with existing activities relevant to the implementation of the system, as well as needed resources.

Documents

HydroSOS Caribbean Implementation Plan

 

1st Virtual Session (19 Sep 2023)

National HydroSOS Focal points (for hydrology, meteorology/climate, and IT/data systems) were identified by 13 Caribbean countries. These focal points met virtually to learn about HydroSOS, current practices in monitoring and reporting for groundwater, and the next steps towards the development of a HydroSOS Caribbean Implementation Plan.

Full presentation: here

2nd & 3rd Virtual Sessions (10 and 17 Oct 2023)

The National HydroSOS Focal points presented their general capacities and current activities performed related to hydrological status and outlooks. They also learned about examples of similar activities in Dominican Republic and El Salvador.

Presentations: GEOGloWS, Dominican Republic, El Salvador

Country presentations: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago

 

1st Face-to-face Workshop

The HydroSOS hydrological focal points from thirteen countries in the Caribbean will convene from 31 October to 2 November 2023 in Christ Church, Barbados to discuss and draft a HydroSOS Caribbean Implementation Plan.

All meetings have been provided with English-Spanish interpretation.

Agenda and presentations

Time (ECT)Eastern Caribbean Time 

Item 

Speaker 

Moderator 

Day 1 (31 October) 

8:00 – 8:30  

Registration and group Assignation 

Barbados 

8:30 – 9:00 

Opening remarks (including objectives) 

Group photo 

 

 

Hwirin Kim (WMO H/HWR)  

José Alberto Zúñiga Mora (RHA IV) 

Jamie Paul (Barbados Water Resources Authority)  

Sabu Best (PR Barbados) 

David Farrell (Director CIMH) 

 

Shawn Boyce (CIMH) 

9:00 – 9:15 

[interp.] 

Presentation of the agenda and Introduction of participants 

Silvana Alcoz (WMO) 

 

Hwirin Kim (WMO) 

9:15 – 9:30 [interp.] 

Overview of HydroSOS and outcomes of HydroSOS Caribbean 1st , 2nd , and 3rd virtual workshops 

Silvana Alcoz, Roberto Silva (WMO) 

PRESENTATION 

 

9:30- 9:45 

[interp.] 

Ongoing hydrological activities at CIMH relevant to HydroSOS (with Q&A) 

 

Shawn Boyce, CIMH 

PRESENTATION 

 

 

Coffee/Tea available during the meeting 

 

 

 

STATUS ASSESSMENTS 

 

 

9:45 – 10:30 

[interp.] 

Regional and global level presentations regarding status assessments (with Q&A) 

  • IGRAC 

  • Inspiring cases on groundwater status around the world x 10 mins 

  • Groundwater reporting & predictive models x 10 mins 

 

  • Canada (Streamflow status reporting and challenges) x 10 mins 

 

Q&A (15 mins) 

 

 

Arnaud Sterckx, IGRAC 

PRESENTATION 

 

 

 

 

Jeff Karn, Environment Canada 

PRESENTATION 

Moderator: Dominique Bérod (WMO) 

 

Note takers: WMO Secretariat 

 

10:30 – 12:00 

[interp.] 

Discussion on common needs and gaps in the region (status assessments) 

 

 

Rapporteurs from break-out groups 

 

 

Moderators: to be selected 

Note taker: Each group selects rapporteur 

 

12:00 – 13:30 

Lunch Break 

13:30 – 14:30 

[interp.] 

Discussion on common priorities in the region (status assessments)  

 

 

Rapporteurs from break-out groups 

 

 

Moderators: to be selected 

Note taker: Each group selects rapporteur 

 

 

Coffee/Tea break available during the meeting  

14:30 – 15:15 

[interp.] 

Reporting back from groups 

 

 

Rapporteurs from break-out groups 

GROUP 1 RESULTS 

GROUP 2 RESULTS 

GROUP 3 RESULTS 

 

Moderator: José Alberto Zúñiga (RHA-RAIV) 

 

Note taker: Josh Hall (UKCEH) 

15:15 – 16:30 

[interp.] 

Drafting status assessments section of HydroSOS Caribbean Implementation Plan 

Plenary  

Moderator: José Alberto Zúñiga (RHA-RAIV) 

 

Note taker: WMO Secretariat 

Day 2 (1 November) 

9:00 – 9:15 

[interp.] 

Recap of Day 1 

Dominique Bérod (WMO) 

PRESENTATION 

 

 

9:15 – 9:30 

[interp.] 

HydroSOS experiences in Central America 

José Alberto Zúñiga (RHA-RAIV) 

PRESENTATION 

 

 

 

OUTLOOKS 

 

 

9:30 – 10:30 

[interp.] 

UKCEH – Hydrological Outlooks – Main issues to be considered when developing the HydroSOS implementation plan (15 min) 

 

CIMH – CARICOF available products and challenges for inputs to hydrology (15 min) 

 

 

Experiences from the Central America Climate and Hydrological Outlook Forum (15 mins) 

 

 

Q&A (15 min) 

Katie Facer-Childs (UKCEH) 

PRESENTATION 

 

 

Cédric Van Meerbeeck (CIMH) 

PRESENTATION 

 

Roberto Cerón (MARN)  

PRESENTATION  

Moderator: Hwirin Kim (WMO) 

 

Note takers: WMO Secretariat 

 

10:30 – 11:15 

[interp.] 

Discussion on common needs and gaps in the region (outlook) 

 

 

Rapporteurs from break-out groups 

 

Moderators: to be selected 

Note taker: Each group selects rapporteur 

 

 

Coffee/Tea break available during the meeting 

11:15 – 12:00 

[interp.] 

Discussion on common priorities in the region (outlooks) 

 

 

 

Rapporteurs from break-out groups 

 

 

Moderators: to be selected 

Note taker: Each group selects rapporteur 

 

12:00 – 13:30 

Lunch 

13:30 – 14:15 

[interp.] 

Reporting back from groups 

 

 

Rapporteurs from break-out groups 

GROUP 1 RESULTS 

GROUP 2 RESULTS 

GROUP 3 RESULTS 

 

Moderator: José Alberto Zuñiga (RHA-RAIV) 

 

Note taker: Josh Hall (UKCEH) 

14:15 – 15:00 

[interp.] 

Q&A 

 

 

Moderator: José Alberto Zuñiga (RHA-RAIV) 

 

Coffee/Tea available during the meeting 

15:00 – 16:30 

[interp.] 

Drafting outlook section of HydroSOS Caribbean Implementation Plan 

 

Moderator: José Alberto Zuñiga (RHA-RAIV) 

 

Note taker: WMO Secretariat  

Day 3 (2 November) 

9:00 – 9:15 

[interp.] 

Recap of Day 2  

Hwirin Kim (WMO) 

Federico Gomez (WMO) 

9:15 – 9:45  

[interp.] 

Overview of CREWS Caribbean 2.0 

Implementation matrix and workplan to be completed 

Stephanie Gallasch (WMO) & 

Roberto Silva (WMO) 

PRESENTATION 

 

9:45 – 11:00 

[interp.] 

Discussion on priority activities that could be included in CREWS Caribbean 2.0 taking into consideration available budget and time frame 

 

Plenary 

RESULTS 

Moderators: to be selected 

Note taker: Each group selects rapporteur 

 

 

Coffee/Tea break available during the meeting 

11:00 – 12:00 

[interp.] 

Discussion and selection of pilot basins to be included in CREWS Caribbean 2.0 Considerations to select demonstration basin(s) for HydroSOS implementation 

Plenary 

 

Moderators: to be selected 

Note taker: Each group selects rapporteur 

 

12:00 – 13:30 

Lunch break 

 

 

13:30 – 15:00 

 

Visit to CIMH and groundwater station 

 

 

15:00 – 16:00 

[interp.] 

Cont. 

Discussion and selection of pilot basins to be included in CREWS Caribbean 2.0 Considerations to select demonstration basin(s) for HydroSOS implementation 

 

Plenary 

RESULTS 

 

Moderator: Federico Gomez (WMO) 

 

Note taker: WMO Secretariat 

16:00-16:45 

[interp.] 

Next steps and responsibilities 

Plenary 

Jose Alberto Zúñiga Mora (RA IV HA) 

16:45 - 17:00 

[interp.] 

Closing  

 

 

Dominique Berod (WMO H/ESM)  

José Alberto Zúñiga Mora (RHA IV)  

Shawn Boyce (CIMH) 

 

 

 

Link to Concept note and agenda.

Photo of the 1st virtual session

HydroSOS_Caribbean_virtual_participants