Validation in real-time of the hydrometric data

The managers of hydrological systems take real-time level and discharge measurements on several reservoirs and river reaches. The measurements are frequently tainted with errors that are reflected by uncertainties in decision making and by non-optimal resource management. This article aims at developing a methodology for the validation of levels in real-time. The proposed approach is based on material and analytical redundancy, and uses two models. The first one is spatial and enables linking of the measurements carried out at different stations with the help of a multiple regression equation. The second one is temporal, which enables the determination of variation trend at the different stations with the help of an auto-regressive model. These two models are incorporated into a diagnosis system for breakdowns based on a logic vote principle. Among the values that are measured and estimated by the linear regression model, the one which is the most consistent with the variation trend indicated by the auto-regressive model is selected. The Kalman filter is used to filter the measurements and identify the parameters of the models used in real-time. The proposed methodology turned out to be conclusive when applied to both measured data and synthetic hydrographs.