PHARE Project in Poland "Setting-up of a basin information system" 2005
The PHARE Project "Setting up of a basin information system in Poland" was co-financed by the European Union, the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Polish Government, and managed by the International Office for Water in co-operation with Gdansk RZGW.
The main results expected from this project were:
1. The preparation of a data dictionary on surface water quality that could be used by all organisations collecting and using these data in Poland;
2. The structuring of a database on surface water quality in Gdansk RZGW.
The project was implemented in three phases:
1. Assistance with the organisation of a partners’ network
2. Data harmonisation and standardisation:
- definitions (data dictionary);
- codification procedures and code updating;
- computerised data exchange formats.
3. Application of standards to a specific topic with the implementation of an information system on surface water quality in Gdansk RZGW.
The results obtained were as follows:
• The networking of Polish administrative organisations that will have to exchange water data at the project completion (Water Agencies (RZGW), Ministry, Institute of Meteorology, Voidvoidship’s Department of the Environment, Voidvoiship administration).
• An information seminar on French experience in water data management was organised in France and addressed to Polish experts representing the network members. It presented RNDE (National Water Data Network) and SANDRE (National Data and Reference Centre for Water).
• Organisation of the first meetings of the Polish Data Managers' Group (practical and technical organisation, identification of priority topics...).
• Definition of a common language for information exchange:
- Elaboration of the conceptual model for data on ground water quality in Poland
- Development of a data dictionary that defines concepts and the descriptive elements
retained in the conceptual data model;
- Development of reference frames and code lists.
• Selection of a standard information exchange format, independent from the computerised equipment used (namely POWER: Polish Water Exchange Reference):
- Identification of the exchange format structure;
- Definition of procedures and scenarios for exchanging information on surface water quality;
- Definition of data exchange patterns. (see diagram)
• Structuring of the Gdansk Water Agency database dealing with surface water quality (development of data files and data acquisition models);
• Implementation of data exchanges between the network members:
- Development of specifications for data transfer interfaces;
- Adaptation of the interface software;
- Testing of information exchanges between the Agency and its partners on a pilot basin: entering significant values of 30,230 parameters into the Agency’s new database, which were measured by 64 gauging stations between 86/01/28 and 97/05/20 and stored in other administrations.
• Beginning of data enhancement:
- Identification of the first data enhancement outputs (statistical analysis of the number of values per parameter, recorded by period, and per range of values, ...);
- Development of the data processing software;
- Application to the exchanged data.