River Hydraulics: the STREAM programme

A multidirectional cell-based model to represent complex flows in flood plains. Entirely developed by BCEOM, STREAM is regularly used to study flood risks, development studies (flood protection works, the impact of new developments). More recently, STREAM has also been used for flood forecasting.

River, Coastal, Estuarine and Maritime Hydrodynamics: the TELEMAC modelling system.

This is a 2D model used to represent currents, pollution dispersion and the transport of sediment in all natural environments, in great detail. TELEMAC is used for designing structures (ports, bridges, protection structures in rivers, etc.), studying the risks of structural failure, environmental studies (waste-water outlets, eutrophication of lakes and the quality of coastal and estuarine environments, etc.).

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Water Management and Hydrology: the AGYR programme

This is a semi-distributed rainfall-runoff model for managing water resources in catchment basins. Developed by BCEOM, AGYR is used for flood and low-water management studies in large basins and for designing storage systems and forecasting floods. It can be interfaced with STREAM.

Urban hydraulics: the HYDROWORKS programme

This is a reference tool for modelling storm-water and waste-water networks. HYDROWORKS is an all-round sanitation network management tool used to make a detailed appraisal of how the network functions and design and optimise networks.

MOISE (developed in partnership with CS/SI).

Installed in the flood warning centre in Nancy, MOISE comprises the STREAM and AGYR calculation modules and forecasts floods in real time throughout the Meuse River basin based on rainfall and runoff data from the network of automated stations.

"Of Tools and Men"
Mireille RAYMOND

"Over 15 years ago, to have devised a detailed hydraulics model covering about 40 km of river (the Tarn around Montauban) seemed an extraordinary achievement to us. At the time, it was the largest model built using STREAM and simulating a 3-day flood required several hours of calculations. Today, STREAM, which has considerably evolved since then, is used as a flood forecasting tool for major river basins, such as the Meuse. Only a few minutes are required to simulate the progress of a flood for a period of nearly a week along a 400-km stretch of river. These performance gains have revolutionised both study methodologies and programme design work for hydrological forecasting. Until recently, models were considered as being reserved for use by only a chosen few, with their eyes constantly pinned to interminable listings or to rows of figures flashing across the screen, as in fact, the models only ever produced figures!
Now, by combining models and mapping tools, information and documents comprehensible by all can be produced directly. I think that we haven't yet fully realised just where this revolution can lead us. But, we mustn't lose sight of the fact that even the most user-friendly programmes are still only tools, whereas modelling is a technique which requires specialist knowledge and is really quite an art!"