The week of 19 May 2025, the WMO HydroHub engaged in a week of activities in Costa Rica, namely the 10th meeting of the WMO HydroHub Think Tank, the 3rd Joint meeting of the WMO HydroHub Advisory Council and Think Tank, a 1-day strategic discussion on surface velocimetry and a 2-day training workshop on the same topic. These events brought together experts, innovators and partners for a week of strategic dialogue and hands-on learning - shaping the future of hydrometry and advancing surface velocimetry techniques.
The meetings were hosted by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE).
Reflecting and Planning: 10th WMO HydroHub Think Tank Meeting
The 10th meeting of the WMO HydroHub Think Tank was a chance for members to help shape the direction of activities for the last year of the project's phase II ending in August 2026. Following the meeting, Think Tank members joined ICE staff for a knowledge-sharing session. Participants presented their hydrometric work, exchanging insights and experiences. Notable highlights included:
- Louise Croneborg-Jones (Water in Sight, Think Tank member) introducing the new software BlueIQ.
- Tania Carballo Valverde and Melvin Pérez Chinchilla (ICE) demonstrating ICE's tools for visualizing the hydrometeorological network.
These presentations led to group discussions focused on the causes and potential solutions to key hydrometry challenges in Costa Rica.
Shaping the Future: 3rd Joint WMO HydroHub Advisory Council & Think Tank Meeting
During the joint meeting, members of both the WMO HydroHub Advisory Council and Think Tank engaged in strategic discussions to help define the vision and priorities for a Phase III of the WMO HydroHub project. This session highlighted key priorities: the effective integration of HydroHub into WMO programmes and initiatives; the validation and operationalization of techniques from past Innovation Calls and increased visibility through targeted knowledge sharing, among others. The outcomes will be captured in a concept note that outlines the direction of the next phase.
The day concluded with a visit to the University of Costa Rica, where participants explored:
- Wave simulation laboratories used in coastal erosion protection.
- Applications of virtual reality in Building Information Modeling (BIM).
Spotlight on Surface Velocimetry: Strategy and Training
A dedicated day focused on surface velocimetry brought together WMO HydroHub Think Tank members, Innovation Call project leads and several experts from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Uganda NMHS, World Bank and WMO. Their goal: to develop a roadmap for enhancing the sustainability and operational use of surface velocimetry techniques. The session produced concrete recommendations to scale up the use of the methods, and strengthen their potential operational integration into National Hydrological Services, such as the following:
- Create of a WMO HydroHub repository on surface velocimetry to facilitate comparison work and standardization process;
- Carry out additional regional trainings on surface velocimetry;
- Develop use cases showcasing the benefits of surface velocimetry methods.
This strategic dialogue was followed by a two-day hands-on training course on surface velocimetry. 18 participants from across Latin America and the Caribbean and 17 staff from ICE Hidroclimatologia department and other Costa Rican governmental institutions, such as Direction de Agua, AyA, SENARA learned how to:
- Collect field data, and
- Process video recordings from fixed cameras and drones.
Training was led by WMO HydroHub Think Tank members and experts from past Innovation Calls, including:
- Mark Randall (Queensland State Government, Australia)
- Evan Baddock (NIWA)
- Salvador Peña Haro (Photrack)
- Hessel Winsemius (Rainbow Sensing / TAHMO)
- Antoine Patalano (University of Córdoba, ORUS)
Both events were possible thanks to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Organized with Local Support
All events were made possible thanks to the generous support of ICE and the WMO Regional Office in Costa Rica.
