Standardization Team Report

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  The team reviewed the CR report and determined that for 7 tables of the IHFS DB the guidelines and standards do not need to be changed. These tables are: “network”, “rfc”, “wfo”, “hsa”, “state”, “counties”, and “cooprecip”.
  

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  The team reviewed nine reference tables of the IHFS DB and updated the guidelines and standards. These tables are: “coopcomms”, “coopspons”, “dcpowner”, “gageowner”, “gagemaint”, “telmowner”,”telmpayor”, “gagetype”, and “telmtype”. For detailed information see sections 2 through 7.
  
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  The team reviewed the values that WFOs are using for the horizontal reference datum field (hdatum) of the “location” table and the vertical reference datum field (vdatum) of the “riverstat” table of the IHFS DB. Because of the obvious confusion on what should be in these fields and the importance of knowing this information for geospatial data, the team proposes some changes. First, the team reccommends the IHFS DB location table should have a field added for the vertical reference datum. Secondly, the team recommends a set of valid values for the horizontal reference datum and the vertical reference datum. This change would involve the addition of 2 new reference tables, one for valid values of hdatum and one for vdatum. See section 8 for specifics.
  

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  Several non-reference tables and their fields were reviewed and where the team thought it appropriate, guidelines on case and format are recommended. See section 9 for specifics.
  

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  The team recommends several changes to the WHFS application Hydrobase. See section 10 for specifics.
  

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  The team recommends the AWIPS LAD Snoopy application that was used back in 2003 to implement the guidelines and standards again be used. The difference this time will be that use be mandatory by all WFOs and RFCs. Using reference table entries extracted from the NRLDB for each WFO and RFC, reports will be generated that detail by office which tables and entries need to be updated and these reports will be sent to the WFO Hydro focal point at each Regional Headquarters Office. The Snoopy repair menu option will need to be updated. This process should greatly improve database consistency and integrity across WFO boundaries.
  

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  The team proposes a change-management process. This process will consist of an ad-hoc committee made of field, regional and national headquarters personnel. It is suggested that the committee meet on a quarterly basis. This committee will review requests for additional reference entries. If the new entry is denied, an appropriate entry would be suggested to use. If the new entry is approved, the following actions will take place: 1) the ac-hoc committee will notify the WHFS support group of the new entry, 2) the WHFS support group will coordinate with the WFO to immediately add the new entry, 3) The WHFS support group will also send the information to the appropriate contact in OHD/HL to add the entry to the IHFS DB for the next build (and coordinate with the contractor), 4) Determine if new entry will impact WHFS application(s). Coordinate with OHD with regards to any impacts/changes to WHFS applications. See section 11 for more information.
  

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  The team reviewed the guidelines and standards for the RFC’s RAX DB and determined that the current guidelines and standards are consistent with the IHFS DB guidelines and standards. See section 12 for more information.
  

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  The primary reason that the entries in some of these tables have diverged so dramatically is that documentation of the reference tables with thorough and easy to understand language defining the different fields and their proper definitions and values has not been readily available. The team recommends additional documentation be added on the WHFS website as a location for information on IHFS DB guidelines and standards. Documentation on this page should have detailed explanations of these fields and give guidance that helps field personnel populate the database with valid and accurate data. At a minimum this web page should contain 1) a pdf version of the CR team report and 2) a pdf version of this report. Much of the work of this team could be used as a starting point for this enhanced documentation as deemed useful by the WHFS support group. Consider including much of this data directly in the OHD maintained IHFS web page http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hrl/ihfs/database/html/databases.php to document some of these details. Consider supplementing the data dictionary.
  

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  Added the following entries back to the Telemetry Type Table. The entries appeared in the “Guideline 2003” but not in “Guideline 2009”, probably were left out accidently.
  

ALERT Gage sends reports via radio across an ALERT network.

bdr301 Binary Digital Recorder (BDT) model 301.

buoy Gage sends reports across buoy network.

cr10 Campbell Recorder model 10.

cr21 Campbell Recorder model 21.

cr500 Campbell Recorder model 500.

dah21 Design Analysis model H21.

• 
  Added “optical” to the precipitation gauge type as Larry Ellis requested on 11/14/2013:
  

optical These have a row of collection funnels. In an enclosed space below

each is a laser diode and a photo transistor. When enough water is

collected to make a single drop, it drops from the bottom, falling into

the laser beam path. The sensor is set at right angles to the laser

so that enough light is scattered to be detected as a sudden flash of

light. The flashes from these photo detectors are then read and

transmitted or recorded.

• 
  modifications to the AWIPS LAD Snoopy.py application’s repair menu option such that users could update their database with the new standards
  

• 
  a methodology of how to keep the databases current; an infrastructure needs to be built such that data can be transferred and updated regularly and as instantaneously as possible
  

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  a configuration management system be established. The team proposes an oversight committee consisting of RFC and WFO members from Western, Central, Southern, Eastern and Alaska Regions, as well as appropriate headquarters offices. This committee would handle proposed new entries for any of the standardized tables and fields.
  

Inherent in recommendations for changes and standards applying to the IHFS database is the understanding that these same standards will apply to the RAX where appropriate. It is assumed that if the IHFS database is brought into compliance with the established standards, the RAX which is synchronized with the IHFS database will also be brought into compliance with those standards.