Method of predicting streamflow data

A method for improving the accuracy of generating synthetic streamflow data if there is an interruption in measured streamflow data related to a target streamflow source, the method comprising:

• receiving measured streamflow data related to a plurality of streamflow sources, the plurality of streamflow sources including the target streamflow source;
• receiving clustering information about the plurality of streamflow sources;
• creating a predictive model using the measured streamflow data and the clustering information;
• using the predictive model to generate synthetic streamflow data for the target streamflow source if an interruption in measured streamflow data from the target streamflow source has been determined;
• wherein the predictive model is trained using the measured streamflow data and the clustering information;
• and
• wherein the predictive model is created using an ensemble of decision trees.

A method for improving the accuracy of flood forecasting, the method comprising:

• receiving measured streamflow data from a plurality of streamgages, the plurality of streamgages including a target streamgage and at least one other streamgage disposed in a different location from the target streamgage;
• clustering the plurality of streamgages, using the measured streamflow data, into two or more groups of streamgages based on correlations between streamgages in the plurality of streamgages;
• building a predictive model, using the two or more groups of streamgages, to predict synthetic streamflow data for any streamgage in the plurality of streamgages;
• generating flood forecast information using the measured streamflow data;
• determining that there has been an interruption in the receiving of streamflow data from the target streamgage;
• retrieving the predictive model;
• using the predictive model to generate synthetic streamflow data for the target streamgage;
• and
• updating the flood forecast information using the synthetic streamflow data.

A system for improving the accuracy of flood forecasting, comprising:

• a streamflow prediction system configured to:
• receive measured streamflow data from a plurality of streamgages, the plurality of streamgages including a target streamgage and at least one other streamgage disposed in a different location from the target streamgage;
• cluster the plurality of streamgages, using the measured streamflow data, into two or more groups of streamgages based on correlations between streamgages in the plurality of streamgages;
• build a predictive model, using the two or more groups of streamgages, to predict synthetic streamflow data for any streamgage in the plurality of streamgages;
• a flood forecasting system configured to:
• generate flood forecast information using the measured streamflow data;
• determine that there has been an interruption in the receiving of streamflow data from the target streamgage;
• retrieve the predictive model from the streamflow prediction system;
• use the predictive model to generate synthetic streamflow data for the target streamgage;
• and
• update the flood forecast information using the synthetic streamflow data.