This document gives recommendations for the management of observed hydrometric data, including raw data and other data as well as statistics derived from these observations. Although the principles of data management can be applied to all hydrometric observations, particular focus is placed on measurements of precipitation, water level (including stage), volume and discharge in open channels.
NOTE The range of sites where water levels, and sometimes flow, are measured includes lakes, reservoirs, rivers, canals, tidal waters, sewers, wells, and boreholes.
The document covers metadata associated with hydrometric data, including recommendations for the production and management of descriptive, analytical and statistical material relating to sites where and measuring techniques, by which hydrometric data are collected. The recommendations of this document can be applied to some forms of data directly derived from observational records (for example, summary time series of monthly mean river flows). While not primarily designed for the management of data resulting from more complex numerical models or spatially aggregated data sets (for example, remotely-sensed data), many of the recommendations are applicable for such types of data.
This document does not cover the field collection of data or its transmission, but focuses on the management of data once they have been received in a hydrometric information management system.