Organisation

 

Monitoring drought requires cooperation among a range of disciplines, including climatology, meteorology, hydrology, snow science, soil science and forestry. The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss) and the Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo) are therefore working closely together on this project. Their work is supported by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL).

The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) is the specialist authority for environmental issues in Switzerland. Its mission is to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources such as soil, water, air, tranquillity and forests. It is also responsible for protection against natural hazards. The FOEN manages and coordinates the drought project and is responsible for the implementing and operating the drought platform as well as for warning procedures. It also monitors and models effects of drought on the water system and on forests.

The Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss is Switzerland’s national weather service. MeteoSwiss operates the national ground and radar measuring network, records and analyses weather and climate data and produces forecasts and severe weather warnings. In order to monitor drought, MeteoSwiss is currently setting up a national soil moisture monitoring network. It also develops new climate products, establishes and refines long-term weather forecasts and provides weather satellite data.

The Federal Office of Topography swisstopo is Switzerland’s geoinformation centre. It surveys and documents the landscape and subsurface and provides high quality spatial geodata. In order to monitor drought, swisstopo develops and produces products displaying satellite data and vegetation. In collaboration with MeteoSwiss, these are created from satellite data with different spatial and temporal resolutions.

Together, these institutions help to paint a comprehensive picture of the drought situation in Switzerland so that authorities, experts and the public can take action to deal with the effects at an early stage.