Project Rain Gauge
Project Rain Gauge (PRG) is a joint undertaking of Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) and Manila Observatory’s KLIMA Climate Change Center, in cooperation with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the Department of Education.
Project Rain Gauge aims to spark awareness in the study of earth science by building online meteorological data provided by a network of public high schools who monitor and record rainfall observations around the country. It also assists in disaster preparedness by providing a community-based early warning system for possible natural disasters like landslides and flash floods.
Importance of Rainfall Monitoring
Rainfall rate and quantity interact with many other factors to influence erosion, vegetative cover, groundwater recharge, stream water chemistry and runoff of nonpoint source pollution into streams.
Rainfall observations from various sites are especially significant in the Philippines because of the country's mountainous terrains and islands. The Philippines is vulnerable to extreme rainfall events, i.e., droughts and excessive rain. These events have had significants impacts on the different sectors of the society (e.g. agriculture and energy) and on society itself (e.g. when rainfall triggered landslides occur). Hence, it is critical to monitor rainfall amounts especially in the light of future climate change. Unfortunately, data from global models and the existing limited number of ground stations do not capture the fine-scale rainfall patterns necessary to describe the local climate. The addition of rain gauges in different parts of the country is valuable for rainfall monitoring.
Project Rain Gauge endeavors to create a network of ground stations across the country via the Smart Schools Program (SSP), SMART’s community service initiative for education, to provide supplementary data on local rainfall measurement in specific areas. Rainfall observations performed and recorded by the schools can be used for more accurate weather reporting and forecasting in local communities.
The first phase of Project Rain Gauge trained teachers from 17 SSP schools located in disaster-prone areas. The pilot schools echo-trained other SSP partner schools near their respective divisions and added 33 more public schools in the PRG network. Aside from the training, the new PRG member schools were also given manual rain gauges.
With proper nurturance of our country’s young minds, we will enjoy a scientific understanding of rain and better means of responding to the changes in our environmental landscape.
