NCHM Hydromet Information Management System IMS

Overview

The NCHM Hydromet Information Management System (IMS) is an online data management platform operated by Bhutan's National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM). It provides access to hydrometeorological data collected across Bhutan, supporting weather forecasting, climate monitoring, flood early warning, and water resource management.

Host Institution

The IMS is managed by the National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), established in January 2016 as Bhutan's nodal agency for weather, climate, cryosphere, and water resources. NCHM is responsible for generating information and delivering services on hydrometeorology, including glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) monitoring, snow and cryosphere assessments, and early warning systems. It operates under the Royal Government of Bhutan.

Collections and Data Holdings

The IMS aggregates data from NCHM's network of meteorological and hydrological monitoring stations across Bhutan. It supports storage, management, analysis, and dissemination of time-series data on rainfall, river flow, temperature, and other hydrometeorological parameters. The system is part of a broader national investment in hydromet infrastructure supported by the World Bank through the Hydromet Services and Disaster Resilience Regional Project (HSDRRP).

Access and Usage

The IMS is accessible online and is used primarily by NCHM staff, government agencies, and technical partners. It feeds into operational weather forecasting using the SMART-MET platform and supports the Agrometeorological Decision Support System (ADSS), which provides weather advisories to farmers across Bhutan's 20 dzongkhags.

Relevance

As Bhutan's centralized hydromet database, the IMS is essential infrastructure for disaster risk reduction, agricultural planning, climate adaptation, and scientific research on mountain hydrology and glaciology in the eastern Himalayas.