science

WaterML

WaterML is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand WaterML rather than just read about it. In short: WaterML is a technical standard and information model used to represent hydrological time series structures. The current version is WaterML 2.0, released an open standard of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC).

Key takeaways

WaterML belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect WaterML to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of WaterML from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

WaterML is a technical standard and information model used to represent hydrological time series structures. The current version is WaterML 2.0, released an open standard of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC).

History

WaterML 1.0 Version 1.0 of WaterML was published in 2009 by the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science. WaterML 1.0 (and 1.1) is an XML exchange format developed for use specifically in the United States.

WaterML 2.0 WaterML 2.0 is an open standard of the OGC. Version 2.0 marks a harmonisation with different formats from various organisations and countries, including the Australian Water Data Transfer Format, WaterML 1.0 from the United States, XHydro from Germany, and with existing OGC formats. WaterML 2.0 was adopted as an official standard by the OGC in September 2012, endorsed by the US Federal Geographic Data Committee, and has been proposed for adoption by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). Example uses include: exchange of data for operational hydrological monitoring programs; supporting operation of infrastructure (e.g. dams, supply systems); cross-border exchange of observational data; release of data for public dissemination; enhancing disaster management through data exchange; and exchange in support of national reporting. The standard was developed through a harmonisation process by members of the joint OGC-WMO Hydrology Domain Working Group.

Structure WaterML 2.0 makes use of existing OGC standards, primarily Observations and Measurements (O&M) and the Geography Markup Language (GML). This enhances consistency and interoperability with other standards and web services. Through use of the O&M standard, WaterML 2.0 defines types allowing for standard definition of the core properties relating to hydrological time series, including:

The observed phenomenon Spatial context Temporal bounds Procedure used in generating the time series (e.g. raw data from a sensor) Result-specific metadata, such as time series qualifiers, interpolation types, comments, quality codes etc. Monitoring points Collections of related objects Vocabularies for domain-specific terms The core information model is defined using the Unified Modelling Language, allowing for flexibility in creating implementation-specific encodings. The standard defines a GML-conformant XML encoding allowing for use with OGC Web Services.

See also Observations and Measurements Sensor Observation Service Water Data Transfer Format

References

HighBeam HighBeam HighBeam

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with WaterML

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what WaterML claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to WaterML before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about WaterML ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of WaterML

In research: WaterML appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses WaterML in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: WaterML is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Environmental data, Markup languages, Open Geospatial Consortium, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for WaterML outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “WaterML” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study WaterML in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what WaterML means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain WaterML out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is WaterML in simple terms?

Why does WaterML matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study WaterML?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on WaterML.