RIVeR-LAC Project Wraps Up with Breakthroughs in Image-Based River Monitoring

RIVeR-LAC stands as a compelling example of how collaborative, open innovation can drive meaningful change in environmental science and monitoring.

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Pioneering Innovation in Hydrological Monitoring Across Latin America and the Caribbean

In April 2025, the groundbreaking project “RIVeR-LAC” officially concluded after a successful year of innovation and collaboration. Spearheaded by the National University of Córdoba (UNC) through its Hydraulics Linkage Center of the Faculty of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences (FCEFyN), and executed in partnership with the National Water Institute of Argentina (INA) and the technology company ORUS, the project was one of the selected winners of the WMO HydroHub Innovation Call – Latin America and the Caribbean.

Supported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) HydroHub and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), RIVeR-LAC delivered pioneering results in the field of hydrometric monitoring through the application of Large-Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV). This technique, which utilizes video images to measure surface flow velocities in rivers, has emerged as a cost-effective and highly scalable alternative to traditional gauging methods.

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Democratizing Streamflow Monitoring Through Open-Source Tools

A core pillar of the RIVeR-LAC project was its emphasis on accessibility and inclusivity. The team developed open-source, user-friendly LSPIV software, complete with multilingual documentation (Spanish, English, and French), step-by-step guidance for installation and usage, and hands-on field validation in varied river conditions across Latin America.

In addition to software development, the project also focused on capacity building. Multiple regional training activities and stakeholder engagement workshops were held to familiarize National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) with the new methodologies. These training sessions contributed to bridging the knowledge gap and making modern monitoring technologies more widely available across low-resource environments.

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Final Report Highlights: Outcomes, Lessons, and Future Directions

The final report, now publicly available, offers a comprehensive overview of the project’s outcomes and deliverables. It documents:

• The development process of the LSPIV system and its successful deployment in diverse hydrological settings.

• Field experiments that tested the tool under various environmental and logistical constraints.

• Challenges encountered, such as ensuring measurement reliability under poor lighting or unstable camera conditions.

• Key lessons learned in adapting the system to local contexts and building stakeholder trust.

• Recommendations for the continued use, improvement, and regional adaptation of the tool.

The report is accompanied by technical annexes that provide deeper insights into the experimental setups, calibration techniques, and comparative analyses with conventional flow monitoring instruments.

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Public Webinar and Community Engagement

To amplify the reach of the project’s findings, the RIVeR-LAC consortium hosted a webinar on April 8, 2025, which was attended by nearly 250 participants from across the Latin America and Caribbean region. The session featured:

• Live demonstrations of the LSPIV software.

• Presentations from the core project team.

• Interactive Q&A with hydrological experts and regional stakeholders.

The webinar recording, available in Spanish with English and French subtitles, has since become a valuable learning resource for the hydrometric community.

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Looking Ahead: Scaling the Innovation and Strategic Integration

As the implementation phase draws to a close, attention now turns toward scaling and operationalizing the innovation. In May 2025, the RIVeR-LAC project will be showcased during the HydroHub Innovation Workshop and Strategic Discussion to be held in Costa Rica. The upcoming event will serve as a launchpad for:

• Advanced training of NMHS personnel from the region.

• Strategic planning discussions on integrating image-based techniques into national hydrological monitoring programs.

• Exploration of pathways for broader adoption, including private-public partnerships and international cooperation.

This next chapter is poised to ensure that the impact of RIVeR-LAC is long-lasting, adaptable, and regionally owned.

A Model for Open Innovation in Environmental Monitoring

RIVeR-LAC stands as a compelling example of how collaborative, open innovation can drive meaningful change in environmental science and monitoring. By combining academic expertise, institutional support, and community-centered design, the project not only delivered technical breakthroughs but also laid the groundwork for a more equitable and sustainable future in water resource management across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The full report and supporting materials are now accessible online. Stakeholders are encouraged to review the documentation and consider incorporating the tools and practices developed into their own hydrometric strategies.