The South Florida Water Management District (District) monitors flow rate in its extensive canal system through water control structures for the purposes of accurate flood prediction and control, water supply management, and water-quality impact assessment. Flow rates through control structures are estimated using rating equations as a function of the headwater and tailwater stages, structure operations, and geometry data. These variables and their functional relationship with flow rates are subject to uncertainties that propagate into the estimated flow rates. The estimation of these uncertainties is needed to assess the accuracy of the flow rates and to guide operational decisions. The District has initiated a pioneering uncertainty analysis project aiming at integrating uncertainty limits into the flow rate reporting. Once calculated, associated uncertainty limits will be reported with estimated flow rates in the District's DBHYDRO database. In this paper, we present a framework for the estimation of uncertainty in reported mean daily flow rates, developed in conformity with international standards. The application of this framework to a spillway control structure is also presented.
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