From the point of view of data dissemination, the country can be divided into following three regions; i) Region-I: Indus basin & other rivers and their tributaries discharging into Pakistan; ii) Region-II: Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin & other rivers and their tributaries discharging into Bangladesh/Myanmar; and iii) Region-III:-Remaining other rivers and their tributaries. The Hydrological Observation (H.O) data of Region-I and Region-II is classified except data mentioned below whereas the H.O data of Region-III is unclassified. The reservoir water level, live storage position, water quality, groundwater and meteorological data for all regions are unclassified. Similarly, all metadata (information about data, sites, Observation Wells, etc. for all CWC HQ sites and CGWB OWs including yearly average data and historical important data (such as highest flood level, yearly flood peak etc.) are also unclassified for all regions.

Following hydrological data related to surface water are collected at CWC Hydrological Observation (HO) sites: (i) River water level (Gauge, G), (ii) River discharge (Discharge, D), (iii) Sediment flow (Silt, S); and (iv) Water quality (Quality, Q) Besides hydrological observation, CWC also observes on some selected sites, selected meteorological parameters such as rainfall, maximum-minimum temperature, humidity, pan-evaporation, solar radiation and wind velocity on some specific sites.

The general frequency of hydro-meteorological data collection by CWC is; (i) Gauge Water level (Non Monsoon) - Daily at 8:00, 13:00 & 18:00 hrs. (ii) Gauge water level (Monsoon) - Hourly (iii) Discharge - Daily (iv) Sediment – Daily (v) Water Quality - Ten Daily/Monthly (vi) X-Sections of the rivers - Pre-monsoon and post-monsoon (vii) Meteorological data - Daily/Hourly

The hydro-meteorological information available with Central Water Commission is; (i) Daily discharge values (including velocity, manning's 'n' values, rating curve, etc.) both observed & interpolated/extrapolated and any analysis or derivation of the values like yearly/monthly/ten-daily flows etc. (ii) Gauge values/water levels observed at uniform time interval or non-uniform time interval. (iii) Suspended/bed sediment flow values including fine, medium and coarse sediment, both observed & interpolated/extrapolated. Any analysis or deviation of the values like yearly/monthly/ten daily flows etc. (iv) Water quality parameters observed at sites or analysed in the laboratories. (v) Cross-sections, longitudinal sections, other topographical information and river morphology related data. (vi) Reservoir water levels and rive storage position (vii) Meteorological data such as rainfall, maximum-minimum temperature, humidity, pan- evaporation, solar radiation, wind velocity.

For the purpose of hydro-meteorological data dissemination, users may be grouped in following three categories: (i) Indian Commercial Users and (ii) Indian Non-Commercial Users (iii) Foreign Users (i) Indian Commercial Users can be divided into following three categories: a. Private b. Public Sector Companies c. Consultants including Non-Governmental organizations /Educational/ Research Institutes undertaking consultancies / studies / works for fees, (ii) Indian Non-commercial Users can be divided into following three categories: a. Central Government Departments/organizations b. State Government Departments/organizations c. Non-profit companies/ non-governmental organizations/Educational/ Research institutes Note: As individuals may use hydro-meteorological data for commercial purposes, they are treated as commercial users. Students / Researchers, etc., should obtain the necessary data through their Institutes / Universities. (iii) Foreign Users: Agencies / entities owned partially or fully by foreign citizens including individuals employed by such agencies/entities.

Procedure for release of classified data: a) Classified data will be obtained for specific purpose/ study only and will be non-transferable. b) User must register online on this website before submission of online data request. c) All users desirous to obtain classified data may submit their request online in the prescribed Data Request Format along with a 'Secrecy Undertaking’. d) The concerned Chief Engineer of CWC would verify the authenticity of the user, the purpose of data request and the data reasonably required for that purpose/ study and forward the requests with his/her, recommendation online, within thirty days of the receipt of such requests. e) The Chief Engineer (Planning & Development), CWC shall place all such requests received online along with the recommendations of concerned Chief Engineer of CWC, received in a month by 10th of following months before a Classified Data Release Committee with the following composition:

Procedure for release of unclassified Hydro-meteorological data a) All unclassified data (after validation and Quality Year to the extent published in Water Year Book, Water Quality Book, Water Sediment Year Book, Ground Water Year Book) shall be hosted on lndiaWRIS website, which can be downloaded by any web-registered user free of cost. b) The use of data downloaded from IndiaWRIS or obtained from CWC/CGWB shall be duly acknowledged in the DPR/Report/Publication. c) IndiaWRIS, CWC, CGWB or DoWR, RD &GR shall not be held responsible for any inference drawn based on these data. d) All unclassified data may also be obtained as per Right to Information Act, 2005 as amended from time to time. e) Unclassified Data: The unclassified data not available on the website can be obtained free of cost from the concerned Chief Engineer of CWC or concerned Regional Director of CGWB after submission of request without any Secrecy Undertaking.

i) Unclassified Data: For unclassified data, costs towards printing, photocopying, digital media, etc. as payable for providing information under Right of Information Act, 2005 would be charged. ii) Classified Data: Indian Commercial and Foreign users would be supplied the minimum classified data, considering the requirement of the user and recommendation by concerned Chief Engineers, on payment of Rs. 75000/- per site per annum. The year for calculation of data charges will be water year (from 1st June to 31st May of following year). The dissemination of data for part of any year shall also be charged at rate of Rs.75000/-.