An open source strategy for public online algorithms and data services: the French water information system experience

For almost two decades, the French water information system (F-WIS) provides references and data sets to a large audience of scientists, professional experts, decision makers and stakeholders. The first water open data repository was released in 2013. The transparency policy expands with the publication of many APIs and data services aimed at citizens and specialists. The wide scope of the water fields (hydrology, biology, chemistry, economics...) is concerned. This paper focuses on three major projects: Hub'eau (a bigdata repository), the WILD programming library with the French WFD-reporting desk (an online data validator in line with EC obligations), SEEE (an online ecological assessment tool). These three projects are open source, available online and embody the will of their leaders (the French Agency for Biodiversity and the INSIDE cluster) to let a wider public invest the field of environmental data and to stimulate relevant stakeholders participation.