The Globe and Mail - Alberta’s iconic cattle ranches face critical moment as two-year drought continues
While springtime flooding is a drastic and near-immediate reminder of the importance of managing water resources, as we move into the summer months we will invariably hear more and more about the impacts of drought on regional hydrology throughout Canada, impacts which are often even more disastrous (though less ‘flashy’) than catastrophic flooding. This article in the Globe and Mail sounds the alarm on drought in southern Alberta, specifically the Foothills County region, which has just declared an agricultural disaster amid years of ongoing drought.
Collaborate with the C1W team! (Apr 2023 update)
To broaden the number of project collaborators, the project has an ongoing series of engagement meetings with potential collaborators.
Drilling down: Using nested models for deeper insights
Nested within Canada1Water’s continental-scale simulation are higher-resolution models that researchers like hydrogeologist Melissa Bunn can use to zoom in on specific watersheds and answer practical questions — aided by a built-in data and modelling framework that can run high-resolution models anywhere across the country.
Ask Us Anything - Our answers to common questions about Canada1Water
“A conceptually, comprehensive, physically based hydrologic modelling platform developed by a Canadian company is changing the way we think about, study and plan water resources – surface and groundwater – in Canada, now and long into the future.” A new feature in Ground Water Canada puts a spotlight on the Canada1Water project, detailing the mission of this world-class modelling project and exploring potential use cases.
The Canada1Water ‘value add’ – datasets
Even before Canada1Water’s hydrologic simulation goes live, the project will deliver value to decisionmakers and researchers by making its datasets publicly available. Hydrogeologist Eric Kessel gives a preview of what’s to come, starting with a highly anticipated data product this summer.
“Irreducibly unpredictable”
The climate is such a vast and complex system that it generates a lot of ‘noise’, making it hard to distinguish patterns and trends. By developing more precise models for Canada1Water, Senior Climate Scientist Andre Erler and his colleagues hope to bring newfound clarity to Canada’s climate picture — and solve some enduring puzzles.
Putting the weight of the world to work
Any model that aims to inform real-world decisions needs to be accurate. But how do you verify accuracy when there are few “on-the-ground” measurements to check against? For Canada1Water, one option is to let gravity do the talking. John Crowley of the Canadian Geodetic Survey explains how time-variable gravity, measured from space, will help validate C1W results.
Three steps to simulation
With the underlying datasets assembled into a single integrated model, Canada1Water is now in its spin-up phase. Hydrogeologist Omar Khader describes what’s involved in getting the models ready to run continental-scale simulations.
phys.org - New review of world water resources provides sustainable management strategies
This article highlights a new study, published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, which looks at worldwide water management. Surface water and groundwater are interconnected but often managed separately, we must consider them as one resource so that neither gets depleted. This study took data from satellites, climate models, monitoring networks, and many scientific papers to investigate water management strategies and tied in the sustainability component.
CBC News - Red River expected to spill its banks in Manitoba this spring as flood outlook worsens
This article in CBC News highlights the possible flood danger to Manitoba communities along the Red River. The Red River originates at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota, flows northward through the Red River Valley and into Manitoba. It empties into Lake Winnipeg, whose waters join the Nelson River and ultimately flow into Hudson Bay. With heavier snowstorms south of the border this winter, the flood risk is increased.
Canada1Water: 2022 Progress Report
The Canada1Water project has reached the midpoint of its three-year project . This progress report covers model development updates as well as a review on engagement and outreach with project stakeholders.
The Guardian – Global fresh water demand will outstrip supply by 40% by 2030, say experts
This article in The Guardian highlights a new study which investigates global freshwater supply. It is expected that demand for water will exceed supply by 40% by the end of this decade. Governments need to be more mindful of where they are allocating water supply, especially in the agriculture and mining industries. The economics of water are being discussed more in-depth by governments across the world as this crisis worsens.
Nature Climate Change - Large sinuous rivers are slowing down in a warming Arctic
A new study has found that river migration in the Arctic will be significantly less than originally thought. This can be attributed to new vegetation growth, meaning less erosion. Although the Canada1Water project won’t have these impact assessment capabilities at its first release, the team is hoping it can be used for studies like this in the future.
Global News – Here’s how climate change will impact the region where you live
This article in Global News covers the impacts that climate change will have on various parts of Canada, and although many of the effects can be seen countrywide, some are specific to different regions.
The Conversation – Arctic Report Card 2022: The Arctic is getting rainier and seasons are shifting, with broad disturbances for people, ecosystems and wildlife
An article in The Conversation talks about the impacts of the Arctic warming and just how impactful it will be on the lives of residents in this region. People living in Artic rely on cold and frozen conditions to move around and live their lives, and reliability of these cold conditions is quickly diminishing. Precipitation is now coming in the form of rain instead of snow, leading to the collapse of infrastructure and ecosystems.