Canada1Water
A modelling and data framework to support the assessment Canada’s water resources to the end of the 21st century
Canada1Water (C1W) gives policymakers, decision-makers, researchers, planners and communities actionable insights to make sustainable, data-driven water management choices.
C1W is a physics-based model representing the entire hydrologic cycle for continental Canada, Baffin Island and transboundary watersheds shared with the United States.
The modelling framework simulates groundwater, surface water and climate. Simulations include historical reanalysis between 1981 - 2020, and future projections from 2045 - 2060 and 2085 - 2100.
The C1W model, simulation results and datasets are publicly available under an open data license. For more on the model, what’s in it and how it came to be, read the R&D Phase Final Report.
Partner with C1W to propel your research.
C1W is actively seeking partners with projects that can help drive the further development and refinement of the model, simulations and datasets. If you’re interested in working with our C1W team, contact us today.
Spatial Model Coverage
C1W is modelling the complete hydrologic cycle for continental Canada, Baffin Island and transboundary watersheds with the United States.
To simulate hydrology at continental scale, Canada is subdivided into seven drainage regions covering a total of 12 million km sq. From west to east the domains are: Pacific Mackenzie, Nelson River, Arctic, Hudson, and Atlantic Baffin Island. The transboundary watershed area covers two million km sq, divided approximately equally between the United States and Canada.
The Modelling Framework
The hydrogeological conceptual framework includes; two soil layers, three surficial geology layers and three bedrock layers.
The C1W Project aims to simulate the complete hydrologic cycle at continental scale, by coupling internationally recognized atmospheric and hydrologic modelling platforms.
Global climate model downscaling was completed using Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. Land surface modelling is provided by a tailored implementation of the Community Land Model version 5 (CLM). The results of WRF and CLM simulations are then applied as climatological forcing data to the fully-integrated and physics-based hydrologic model HydroGeoSphere® (HGS).
Canada1Water Datasets
Simulating the water cycle at continental scale requires a tremendous amount and variety of data. C1W datasets were compiled from provincial, state, and national datasets, combined, reclassified for harmonization, and parameterized. Data sparsity in Northern Canada, presented challenges for ground-based precipitation data and validation data for stream flow and groundwater.
Over the course of three years, the C1W team has developed a comprehensive data framework, providing Canadian water modellers for the first time, a continental scale data framework to support research, modelling and analysis of water resources.
C1W DATASETS: EARLY ADOPTERS
Unprecedented Scale
Canada has never had a more comprehensive hydrologic model than the one the Canada1Water team has built in three short years. Some highlights of the project scope:
LAND
Total land mass:
~12,000,000 km²
Surficial geology volume:
~134,000 km³
Bedrock volume:
~6,180,000 km³
Soil volume:
~11,000 km³
Permafrost extent:
~3,320,000 km²
“Canada1Water represents a truly 21st century advancement in integrated climate-surface-groundwater modelling capabilities to assess water resource vulnerabilities across the Canadian landscape. Not only within Canada, but it lays out a science-based roadmap for scientific communities and government agencies around the globe.” — Dr. Edward Sudicky, FCAE, FRSC
CLIMATE
Regional climate model configurations:
3
Daily transient climate outputs:
29,200
Input Datasets
20
Computational Nodes
14,472,481
Key Data Points
Data Points Calibrated
3,586
Resolution Specs
0.5 - 1km edge length
WATER
Transboundary watersheds (drainage basins):
12
Total streams and rivers:
> 40,000
Total lakes:
>7,000
Total lake area:
~720,000 km²
Total Model Data Processed
~ 30 TB
HydroGeoSphere Simulation Runtime
>2,500 hours
Sign up to access the data portal today
Registration is free and gives you full access to the C1W model, simulation and data resources as they become available.
Contact
Feel free to contact the primary collaborators on this project with any questions.
Email to learn more about Canada1Water (C1W@aquanty.com)