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Hydrologic Impacts

The Hydrologic Impacts research activity will incorporate an expanded spatial domain that includes all drainage areas encompassed by the Pacific and Yukon Region of Canada. It also anticipates that there will be stakeholder requirements for information on multiple timescales, and it considers the need for information on extreme hydrologic events. Initially (2012-2013) work will extend previous research activity defined through a BC Hydro/PCIC research agreement (2007-2011).  This activity will focus on extending the hydrological modelling domain, and improving the modelling technology at PCIC in support of the program’s primary research objectives

Future work will continue to consider these needs and the increasing needs of other sectors and stakeholders to understand changes to future hydro climatic conditions in BC.

Research objectives

Glacier Modelling: obtain and operationalize the ability to represent changes in glacier and ice-cap mass balance and dynamics, in order to better represent variations in the long-term storage and release of water in catchments containing glaciers and ice-caps.

  • Short-term Forecasting: Skill assessment and demonstration of monthly, seasonal and annual hydrologic forecasts; continued development of capacity to develop a test-bed hydro-climatological forecast system
  • Long-term Projection: Comprehensive projections of hydrologic impacts to year 2100 due to anthropogenic climate change using updated climate change projections and improved hydrologic modelling tools, including the projection of changes in hydro-climate variability and extremes, and the identification of the causes of changes in extreme behaviour
  • Near-term Prediction: Diagnosis, evaluation, and skill assessment of decadal and multi-decadal hydrologic predictions including hydro-climatic predictions to year 2035 

Key Personnel: