Aquanty's Forecasting Platform Featured in the Spring Issue of MFGA Grasslander

For over five years Aquanty has worked closely with the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA) to study how forage and grassland conditions impact the hydrology of the Assiniboine River basin (ARB) under flood and drought conditions. The next step of this close partnership is the upcoming launch of the MFGA Aquanty Forecasting Tool, which is featured in the latest issue of the MFGA Grasslander.

Click here to read the feature.

The platform is a water management decision support tool that puts forecasting and hydrologic modelling into the hands of farmers and land managers in real time. The article highlights the data generated by this forecasting tool and how the platform can be used to help residents of the ARB to mitigate drought conditions and improve water management.

By anticipating extreme weather risks, farmers and land managers can plan accordingly to better manage water resources (for example, knowing about upcoming storms can help you determine the best time to apply fertilizer or seed/harvest). In the long-term, the MFGA Aquanty Forecast Tool could be used for farm and land management planning that could help all stakeholders across the Assiniboine River Basin. Powered by HydroGeoSphere, the platform brings together a fully realized 3D subsurface geologic model of the ARB for groundwater flow, comprehensive land-use mapping to inform surface water flows, and weather forcing data from dozens of individual GEPS weather forecasts (published by Environment and Climate Change Canada) to produce a probabilistic forecast of hydrologic conditions 7 days into the future. With early forecasts of changes in streamflows, soil moisture, groundwater levels, surface water depth, and groundwater exfiltration/recharge rates, farmers and land managers will be able to make decisions that are based on sound data to better manage their resources.

The platform will also feature forecasts based on “predevelopment” conditions, to demonstrate how native grassland and wetlands could impact hydrologic systems, giving land managers a better understanding of how best management practices can lessen the impacts of flooding and drought.

While Aquanty and the MFGA plan to release the tool for general use in early 2023, the MFGA will be hosting focus groups, leading presentations, and taking part in stakeholder information sessions over the next year. Input from these sessions will be used to refine the tool and make sure that it is as user-friendly and effective as possible. By collaborating with stakeholders throughout the development process, the MFGA is ensuring that the new tool will be a valuable resource for all Manitobans. We encourage you to participate in these sessions so that we can gather the best possible information for the tool.

Aquanty currently operates a similar forecasting platform for 12 watersheds in Southwestern Ontario, visit www.hgsrt.com today to test the platform for free!

Interested in learning more or getting involved? Reach out to the Aquanty team at info@aquanty.com!

Click here to learn more about past projects and the Aquanty-MFGA partnership.