As the Columbia Basin continues to experience the impacts of climate change, there is a mounting need to share water knowledge. Water-related data is used by decision makers to understand watershed health and the sustainability of communities and natural ecosystems. “As we continue to experience climate change impacts, our water resources are put under stress, so we need to have the necessary knowledge to properly and efficiently adapt when water levels drop,” said Santiago Botero, applied innovation and technology manager for Living Lakes Canada.
Water Hub new home for Columbia Basin water data
The Columbia Basin Water Hub is a new open-source online platform for storing water-related data collected throughout the Columbia Basin region so communities and decision makers can have easy access to the important information they need for watershed management in an era of climate change. Climate change impacts on Columbia Basin water resources have been documented in numerous reports dating back to 2006. Last June, the University of British Columbia published a 30-year study suggesting the glacier-melt contributions in the Canadian Columbia Basin have already passed peak water, exacerbating a regional climate-driven trend to decreased summer streamflows.