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Project

Hydrological and operations forecasting in the Central Valley of California

As part of its water work in California, SEI researchers are helping to generate a tool that can issue forecasts for the coming water year based on natural water supply cycles and local water management.

Active project

2022–2024

A white house in a background hillside overlooks a nearly-dry lake bed near Friant Dam, outside of Fresno, California.

Photo: Simon Hurry / Unsplash

The Stockholm Environment Institute is leading a team developing an automated hydrological and operations forecasting tool for the California State Water Resources Control Board.

The tool is built on the previously developed SacWAM and SJWAM water models that represent hydrology and water infrastructure operations in the Central Valley of California. The automated forecasting system harvests long-term forecasts (seven months) from NOAA’s North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) and California-Nevada River Forecast Center.

The system produces forecasts for the coming water year, including flow at 240 locations throughout the valley, estimates of reservoir storage, surface water deliveries and groundwater pumping.

Project team

Profile picture of Charles A. Young
Charles A. Young

Senior Scientist

SEI US

Doug Chalmers

Scientist

SEI US

Profile picture of Brian Joyce
Brian Joyce

Senior Scientist

SEI US

Profile picture of Jack Sieber
Jack Sieber

Senior Scientist

SEI US