National Adaptation Strategy & Hydrologic prediction and innovation

Overview

This funding opportunity aims to provide funding for a number of initiatives related to the National Adaptation Strategy & Hydrologic Prediction and Innovation. Applicants are welcome to apply to the following streams:

• Stream 1: Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments
• Stream 2: Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)
• Stream 3: Hydrologic Prediction
• Stream 4: Innovation in Hydrometry

Stream 1 - Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments

The Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments program aims to provide access to new climate information, data products, and services that enable Canadians to readily account for future climate conditions in their decision strategies, actions, and planning and infrastructure investments. Additionally, it aims to invest in and improve Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) climate modelling system.

Stream 2 – Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

ECCC’s portion of the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP) aims to support research in hydrologic, hydraulic, and climate considerations for floodplain mapping, to strengthen floodplain modelling and mapping, and to advance the science on integrating the effects of climate change and uncertainty in future flood maps. 

Stream 3 – Hydrologic Prediction

In partnership with provincial and territorial governments, the hydrologic prediction stream aims to strengthen the useability, reliability, and delivery of hydrologic prediction and flow forecasting activities to support the requirements of end-users. 

Stream 4 – Innovation in Hydrometry

Innovation in Hydrometry aims to support research in hydrometric monitoring and hydrologic services, and to test and develop new technologies and methods to advance hydrometric data acquisition, computation, and dissemination systems.

Application deadline

Start date: September 21, 2023
End date: October 31, 2023 3:00 pm E.T.

Objective

There are 4 streams for applicants to submit their proposals. We encourage applicants to submit proposals in the stream that best applies to them. It is possible to apply to more than one stream.

Stream 1 - Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments

The goal of the Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments Program is to provide access to new climate information, data products, and services that enable Canadians to readily account for future climate conditions in their decision strategies, actions, and planning and infrastructure investments. The implementation of this program marks the first major funding increment for foundational climate research since 2007. It aims to invest in ECCC’s climate modelling system to better project the frequency and intensity of climate extremes for more environmental variables and finer spatial resolution. The climate data products and services offered by the Canadian Centre for Climate Services (CCCS) make it easier for organizations to assess the level of exposure of vulnerable populations to climate change and, thus, inform policies, programs and actions to reduce this vulnerability.

Stream 2 – Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

In partnership with provincial and territorial governments, FHIMP aims to complete flood hazard maps of high-risk areas in Canada and make this flood hazard information accessible. These maps will inform decision-making in support of land use planning, flood mitigation, adaptation to a changing climate, resilience building, and protection of lives and properties.
The research goals of FHIMP are to support investigations into hydrologic, hydraulic, and climate considerations for floodplain mapping, to strengthen floodplain modelling and mapping, and to advance the science on integrating the effects of climate change and uncertainty in future flood maps.
FHIMP will fund projects that both advance the science of current and next generation (dynamic) flood mapping.

Stream 3 – Hydrologic Prediction

This stream aims to respond to increasing demands for timely and reliable hydrologic prediction information to support hydrologic prediction practitioners, including those of the provinces and territories who are mandated to deliver hydrologic prediction services in the interest of Canadians. The intended purpose of this funding is to leverage research, conduct innovation and development initiatives, and provide services to support these end-users, as well as explore the utility of numerical analysis to support hydrometric monitoring activities. This stream aims to strengthen the useability of hydrologic prediction and flow forecasting activities by supporting:  

• Investigation of new and improved data sources for developing, evaluating and implementing various prediction methods in an operational context; 
• The advancement of hydrologic and/or hydraulic modelling, as well as statistical and artificial intelligence approaches to prediction; 
• Data and information management practices, as well as the development of effective operational workflows; 
• Improvements in accessibility, reliability and useability of prediction data and products; 
• Efforts aimed at better understanding, assessing and reducing uncertainty, and assessing risk; and 
• The effective communication of prediction information and forecasts to stakeholders.

Stream 4 – Innovation in Hydrometry

The National Hydrologic Service (NHS) is continuing to test and develop new technologies and methods for the acquisition, computation and dissemination of hydrometric data. The intended purpose of this funding is to leverage research and innovations that would improve and advance the timeliness and quality of its data and services to protect the safety and economy of Canadians. Innovation in Hydrometry aims to enhance hydrometric monitoring and hydrologic services by supporting: 

• Testing and developing alternative hydrometric measurement technologies and methods;
• Improving hydrometric data acquisition, computation and production systems;
• Improving dissemination tools for hydrometric products and services;
• Developing tools and techniques for incorporating uncertainty values into hydrometric data products and outputs;
• Developing tools and methods to contribute to the development of an optimized and representative hydrometric network; and
• Using remote sensing to support hydrometric data monitoring and dynamic surface water mapping.

Eligible applicants

Geographic location

Results must be applicable to Canada or parts thereof.

Eligible projects

There are 4 streams for applicants to submit their proposals. We encourage applicants to submit proposals in the stream that best applies to them. It is possible to apply to more than one stream.

Stream 1 – Priority Climate Data, Services, Assessments

Projects that contribute directly to providing access to new climate information, data products, and services that enable Canadians to readily account for future climate conditions in their decision strategies, actions, and planning and infrastructure investments. Specifically, projects within the following categories:

1. Freshwater availability:
   1. Projections of water cycle variables: Analysis of current climate projections and/or development of new projections (to 2100) of key water cycle variables across all of Canada or for select Canadian watersheds, using Earth system models or regional climate models across a range of climate change scenarios. Relevant topic areas are: river runoff projections, freshwater supply and demand projections, and the use of high-resolution simulations to provide projections across key Canadian watersheds that would benefit from enhanced spatial resolution (e.g., mountainous regions).
2. Canada-focused projections:
   1. Regional Modelling: Regional downscaling of climate projections and predictions in the atmosphere and ocean to provide higher resolution information about regional climate change for Canada.
   2. Storm Surge Modelling: Development and application of deep-learning-based models to simulate historical and future coastal water levels that integrate storm surge and wave reanalysis and dynamical model projections. Development of statistical methods and guidance to define, characterize and analyze coastal compound events considering the interaction between marine (storm surge, waves), fluvial (streamflow) and atmospheric (precipitation, winds) physical processes affecting key coastal hazards.
3. Climate modelling:
   1. Parameterizations: Development of parameterizations of physical and biogeochemical processes to be used within Canadian Earth System Models.
   2. Earth System Model Development: Development of physics, dynamics, infrastructure and configurations of with the [Canadian Earth System Model / integrated climate modelling system] to support climate science applications.
   3. Analysis and Application of Canadian Earth System Model or Regional Model (CanESM/CanRCM): Conducting simulations with models, and/or analyzing the output of such models to address specific scientific or policy questions.

Stream 2 – Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

Projects must address at least one of the following themes as they contribute to the floodplain mapping process: climate change considerations, understanding of various flood mechanisms, and/or integration of uncertainty.

1. Climate change considerations for floodplain mapping: Develop or improve engineering tools, methods, or guidance to allow the integration of climate projections into floodplain mapping products. Strengthen floodplain modelling and mapping science and practice through the development of methodologies that integrate historical observations, reanalysis model output, and climate-based scenarios.
2. Flood mechanisms for floodplain mapping: Strengthen floodplain modelling and mapping science and practice through the development of datasets, information, models and/or tools that support floodplain mapping for various flood mechanisms:
   1. fluvial: inundation adjacent to rivers or lakes caused by extreme rainfall, snowmelt and/or ice jams;
   2. coastal: inundation of shorelines along an ocean or large lake caused by a combination of erosion, wave action, storm surges, tides, and/or tsunamis; and
   3. pluvial: inundation caused by extreme rainfall, not necessarily near water bodies.
3. Integration of uncertainty within floodplain mapping: Accounting for uncertainty (in both model outputs/analyses and future climate projections) is a key component of this program. Hydrologic and meteorological parameters required for floodplain mapping can be highly uncertain, and climate change will increase this uncertainty. Based on the research conducted, develop methodologies for accounting for uncertainty (including the use of pilot sites to demonstrate method and results) and communicating uncertainty to stakeholders.

FHIMP will fund projects that both advance the science of current and next generation (dynamic) flood mapping.

1. Current generation mapping includes flood mapping methods that produce static flood maps that identify flood hazard areas based on scenarios developed from historical hydrometeorological data (return periods and/or design storms) and/or select future scenarios.
2. Next generation mapping includes flood mapping methods that produce dynamic flood maps that identify flood hazard areas based on multiple scenarios incorporating information on anticipated climate change and/or other changes impacting the area of interest. These maps may be used for near real-time emergency management or other flood response.

Stream 3 – Hydrologic Prediction

Projects must address at least one of the following priority areas as they contribute to hydrologic prediction and flow forecasting: data requirements, hydrologic/hydraulic modelling, statistical and artificial intelligence approaches, data and information management, communications.

1. Data requirements: data required for operational hydrologic prediction purposes, including hydrometric observations, in-situ and satellite data, streamlines, river and lakes information, land-use data, historical / climatological data and information, etc.
2. Hydrologic/hydraulic modelling: contributions to model calibration, validation, operational setup and application, or to improved physical process representation of Canadian hydrology.
3. Statistical and artificial intelligence approaches: pre- and post-processing of surface or river conditions for flow forecasting at real-time to seasonal timescales, assessment and reduction of uncertainty in deterministic, ensemble or multi-model predictions, and in real-time forecasting applications.
4. Data and information management: contributions that improve operational workflows, data management systems, data harmonization, and information management.
5. Communications: guidance on effective operational hydrologic prediction and flow forecast messaging, effective coordination of multi-jurisdictional messaging, approaches for communication with the public, engagement and involvement of stakeholders, as well as Indigenous communities, groups or representatives.

Stream 4 – Innovation in Hydrometry

Projects must address at least one of the following priority areas that have the potential to improve and advance hydrometric monitoring and hydrologic services in Canada:

1. Investigating emerging hydrometric measurement technologies and methods: Includes testing and developing alternative streamflow measurement technologies where current proved methods are not feasible due to environmental conditions, cost, timeliness, and safety, including assessment of non-contact methods such as image velocimetry, surface velocity radars, camera-based systems for obtaining or validating water level, and use of station cameras for monitoring site conditions and aid in data production process.
2. Improving winter hydrometry: Includes investigating alternative data computation techniques and assessment of additional ice affected (winter) streamflow measurement techniques to supplement current measurement and data production strategies for ice affected streamflow data.
3. Quantification of uncertainties and assessment of quality of hydrometric observations: Includes investigating the use and reporting of uncertainty with hydrometric data products, and the development of automated tools to evaluate the quality of hydrometric observations.
4. Optimizing hydrometric operations: Includes improving the timeliness of hydrometric data production through improved workflows and management of data from the field, and improvements to the hydrometric data production systems.
5. Optimizing hydrometric network design: Includes investigating hydrometric network design principles and the development of tools and methods to contribute to the development of an optimized and representative hydrometric network.
6. Satellite based hydrometric monitoring: Includes use of remote sensing to support hydrometric data monitoring and dynamic surface water mapping.

Funding available

Stream 1 – Priority Climate Data, Services, and Assessments

Total available funding per fiscal year:

• 2024-2025: $325,000
• 2025-2026: $325,000
• 2026-2027: $325,000
• 2027-2028: $325,000

Stream 2 – Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

Total available funding per fiscal year:

• 2024-2025: $800,000
• 2025-2026: $800,000
• 2026-2027: $800,000
• 2027-2028: $240,000

Stream 3 – Hydrologic Prediction

Total available funding per fiscal year:

• 2024-2025: $300,000
• 2025-2026: $300,000
• 2026-2027: $300,000
• 2027-2028: $300,000

Stream 4 – Innovation in Hydrometry

Total available funding per fiscal year:

• 2024-2025: $80,000
• 2025-2026: $80,000
• 2026-2027: $80,000
• 2027-2028: $80,000

To apply

Applicant Guide

When you are ready to apply, submit your project proposal through the Grants and Contributions Enterprise Management System.

The deadline for submitting an application is 3:00 p.m. E.T. on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

Contact us

SetC_SNAPHI-GandC_NASHPI@ec.gc.ca