Binational Water Quality Modeling Using SPARROW – Development of Models for Transboundary Watersheds

Year
2017
Topic

Water Quality

Project Description

SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) is a watershed model that relates patterns in water quality to human activities and natural processes. Using existing monitoring data, SPARROW analyses the water quality of streams, rivers, and lakes in relation to the location and relative intensity of contaminant sources, landscape characteristics, and environmental factors. This means that SPARROW models can follow the transport of modelled contaminants and nutrients from inland watersheds downstream to larger water bodies, keeping track of their origins and fates. The output of SPARROW models is a spatial representation of total nutrient load and yield, broken down by watershed. In addition, the model can produce a breakdown of the different sources of these nutrients ranging from human activities and land use practices, to environmental sources including agricultural activity, atmospheric deposition, and more. This data can be explored using Interactive Mappers. Through these mappers, the relationships between contaminant transport, human activities, and natural processes can be visualised through an interactive map and nutrient source charts. They also act as a location to download the model data and results from the SPARROW model.

Outcome

Complete

Partners

ECCC, AAFC, OMECC, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Stats Can, Province of Manitoba, Province Saskatchewan