Challenge

Mountain water resources provide freshwater to more than two billion people worldwide. Snow and ice stored in mountain regions are released gradually through melt, sustaining rivers that supply water to agriculture, households, industry, hydropower, and ecosystems downstream. Climate change is putting this system under pressure. Rising temperatures reduce snow accumulation and accelerate melt, changing when and how much water becomes available during the year. In many regions, peak flows are expected to occur earlier, while water availability during the dry season may decrease. At the same time, extreme events such as floods and landslides are becoming more frequent in mountain areas. These changes coincide with growing water demand downstream, increasing risks for water security, ecosystems, and long-term investments in water and energy infrastructure.

Typical questions

  • How is climate change expected to affect future water availability from mountain regions?
  • How will changes in snow and glacier melt affect rivers downstream?
  • What does this mean for irrigation, drinking water, hydropower, and ecosystems?
  • How exposed are existing and planned water and energy investments to these changes?
  • How can future climate risks in mountain regions be better understood and managed?

FutureWater approach

FutureWater is specialized in understanding mountain hydrology, how it is changing, and what this means for water availability downstream. We combine scientific analysis with applied consultancy to support planning, adaptation, and investment decisions in mountain and downstream regions. We use hydrological models, including our in-house Spatial Processes in Hydrology (SPHY) model, to assess how climate change affects snow, meltwater, and river flows in mountain regions, including areas with limited data. In addition, FutureWater applies machine learning techniques to improve the spatiotemporal representation of rainfall, snow and melt processes in mountain regions by combining climate data, satellite observations, and in situ measurements. Combined, these analyses are used to assess future water availability, changes in seasonality, and interactions with water demand.

FutureWater supports hydropower planning by analysing future river flows and their implications for power generation and investment risks. We also carry out climate risk assessments for mountainous regions across multiple sectors. Our assessments are carried out at different spatial scales, from individual catchments to large river basins. A key element of our approach is linking upstream changes in mountain regions to downstream impacts, supporting integrated water resources management across the water-food-energy nexus.

Our Solutions


Hydrological Modelling

SPHY is a spatial water balance model that integrates hydrological processes and is flexible in scale and time. We apply SPHY in various projects, such as understanding hydrological changes, watershed management, irrigation management, runoff forecasting, land degradation and restoration, energy assessment and hydroclimatic extremes research. The model can be adapted to different climatic conditions and uses different input data.


Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus

WaterMaps is the web portal where our geo-data products and results are brought together, derived from various water-related projects and services around the world. WaterMaps contains a growing collection of interactive analysis and information products used to assess the effects of floods, droughts, irrigation, hydropower and food production.

 

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