On July 14, 2023 ICLR hosted a Friday Forum webinar titled 'Towards a coherent flood forecasting framework for Canada', led by Dr. Louise Arnal, University of Saskatchewan, and Dr. Alain Pietroniro, University of Calgary.

Operational flood forecasting in Canada is a provincial responsibility. However, the increasing costs and impacts of floods require better and nationally coordinated flood prediction systems. A more coherent flood forecasting framework for Canada can enable implementing advanced prediction capabilities across the different entities with responsibility for flood forecasting. Recently, the Canadian meteorological and hydrological services were tasked to develop a national flow guidance system. In addition, progress has been made in cold regions process understanding, hydrological modeling, and forecasting. A community of practice was established for industry, academia, and decision-makers to share viewpoints on hydrological challenges. Taken together, these initiatives are paving the way towards a national flood forecasting framework. This presentation highlighted these initiatives, alongside recommendations to promote the creation of this framework.

Dr. Louise Arnal is a Research Associate with Global Water Futures at the University of Saskatchewan in Canmore. Her research focuses on advancing the science and practice of ensemble hydrological forecasting. As an artist and scientist, Louise also aims to further science engagement through the fusion of science and art. She is the lead curator of the Virtual Water Gallery science-art project and an active member of the HEPEX global community in hydrological ensemble prediction.

Dr. Alain Pietroniro is an internationally recognized expert in hydrology and sustainable water systems and a full Professor of Civil Engineering at University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering. His research focuses on improving and evaluating hydrologic models, understanding the impact of climate variability on water resources, and developing next-generation hydrological modeling systems. Dr. Pietroniro has previously served as the Executive Director for the National Hydrological Service, including managing the Water Survey of Canada.

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