Athabasca River

Canada: Widespread water deficits to persist in the East

Canada: Widespread water deficits to persist in the East

The forecast through December indicates many areas of intense water deficit in the Maritimes, Newfoundland, Quebec, and Ontario. Widespread surpluses are expected in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Surpluses in British Columbia will be intense near Kelowna.

Canada: Water surpluses to increase from Toronto to Lake Huron

Canada: Water surpluses to increase from Toronto to Lake Huron

The forecast through July indicates that conditions from the westernmost point of the Ottawa River stretching east to the Gulf of St. Lawrence will transition out of exceptional water surplus to milder anomalies, while conditions around Montreal and near Ottawa transition to moderate surplus, and surpluses from Toronto to Lake Huron increase and intensify. Deficits will cover much of the nation, with intense deficits on Vancouver Island and surpluses in southeastern British Columbia.

Canada: Intense water deficits to retreat from Ottawa-Gatineau Watershed

Canada: Intense water deficits to retreat from Ottawa-Gatineau Watershed

The forecast through June indicates that exceptional deficits will retreat from Quebec’s Ottawa-Gatineau Watershed; surpluses in Northern Ontario will transition to deficit; and deficits in the Middle Reaches of the Athabasca River Watershed in Alberta will become exceptional. Primarily moderate deficits are forecast across southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Intense surpluses will emerge in the Columbia River Basin in British Columbia, and deficits near Vancouver will persist but downgrade.

Canada: Water deficits forecast to persist in Ottawa-Gatineau Watershed

Canada: Water deficits forecast to persist in Ottawa-Gatineau Watershed

The major changes forecast through May are that exceptional water deficits will shrink in Quebec though large pockets will persist, and widespread surpluses in Northern Ontario will transition to deficit. As for major population areas, intense deficits are forecast for Southern Ontario and through southern Quebec; near Vancouver, British Columbia; near Winnipeg, Manitoba; and surrounding Regina, Saskatchewan. Deficits of varying intensity are forecast in many parts of the country. In British Columbia, surpluses will increase in the southeast and transition to deficit in the southwest.

ISciences Worldwide Water Watch List 15 February 2019

ISciences Worldwide Water Watch List 15 February 2019

Regions forecast to have significant water deficits for the 12-month period from November 2018 through October 2019 include: Quebec (Canada), Finland, Latvia, Somalia, Angola, Iran, Thailand, Cambodia, and Australia. Areas with a forecast of significant water surplus include: Kansas and Texas (US), Paraguay, Uruguay, Syria, Tanzania, and China. This Watch List is based on ISciences Water Security Indicator Model (WSIM) run on 8 February 2019.