Water Stewardship Information Sources

Citation Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment. 2011. Selected tools to evaluate water monitoring networks for climate change adaptation. CCME PN 1464.
Organization CCME
URL http://www.ccme.ca/files/Resources/water/pn_1464_wmcc_tools_en.pdf
Abstract/Description or Keywords The impacts of a changing climate are evident in every region of Canada. Planned adaptation to
climate change (the result of deliberate policy decisions based on an awareness of changing
conditions) requires decision-makers to understand the degree to which a system is susceptible to
and able to cope with adverse effects of climate change.
Governments and water managers can use existing water monitoring networks to gather
information needed to plan for and assess possible adaptations to a changing climate. However,
because of resource constraints, it is usually not possible for jurisdictions to enhance all
monitoring networks in all watersheds to provide information for assessing and adapting to
climate change impacts.
Selected Tools to Evaluate Water Monitoring Networks for Climate Change Adaptation is a
reference document for non-specialist water managers and climate change adaptation planners.
The document was developed to help Canadian federal, provincial and territorial governments
determine the suitability of their water monitoring networks to provide the data needed to plan
for and to adapt to a changing climate. It describes proven and practical ways for jurisdictions to
set priorities for water monitoring networks for climate change adaptation, and then evaluate the
ability of these networks to provide the data needed to support climate change adaptation needs.
However as the impacts of climate change vary by location, the priorities and evaluations will,
by necessity, be jurisdiction- and region-specific. Prioritisation and evaluation will help
jurisdictions decide whether (and how) to add or reduce stations, add hydrologic parameters, or
change the frequency and timing of sampling and ultimately better support climate change
adaptation planning. Establishing Priorities: Setting priorities for water monitoring networks for climate change
adaption can be done in a number of ways, ranging from qualitative approaches, such as
workshops, to rigorous quantitative analyses or modelling. In a review of possible methods for
setting priorities for water monitoring networks to support climate change adaptation, three
methods were identified as requiring only a limited amount of data that are readily available,
have the greatest flexibility in terms of scale of applicability and do not require a high level of
expertise:
1) Basic Valuation Methods for Ecosystem Services
2) Ombrothermic Analysis
3) Water Resources Vulnerability Indicators Analysis

Appendix A of the document describes these three methods for setting priorities for water
monitoring networks for climate change adaptation.
Evaluating Existing Monitoring Networks: Evaluating water monitoring networks for climate
change adaptation considers the capacity and suitability of existing monitoring networks to
provide the data required for a jurisdiction’s climate change adaptation management objectives.
A review identified three evaluation methods based on the following attributes: applicability at different scales; relatively moderate expertise and data requirements; and ability to produce
results that are commensurate with the monitoring objectives in terms of scope and level of
detail. The three methods are:
1) Audit Approach
2) Monte Carlo Network Degradation Approach
3) Multivariate Methods
Appendix B of the document describes these three methods for evaluating existing water
monitoring networks for climate change adaptation information needs.
Appendices A and B provide a detailed description of each of the six methods, background
information on the concepts and terms used in the method, and notes on the resources required
and on the method’s applicability and limitations. Illustrated examples from studies that have
used the method are included as well as references to additional information.
Appendix C of the document contains a glossary, information sources and a subject index. The
information sources are presented as an annotated list which is organised thematically.
Information Type report
Regional Watershed Province
Sub-watershed if known
Aquifer #
Comments
Project status complete
Contact Name
Contact Email