In water resources forecasting, we use weather inputs to predict river flows and water levels. These forecasts provide water managers with the information necessary to manage, in real-time, reservoir releases, hydropower generation, water allocations, and flood warnings. RTI-implemented forecast systems are in place throughout the US and around the world in diverse locations such as New York City, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and for the Panama Canal.
In water supply modeling, we deliver comprehensive watershed modeling capabilities accounting for reservoirs, diversions, agriculture, municipal use, groundwater interaction, etc., to determine water availability and to identify how changes within the basin will affect hydrology. For example, we identify the hydrologic and economic impacts of converting farmland to an urban environment, and how downstream water users would be affected by changed release operations at a dam. In Honduras, we used RTI’s WaterALLOC modeling system to identify the hydrologic and economic impacts of changing water demands in Tegucigalpa and of potential new water supply infrastructure.
For hydrologic risk projects, we run hydrologic and hydraulic models under severe conditions including dam breaks, extreme weather events, and a changing climate. Our model results are used by cities and local and national governments to identify risks and potential economic consequences, allowing them to be better prepared and to better allocate investments based on science-informed results. RTI applied our Rapid Risk Analysis Tool for more than 100 dams throughout India to quantify hydrologic hazards, which allowed the World Bank and the Government of India to evaluate the economic benefits and impacts of proposed dam risk safety improvement projects.
