Hungry Horse Dam – one of the potential locations where prize competition solvers will test their contest solutions.
WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Reclamation is launching a Water Supply Forecast Rodeo prize competition to spur innovation and advancements in methods for seasonal water supply prediction. Water supply forecasts are crucial for effective water resource management in the Western U.S. Improved forecast accuracy will help water managers mitigate the impacts of drought, improve hydropower generation, and meet environmental targets.
Reclamation is making a $500,000 prize pool available through this competition.
"Seasonal water supply forecasts are critical to informing water management and operations across the Western U.S.," said Reclamation Chief Engineer David Raff. "Improving seasonal forecasts will allow water managers to better meet all of the needs for water including irrigation, hydropower generation, and the environment."
In this challenge, solvers will work as individuals or teams to develop water supply forecast models that predict seasonal runoff volumes at 26 sites across the Western U.S., while also characterizing forecast uncertainty and offering insights into forecasted conditions.
The competition includes both hindcast and forecast stages. The hindcast stage is where solvers will demonstrate skill in predicting past conditions and the forecast stage where solvers will predict water supply during the winter and spring of 2024.
Reclamation is partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA Tournament Lab, and DrivenData for this competition. To learn more about this competition, please visit https://www.drivendata.org/competitions/group/reclamation-water-supply-forecast/
