KNMI, Deltares and Rijkswaterstaat receive funding for innovative modeling lab

The organizations will build a digital facility that enables the development of a new generation of simulation models for applications in meteorology, water management and climate adaptation. Simulation models are digital computational models that help to better understand and predict natural phenomena such as rainfall and its effect on water levels. These models are indispensable for, for example, issuing timely warnings during storms, threats of flooding or water nuisance, during water shortages or in cases of contamination. The models are also used to understand how the Netherlands can best adapt to climate change.

The new facility will be a test and development environment to leverage new computational techniques such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum algorithms and graphics processors for reliable models in weather, climate and water research: with standardized methodologies, reproducible results, scalable computing power and efficient testing methods.

The current physics-based models, which have proven their value for many years, will be accelerated and refined

New AI models form a powerful addition to the existing model portfolio of KNMI, Deltares and Rijkswaterstaat.

Yann Friocourt, functional manager of modeling tools at Rijkswaterstaat: “Models for weather, water and climate are crucial for the work of Rijkswaterstaat. They help us protect the Netherlands from flooding, ensure sufficient fresh water, and regulate smooth and safe shipping traffic. It's good to see that with the creation of this lab we will develop new architectures and working methods to enable even better and more reliable models.”

The urgency is great: climate change, the increasing pressure on water systems and the energy transition call for faster, more accurate and more explainable models.

Think, for example, of accelerating and improving models to predict the availability of fresh water and to optimize its distribution during dry periods. Or of faster and more accurate models for the Water Management Centre Netherlands (WMCN) to predict water levels 24/7 for effective water management and shipping traffic management. Emerging new digital technologies offer opportunities to make models more efficient and improve them, but they do require new working methods and digital infrastructures. That is what can be achieved with this investment by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Hanneke van der Klis (Deltares): “With this funding we can make a major leap forward in the application of new technology in all those models that are so important in our sectors. Moreover, this new facility will make collaboration so much easier, between model developers and users, and between our worlds of weather and water. In this way we jointly build a new generation of models that better prepare the Netherlands and the world for tomorrow’s challenges.”

iML-WKW is a collaboration between Deltares, KNMI and Rijkswaterstaat, with involvement from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW).

Deltares and KNMI are jointly building this new facility. Rijkswaterstaat contributes concrete use cases from Dutch water management and climate adaptation.

Deltares coordinates the project and monitors progress and cooperation between the partners. Companies, other governments and other knowledge institutions are also actively involved, including through the DigiShape network. In this way, we are not only building a new digital infrastructure, but at the same time a widely accessible ecosystem around the iML-WKW.

Werenfried Spit, manager of R&D Weather and Climate Models at KNMI: “This funding strengthens our collaboration to make and keep the Netherlands safe. We greatly need the opportunities that AI/ML offers for that. We can seize those opportunities by jointly developing and using infrastructure.”

The iML-WKW makes an important contribution to improving the water safety and climate resilience of the Netherlands. The new generation of models that will be developed with it will enable faster and more reliable warnings during extreme weather and water nuisance and allow more efficient water management during drought and salinization. In addition, it contributes to strengthening the Dutch knowledge position and the export of digital solutions. The program also stimulates talent development through close collaboration with universities and fosters innovation through intensive cooperation with private parties.

The iML-WKW connects to existing platforms such as the Anemoi framework of ECMWF and the DigiLab.

The first applications are expected in the first year.