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Westhoek Handzamevallei > Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can be used to summarize what we know about how water moves in the Handzamevallei. Precipitation can be understood as the main trigger of the water cycle, setting off a series of processes in the landscape. Some of the water is intercepted by plants, some infiltrates into the ground, where it may stay near the surface to support plant growth or move deeper to slowly recharge groundwater (GW). Over time, groundwater can also flow back into rivers and streams, contributing to water availability during drier periods. In cases where the soil is already full of water or the surface is sealed, excess water may instead flow overland reaching ditches and smaller streams contributing eventually to the river discharge (flow).
KPIs can capture different parts of the water cycle and offer a practical way to summarize results from hydrological models, turning large amounts of simulation data into clear and useful insights. With the right set of KPIs, it becomes easier to describe how water interacts with the existing physical environment over time, understand the impacts of water scarcity or water surplus on society, and select effective adaptation strategies for high flows, droughts, and other water-related climate challenges.
Note: This map shows KPIs for the current climate (2010–2019). You can explore the impacts of the adaptation strategies on the KPIs here.
Read more on the selected set of KPIs for the Handzamevallei ▼ Expand
Drought does not always look the same, as it can affect different parts of the environment. Scientists often talk about three main types of droughts. Drought usually begins when a region experiences very little or no rainfall over an extended period. If these dry weather conditions persist, the amount of water in rivers, streams, and underground sources, such as aquifers become unusually low (hydrological drought). This can affect water availability for both people and nature. When there is a reduced supply of moisture in the soil to support healthy plant growth (agricultural drought). This type of drought is especially important for farmers, as it can reduce crop yields. These different droughts are interconnected, with meteorological drought often triggering the others. Understanding how often dry days occur can help us anticipate and respond to the impacts of drought on water resources and agriculture practices.
Just like we track dry conditions, we can also use KPIs to understand how often unusually wet conditions happen (high-flow occurrence) and how intense they are likely to be (high-flow magnitude). Water levels provide an additional indication of when rivers are approaching critical conditions. Unusually wet conditions can lead to practical problems in agricultural areas, compromising planned farming activities. For instance, if groundwater levels are too close to the surface, it can be challenging for farmers to access their fields to plant, care for, or harvest crops. One way to address this issue is to monitor how deep or shallow the groundwater levels are at specific locations during the growing season (depth to groundwater level). These local conditions are important when thinking about how to adapt our landscape and farming practices to a changing climate. To explore the model in more detail, localized model outputs of discharge and groundwater are also available at selected points.
A summary of the KPIs covering both wet and dry conditions, as well as local needs in the Handzamevallei can be found in Table 1.
| KPI category | Indicator | Intended use | Data requirements & methodology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Hydrological drought How often do low-flow conditions occur? Total number of hydrological dry days per season |
Quantify low-flow occurrence under current climate and assess whether adaptation strategies can reduce their occurrence | Simulated daily discharge data; count number of dry days (see section below for the definition) summed per season over a 10-year interval |
| Agricultural drought How often do crops experience water stress? Total number of agricultural dry days in spring and summer |
Quantify the frequency of agricultural droughts under current climate and assess whether adaptation strategies can reduce their occurrence | Simulated average water content in the rootzone; count number of dry days (average water content in the rootzone below a crop-specific threshold) summed in spring and summer over a 10-year interval | |
| High flows | High-flow occurrence How often are flows unusually high compared to typical conditions? Total number of unusually wet days per season |
Quantify how often unusual high flows occur under current climate and assess whether adaptation strategies can reduce their frequency | Simulated daily discharge data; count wet days (daily discharge ≥ 95th percentile) per season over a 10-year interval |
| High-flow magnitude How often do flows reach magnitudes that resemble peak winter conditions in any season? Total number of days that daily discharge exceeds average peak daily winter flows |
Quantify how often flows reach high-magnitude conditions (winter peak-like) and evaluate how adaptation strategies can reduce their occurrence | Simulated daily discharge data; count days when daily discharge exceeds known critical thresholds summed per season over a 10-year interval | |
| Water level How often are critical water levels exceeded? Total number of days that water levels exceed a fixed reference level (i.e., waakpeil) at key locations |
Quantify how often high water level conditions occur under current climate and evaluate how adaptation strategies influence these exceedances | Simulated daily water level data; count the number of days per season when water level exceeds a predefined threshold (waakpeil), over a 10-year interval | |
| Stakeholders' needs | Depth to groundwater level How often are critical water levels exceeded? Total number of shallow groundwater days |
Identify field trafficability conditions by monitoring the depth to GW level | Simulated daily GW level data; identify periods when depth to GW level ≤ 70 cm during spring, summer and autumn |
| Localized Model Outputs | Discharge, groundwater levels What are the simulated discharge and groundwater conditions at specific locations? Direct outputs of the hydrological model can be inspected |
Discharge and groundwater levels at selected points are available for direct inspection | Simulated daily discharge and groundwater level data |
Explore each section below to learn more about the different KPIs.
Note: This map shows KPIs for the current climate (2010–2019). You can explore the impacts of the adaptation strategies on the KPIs here.
Drought
High flows
Stakeholders' needs
Localized Model Outputs
Drought KPIs
Drought indicators describe water scarcity through impacts on river flows and soil moisture. They help identify when and where adaptation is needed.
High-flow KPIs
Flood indicators assess the frequency and magnitude of high flow events that may cause inundation and damage. These KPIs use statistical thresholds (95th percentile) and system-specific bottlenecks to identify critical flood conditions.
Stakeholders' Needs KPIs
Stakeholder-driven indicators address specific concerns raised by local agricultural communities, particularly regarding groundwater levels that can impact crop productivity and field accessibility.
Localized Model Outputs
The Handzamevaart catchment model provides detailed outputs of key hydrological variables, such as discharge and groundwater levels, at selected locations. Select a model output using the dropdown to explore available results.
ⓘ Map interaction (6 discharge points + 20 groundwater stations with time-series on click) — implementation tracked as WH-078 (Discharge) and WH-079 (Groundwater levels).