Agriculture Water Demand Model
Last updated on May 28, 2026The Agriculture Water Demand Model (AWDM) estimates how much water agriculture needs across British Columbia, under current and future climate conditions. These estimates support watershed and local government planning, agricultural water supply studies, and water infrastructure planning.
In areas where water use metering is not required, actual agricultural water use is often not known. The model helps fill this information gap with reliable estimates of water demand to support long‑term water security planning.
The AWDM is used by provincial, local, and First Nations governments, agricultural water suppliers, and researchers. By providing a clear picture of agricultural water needs, the AWDM helps inform decisions that strengthen agricultural water security across the province.
Download the Agriculture Water Demand Model Factsheet (PDF, 1.1 MB) for more information.
To estimate irrigation or livestock water needs for an individual farm, please use the BC Agriculture Water Calculator.
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How the model works
The Agriculture Water Demand Model (AWDM) estimates how much water agriculture needs across British Columbia, now and in the future, under different land use and climate conditions. It uses information on crop water requirements, irrigation practices, soil conditions, and climate to calculate water demand at different scales. Results can be produced for predefined boundaries, such as a regional district or watershed, or a custom study area defined by the requester.
The model can be used to explore how water demand may change under different scenarios, such as improvements in irrigation efficiency or future climate conditions. It can also assess the effects of bringing suitable unused land into irrigated production where infrastructure could be developed.
The model relies on information from the Agricultural Land Inventory to understand what crops are being grown, where irrigation already exists, and where irrigation could realistically be expanded in the future. It combines this information with soil types and climate data, including future climate projections, to estimate how much water different crops require for optimal growth. For livestock, the model uses typical herd sizes and standard water‑use rates to estimate animal water needs.
At its core, the model uses a soil–water balance approach to estimate net crop water needs during the growing season for irrigated agriculture. It considers how crops grow over time, how much water the soil can store, daily temperature conditions, and natural water inputs such as rainfall and stored soil moisture. The remaining water requirement is the amount that needs to be supplied through irrigation. The model also considers the efficiency of different types of irrigation systems to estimate how much water would need to be delivered to meet these needs.
For a more detailed explanation of the model’s methodology, please refer to the Agriculture Water Demand Model Factsheet (PDF)
Figure 1: A simplified representation of spatial data layers of data on an area of land. The Agriculture Water Demand Model integrates factors such as crop type, soil type, climate, and irrigation system to estimate water demand for a specified area.
| Crop type | Irrigated area (ha) |
Irrigation demand (m3) |
Average required (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa | 2,593.4 | 21,110,112 | 814 |
| Greenhouse | 69.4 | 517,503 | 746 |
| Vegetable | 43.0 | 2,480,469 | 578 |
| Total | 2,705.8 | 21,876,084 | 808 |
How to access the model
There are several options for accessing the AWDM depending on your needs.
Existing reports may be available for your region of interest and can serve as a starting point or overview, depending on the level of detail needed. New and updated reports are in development and will be added as they are completed. Contact us to ask about the availability of new data for your area of interest.
- Agriculture Water Demand Model factsheet - revised Sept 2015 (PDF, 1.1 MB) Update coming soon
- Report for qathet Regional District June 2020 (PDF, 1.4 MB)
- Report for Sunshine Coast Regional District April 2020 (PDF, 1.3 MB)
- Report for Capital Regional District November 2019 (PDF, 1.3 MB)
- Report for Salt Spring Island December 2017 (PDF, 5.5 MB)
- Report for the Regional District of Central Kootenay June 2017 (PDF, 5.9 MB)
- Report for the City of Kamloops May 2016 (PDF, 3.6 MB)
- Report for the Fraser Valley Feb 2015 (PDF, 2.0 MB)
- Report for the Comox Valley Regional District Dec 2014 (PDF, 1.3 MB)
- Report for the Bonaparte Watershed Oct 2013 (PDF, 5.3 MB)
- Report for the Kettle Watershed Oct 2013 (PDF, 2.7MB)
- Report for the Nicola Watershed Oct 2013 (PDF, 2.0MB)
- Report for the Similkameen Watershed Oct 2013 (PDF, 2.2 MB)
- Report for Metro Vancouver June 2013 (PDF, 7.9 MB)
- Report for the Cowichan Valley Regional District June 2013 (PDF, 4.4 MB)
- Report for the Regional District of Nanaimo May 2013 (PDF, 3.5 MB)
- Report for the North Thompson May 2013 (PDF, 4.0 MB)
- Report for the Okanagan Basin Feb 2010 (PDF, 9.0 MB)
The AWDM online tool is a simplified version of the full model. It is designed for quick, high-level queries using a limited set of features and climate data.
The tool is available at no cost, subject to approval. Access is currently limited to local governments and researchers.
To request access, please email admin@bcagwaterdemandmodel.ca with your name, email address, organization, and a brief description of how you intend to use the model.
Custom AWDM modelling requests allow you to adjust the inputs and outputs, so the results fit your specific project needs. To submit a custom modelling request, please email admin@bcagwaterdemandmodel.ca. Please note that there may be a fee for custom modelling.