TORONTO AND REGION SOURCE PROTECTION AREA

Water Balance Web Application Development

Anderson, Kristina
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT

The CTC Source Protection Region (CTC SPR) is one of 19 Source Protection Regions and Areas in Ontario created
under the Clean Water Act, 2006, comprising the jurisdictions of Credit Valley Conservation, Toronto and Region
Conservation Authority and Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority.

The approved Source Protection Plan (SPP) developed by the CTC SPR under the Clean Water Act, 2006 took effect
December 31, 2015. One of the policies in the CTC SPP, Policy REC-1, pertains to the WHPA-Q2 a type of Well Head
Protection Area comprising the land around a municipal water well where changes in recharge could affect the quantity
of water extractable from the well.

York Region requested that TRCA implement Policy REC-1 on behalf of the Planning Approval Authority (lower tier
municipalities). This policy, in effect, requires applicants to complete water balance assessments for future activities
proposed under the Planning Act. It also requires that proponents demonstrate that their projects will maintain the
estimated pre-development groundwater recharge.

To assist with site-specific water balance assessments, TRCA has released maps of precipitation, evapotranspiration,
runoff, and recharge based on outputs from the numerical models developed under the York Region Tier 3 modeling
exercise. This mapping has been available to consultants in electronic form upon request.

To improve service delivery, TRCA decided to pursue releasing the mapping on a web platform that will allow proponents
to determine the water balance components on their own. TRCA decided upon a web map application that will utilize a
Summary Widget tool.

The Summary Widget tool requires that a single table to operate in the background, and as a result, TRCA staff
combined the four model outputs representing different components of a water balance. The widget will then average all
cells within a view extent for each of the water balance components and display summarized results on the widget panel.

1 INTRODUCTION

The CTC Source Protection Region (CTC SPR) is one of

19 Source Protection Regions and Areas in Ontario
created under the Clean Water Act, 2006, comprising the
jurisdictions of Credit Valley Conservation, Toronto and
Region Conservation Authority and Central Lake Ontario
Conservation Authority. The approved Source Protection
Plan (SPP) developed by the CTC SPR under the Clean
Water Act, 2006 took effect December 31, 2015. One of
the policies in the CTC SPP, Policy REC-1, pertains to the
WHPA-Q2 a type of Well Head Protection Area
comprising the land around a municipal water well where
changes in recharge could affect the quantity of water
extractable from the well.

1.1 Resource Management Area Figure 1: WHPA-Q2 (informally referred to as the

York Region requested that TRCA implement Policy REC-
1 on behalf of the Planning Approval Authority (lower tier
municipalities). This policy, in effect, requires applicants to
complete water balance assessments for future activities
proposed under the Planning Act. It also requires that
proponents demonstrate that their projects will maintain
the estimated pre-development groundwater recharge.
Recharge Management Area)
1.2 Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas
The Modified York Region Official Plan 2010 (York
Region 2016) contains Policy 2.3.7 which states That in
significant groundwater recharge areas development will
maintain pre-development recharge rates to the fullest
extent possible and Policy 2.3.8 which states An
application for major development within significant
groundwater recharge areas shall be accompanied by an
Infiltration Management Plan that demonstrates pre-
development recharge rates will be maintained for
industrial, commercial, institutional, medium and high
density residential development, as deemed necessary by
the local municipality. These two policies are new to the
modified official plan and, in conjunction with the REC-1
policy, work to create more demand for water balance
mapping in electronic format.
1.3 Humber and Rouge Watershed Plans
Ecologically Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas
direct the utilization of Low Impact Development
technologies at a more local scale than Significant
Groundwater Recharge Areas often guiding the
maintenance of a post to pre feature based water
balance. Ecologically Significant Groundwater Recharge
Areas have been mapped for all of Lake Simcoe Region
Conservation Authority; however, within TRCA,
Ecologically Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas
have only been mapped within the Humber and Rouge
Watersheds. The mapping was created for the respective
watershed plans using particle tracking. The methodology
was later refined within Lake Simcoe Region
Conservation Authority and Central Lake Ontario
Conservation Authority. TRCA intends to map
Ecologically Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas for
all nine of its subbasins in the next generation of
watershed plans utilizing the methodology developed by
its neighbouring conservation authorities.
Figure 2: Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas and
Ecologically Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas
within the portion of Recharge Management Area within
TRCA
1.4 Policy Implications
To assist with site-specific water balance assessments,
TRCA has released maps of precipitation,
evapotranspiration, runoff, and recharge based on outputs
from the numerical models developed under the York
Region Tier 3 modeling exercise. This mapping had been
previously available to consultants in electronic form upon
request.
1.5 Service Delivery
The demand for such electronic mapping was significant
enough to free up several staff hours per month when the
maps were released on the TRSPA website.
To improve service delivery, TRCA decided to pursue
releasing the mapping on a web platform that will allow
proponents to determine the water balance components
on their own. TRCA decided upon a web map application
that will utilize a Summary Widget tool.
2 METHODOLOGY
The Summary Widget tool requires that a single table to
operate in the background, and as a result, TRCA staff
combined the four model outputs representing different
components of a water balance. The widget will then
average all cells within a view extent for each of the water
balance components and display summarized results on
the widget panel. Further information on the widget is
available at the following link:
https://doc.arcgis.com/en/web-appbuilder/create-
apps/widget-summary.htm.
2.1 Data Classification Methods
Each water balance component will be displayed on the
web application and various colour schemes and
classification methods are being considered such as
Natural breaks (Jenks) and Geometrical interval. Further
information on data classification may be found at the
following link: http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-
app/help/mapping/symbols-and-styles/data-classification-
methods.htm.
To help illustrate this point, the four components of the
water balance (i.e. precipitation, evapotranspiration,
runoff, and recharge) are presented using both Natural
breaks (Jenks) and Geometrical intervals are presented in
Figures 2 to 5.
Figure 3: Precipitation Layer Geometric Interval versus
Natural Breaks (or Jenks)
Figure 4: Evapotranspiration Layer Geometric Interval
versus Natural Breaks (or Jenks)
Figure 5: Runoff Layer Geometric Interval versus Natural
Breaks (or Jenks)
Figure 6: Recharge Layer Geometric Interval versus
Natural Breaks (or Jenks)
The Geometric Interval Classification was selected to
create a balance between highlighting changes in the
middle values and the extreme values.
2.2 Symbols and Styles
A 20 interval colour ramp was selected. Consultants had
applied different colour ramps to different components of
the water balance. But, using a single colour ramp
provides a visual clue as to the portion of the water
balance each component represented.
3 DISCUSSION
The York Tier 3 (YT3) Model developed by Earthfx Inc.
was delivered to the Regional Municipality of York in
2013. It was built using GSFLOW, an integrated modeling
platform released by the USGS that couples together
MODFLOW with PRMS, two previously independent
groundwater and water budget models, respectively.
3.1 Background
The recharge layers provided in the CTC source
protection plan were a product of the York Tier 3 Steady
State model. The York Tier transient model has already
been rerun and TRCA intends to make the water balance
parameters (precipitations, evapotranspiration, runoff and
recharge) outputs from the transient model run available
online to improved service delivery of the REC-1 policy of
the CTC source protection plan.
3.2 Proposal
TRSPA requested the funds to update the code of the
York Tier 3 transient model in order to bring the model
code back into native files
3.3 Rationale
The YT3 model was assembled in Earthfx's Viewlog
system and as such has had some minor code changes
built into the then current GSFLOW executable file. As the
YT3 model now stands, without the Viewlog software it is
not usable with other modelling interfaces, and is not able
to run using the most up-to-date version of GSFLOW
freely available online by the United States Geologic
Survey (USGS).
Design Manual. It is important to note that the MOE
GSFlow model code is available online for free but the
York Tier 3 transient model had modification to the
GSFlow model code. Currently, running the York Tier 3
GSFlow Transient model could be described as a
blackbox with the modifications not being clearly
delineated.
3.4 Benefits
By updating the York Tier 3 transient model code, you are
bringing it back to a state that can be used multiple
parties. Also, an applications native format contains the
maximum information and accuracy a model can hold. For
this reason, many modellers prefer to download files in
their native format as the application in question.
3.5 Implications
By not having the York Tier 3 transient model code in a
state that can be used by multiple parties could use,
TRCA loses something with respect to transparency and
defensibility.
The initiative to make the water balance parameters
outputs from the transient model available online is an
effort both to improve transparency and service delivery.
As applicants and their consultants would then have
access to the same information as the reviewer. By also
making model code available, transparency is further
improved in that not only the information but the
methodology used to obtain the information becomes
available.
The initiative to update the model code would provide an
opportunity to further understand the modifications made
to the GSFlow code and allow us to respond more
intelligently and with more defensibility to questions we
may receive on the methodology used to reach the output
results.
3.6 Next Steps
The most recent USGS release of GSFLOW (Version
1.2.1, released in October 2016) offers features and bug
fixes that would not be taken advantage of if the YT3
model remains locked in its current Viewlog format, which
was built using version 1.1.3 (released in March 2011). In
order to enable future effective use of this model by York
Region, TRCA, LSRCA, and other interested parties (e.g.,
consultants), it is necessary to have the model extracted
from its out-dated proprietary Viewlog format and rebuilt
to run in the native, up-to-date and freely available version
of the GSFLOW model code.
4 CONCLUSION
The water balance tool is to be used by proponents in
conjunction with the Ministry of the Environment (MOE)
hydrologic cycle component values for southern Ontario
basins of the Stormwater Management Planning and
Manual can be used to estimate an infiltration factor for
the site based on topography, soils and cover factors, and
that consistency of methodology pre-development and
post-development is considered best practices.
4.1 Site Water Balance Analysis
The basic water balance for a region can be expressed
as:
P = RO + ET + RE + S
(Thornthwaite and Mather, 1957)
Where,
P = Precipitation (rain and snow)
RO = Runoff
ET = Evapotranspiration
RE = Recharge
S = Change in Storage (assumed to be zero under
steady state conditions)
Figure 7: Water Balance Components (Courtesy of
Conservation Ontario)
Completing a water balance requires the expertise of a
multi-disciplinary team of qualified professionals, typically
including a terrestrial or aquatic ecologist, water
resources engineer, and hydrogeologist. The input and
analysis of appropriate professionals need to be
integrated into the final water balance submission.
4.2 Regional Water Balance Analysis
Modeling undertaken by TRCA and York Region has
yielded a consistent understanding and mapping of water
balance parameters throughout TRCAs jurisdiction as
well as northwards into the jurisdictions of Nottawasaga
Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) and Lake Simcoe
and Region Conservation Authority.
These calculated distributions of recharge, precipitation,
evapotranspiration, and runoff are based on numerical
modelling that was subject to extensive peer review and
acceptance by the Ministry of Natural Resources and
Forestry (MNRF) and the Ministry of the Environment and
Climate Change (MOECC).
4.3 Stakeholder Transparency
Prior to the release of the water balance tool,
approximately nine months after the implementation of the
CTC Source Water Protection Plan, TRCA staff struggled
with the administrative burden as proponents requests for
water budget component mapping/values.
Figure 8: TRSPA Water Balance Tool Disclaimer
(https://trca.ca/conservation/drinking-water-source-
protection/trspa-water-balance-tool/)
To assist with site-specific water balance assessments,
TRCA has released maps of precipitation,
evapotranspiration (actual), runoff, and recharge based
on outputs from the numerical models developed under
the Drinking Water Source Protection Program. This
mapping is available to consultants in electronic form
upon request. These values are based on a regional
assessment of the water balance, and may be supplanted
by site-specific data or modelling.
Figure 9: TRSPA Water Balance Tool Summary Widget
(https://trca.ca/conservation/drinking-water-source-
protection/trspa-water-balance-tool/)
Many proponents have opted for utilizing values from the
water balance components maps based on outputs from
the numerical models in conjunction with a desktop water
balance analysis such as the Thornthwaite and Mather.
The hope is that this tool will reduce the number of
revisions requested and simplify the review process.
Figure 10: TRSPA Water Balance Tool Background
Information (https://trca.ca/conservation/drinking-water-
source-protection/trspa-water-balance-tool/)
5 REFERENCES
CTC. 2015. Approved Source Protection Plan: CTC
Source Protection Region. http://www.ctcswp.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2016/03/RPT_20151231_CTC_Appro
vedSourceProtectionPlan_fnl_UPDATED_DEC6_201
6.pdf (Accessed: May 11, 2017).
CTC. 2015. Explanatory Document: CTC Source
Protection Region. http://www.ctcswp.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2016/03/RPT_20151231_CTC_Expla
natoryDocument_fnl.pdf (Accessed: May 11, 2017).
CVC and TRCA. 2010. Low Impact Development
Stormwater Management Planning and Design Guide.
http://sustainabletechnologies.ca/wp/wp-
content/uploads/2013/01/LID-SWM-Guide-
v1.0_2010_1_no-appendices.pdf (Accessed: May 11,
2017).
LSRCA. 2016. York Region WHPA-Q2 Water Balance
Assessment and Compensation Program. Newmarket,
ON.
MOE. 2003. Stormwater Management Planning and
Design Manual. Toronto, ON.
Thornthwaite, C.W. and Mather, J.R., 1957. Instructions
and Tables for Computing Potential
Evapotranspiration and the Water Balance. Drexel
Institute of Technology, Laboratory of Climatology,
Publications in Climatology, Volume X, Number 3,
Centerton, New Jersey.
TRCA. 2012. Stormwater Management Criteria.
http://sustainabletechnologies.ca/wp/wp-
content/uploads/2013/01/SWM-Criteria-2012.pdf
(Accessed: May 11, 2017).
TRCA. 2013. Assessment of Life Cycle: Costs for Low
Impact Development Stormwater Management
Practices.
http://www.sustainabletechnologies.ca/wp/wp-
content/uploads/2013/05/LID-LCC-final-2013-ES.pdf
(Accessed: May 11, 2017).
TRCA. 2015. Approved Updated Assessment Report:
Toronto and Region Source Protection Area.
http://www.ctcswp.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2016/03/TORONTO_AND_REGION_
ASSESSMENT_REPORT_EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.
pdf (Accessed: May 11, 2017).
TRCA. 2016. Water Balance Assessments within the
York Region WHPA-Q2. https://trca.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2016/04/TRCA_WHPA-
Q_Guidance_FINAL.pdf (Accessed: May 11, 2017).
York Region. 2016. Modified York Region Official Plan
2010.
http://www.york.ca/wps/wcm/connect/yorkpublic/0dc3c
fc2-2e0f-49d2-b523-
dc7c14b08273/15001_yropConsolidation2016Accessi
bleMay42016.pdf?MOD=AJPERES. (Accessed:May
15, 2017).