[Runoff] VITCaM: Virtual Inventory Toolkit for Catchment Management

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The aim of the VITCaM project is to explore new capability for enhanced decision-making in catchment management using innovative visualisation technologies to exploit existing data in novel ways. Recent advances in high resolution mapping from drones has enabled fine resolution 3D catchment models to be built that represent environmental variables, hydrological pathways and risk sources with much greater clarity and detail than ever before. These rich datasets provide the opportunity to visualise catchments in new and novel ways, and can transform a decision-maker's understanding of the sources of diffuse pollution risk to the wider environment and how different catchment pressures interact. We propose a need to move beyond 2D web-based GIS tools and 3D web visualisation to deliver a step-change in decision-making; we will investigate the potential for Augmented-Reality/ Virtual Reality (AR/VR) immersive decision-making experiences whereby physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time to aid exploration of adaptable solutions for better catchment management. We will use a process of participatory co-design (via a workshop format, hosted at Hartree to explore available technologies) and work with relevant stakeholders & end-users (e.g. farm advisor communities, STFC, environmental regulators, water company land management teams, large land owners, NERC, EPSRC, ESRI, Agri-tech centres, CEH, cloud computing providers etc) to ensure relevant knowledge and end-user needs for functionality are integrated into our recommendations for taking forward a new collaborative approach to data visualisation for diffuse pollution management. The vision is to represent complex catchment systems using Building Information Management (BIM) and use immersive visualisation tools to interrogate an inventory of geospatial data layers using AR/VR capability. BIM is the process of designing, constructing and operating a building with the use of electronic object-orientated information, and in our case the 'building' will be a catchment system.Why is this important?: Open data access is the trend in research, an obligation from many funding agencies and an increasing practice from both governmental agencies and private companies. The paradigm is changing from data collection to data analysis in the era of Big Data. In turn, visualisations of environmental risks (e.g. agricultural runoff and diffuse pollution) provide a new dimension to decision-making for catchment managers by virtually placing the end-user within the landscape or environment of immediate concern. Often, due to logistics and practical barriers, decision-making is undertaken in a location far removed from the site of interest, or by personnel lacking up-to-date knowledge. The use of BIM coupled to AR/VR to visualise how risks are generated from the landscape will help to remove the barriers, but will also provide opportunities for (i) a collaborative decision-making environment; (ii) enhanced communication with stakeholders and communities around catchment issues and (iii) visualisations of 'what-if' scenarios for catchment managers to test in order to guide future decision-making and thus increase resilience to future extreme wet weather events.