Aqueduct
Frequently Asked Questions
Please consult our summary of what's new in Aqueduct version 4.0.
Experiencing a bug? Fill out this form.
For data-specific questions, please consult our technical FAQ on Github.
- What is Aqueduct?
Aqueduct is a data platform run by the World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental research organization. Aqueduct is comprised of tools that help companies, governments, and civil society understand and respond to water risks – such as water stress, variability from season-to-season, pollution, and water access. Aqueduct maps and data are used directly by hundreds of companies and are cited in many publications.
Learn more about Aqueduct's history and the team behind the data.
- Why did you update the Aqueduct tool?
WRI and Utrecht University re-ran the PCR-GLOWB 2 global hydrological model in 2021 with the goal of producing new future projections of water supply and use based on CMIP6 climate forcings. Along with the projected data, the re-run also included an update to the baseline historical period (now extended to 2019). We made use of newer climate observation data, a higher-resolution digital elevation model, and a more detailed soil map as inputs into the PCR-GLOBWB 2 model. As a result, the baseline data has updated and may have different estimates of supply and demand compared to Aqueduct 3.0. For more information about these updates, please read our summary of what's new in Aqueduct version 4.0.
- Q: Can I share, reproduce, or adapt Aqueduct data and/or maps in my website, paper, book, etc.?
Yes, as long as you attribute to the World Resource Institute's Aqueduct tool. The Aqueduct 4.0 database is licensed through Creative Commons as internationally licensed work, as long there is attribution.
The license is not transferrable, meaning we do not transfer copyright to any other organizations. We ask that you attribute our work as “Source: WRI Aqueduct, accessed on [insert date]” with a link, if possible, to aqueduct.wri.org.
If you use or reference Aqueduct in publicly available work, please share it with our team.
- There are four Aqueduct tools — which should I use?
Choose your tool based on the information and functionality you need:
- Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas: provides catchment-level information on water-related risks and assesses exposure to water risk across multiple locations.
- Aqueduct Food: provides information on water risks to agriculture and food security.
- Aqueduct Floods: provides information on flood risks and their impacts, and assesses the costs and benefits of flood protection.
- Country Profile and Rankings: provides high-level summary statistics on water risks at a national and subnational level.
- How do I use each Aqueduct tool?
Each Aqueduct tool is designed to be as easy as possible for users to understand. We provide descriptions of every filter on our tools. Simply click the info buttons to learn more. If you still have questions related to the tools, you can also submit questions to our team using this form.
To stay informed on future Aqueduct webinars, including tool demonstrations and data explainers, subscribe to our newsletter, and follow @WRIAqueduct on Twitter or LinkedIn.
For more information about Aqueduct Floods, please consult: the launch webinar, the Aqueduct Floods Technical Note, and the Aqueduct Floods Dataset.
- What does this indicator (baseline water stress, interannual variability, drought risk, etc.) mean?
For short descriptions within each tool, click the question mark icon to the right of an indicator name. For detailed information regarding data and methodologies, please consult the Aqueduct 4.0 technical note.
- Where are your data sourced from?
Data descriptions and sources for each indicator can be found in the tool itself by clicking the question mark to the right of an indicator name, or in the Aqueduct 4.0 technical note. Aqueduct’s unique indicators and calculations are also explored further in this document, as are our methods on aggregating sub-basin data to countries and provinces.
- Why did you choose these indicators?
WRI chose these indicators working in close consultation with our research partners and target audience, based on data availability and published literature. More information can be found in our Aqueduct 4.0 technical note.
- Can I download Aqueduct's data?
Yes, Aqueduct data is available for download in several formats. Global data at the HydroBASIN level 6 can be found here. Country and state rankings can be found here.
Please see our Github for the data dictionaries accompanying the water risk data and country rankings.
If you would like to adapt and/or share our data, please do — so long as you register with us and provide attribution as dictated by our Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License.
- Can I download Aqueduct’s underlying code?
Yes, Aqueduct’s underlying code can be downloaded on GitHub. If you would like to adapt and/or share our data, please do — so long as you provide attribution as dictated by our Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License.
- I'm having a technical issue with Aqueduct.
If your technical issue is a bug, data anomaly, or error, please fill out this form.
- What year do the maps under the “baseline” tab show? When will the data be updated?
Aqueduct’s baseline is a representation of the current situation excluding anomaly events — in other words, it shows water trends of what can be reasonably expected based on historic data. The tool does not show real-time data.
Baseline reference years vary by indicator. Four of the quantity-based indicators — stress, depletion, seasonal variability, and interannual variability — use over 40 years of data (1979-2019). For the other indicators, please see Chapter 4 in the Aqueduct 4.0 technical note.
Aqueduct data is generally updated every few years, whenever new datasets or models become available that the WRI team and research partners feel would strengthen Aqueduct’s indicators.
- How is this version of Aqueduct different from previous iterations?
The current suite of tools has been updated from version 3.0 to version 4.0. Aqueduct 4.0 is based on the same hydrological model, PCR-GLOWB 2, but with updated input datasets. The baseline data was run with newer climate observation data, a higher-resolution digital elevation model, and a more detailed soil map. The future projections data was run using CMIP6 climate forcings. A full description of what has changed from the previous Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas and Country Rankings data can be found in our summary of what's new in Aqueduct version 4.0.
Aqueduct’s Water Risk Atlas was first launched in 2013, after three years of development. Since then, there have been several versions of the tool, each with updated data and user interface. To learn more about the history of Aqueduct, visit our About page.
- My organization set sustainability / water strategies using the old Aqueduct data. What should we do now?
Both datasets are screening tools and can be used to prioritize action. If you've already set goals using 3.0, please continue to use that data. Aqueduct 4.0 baseline data can be used as an additional screening measure to find potential new priorities. We recommend using the Aqueduct 4.0 Future Projections to flag areas that may become priorities in the future.
If you are setting new goals, or using a longer timeline, we recommend using version 4.0.
- Does Aqueduct store my uploaded location data?
The Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas allows users to upload or select multiple locations and download resulting scores. We never store location data. All data that users upload is deleted immediately — so please download/export data before closing the page if you'd like to save this information offline.
- Who uses Aqueduct?
Aqueduct’s users span many sectors and countries. Aqueduct’s tools and data have been used for years by companies (including some of the largest multinational corporations); country, state, and local government officials; academics and students; and water sector practitioners. To read examples of how organizations use Aqueduct, please visit our User Stories page.
Each of our four tools has a different target audience and user base. Companies are the main user of the Aqueduct Risk Atlas. Aqueduct Food is designed with development banks, companies that source food, and agricultural ministers in mind. Aqueduct Floods has been used by governments, companies, and disaster risk managers to avoid flood risks and determine where to invest for maximum resilience. Aqueduct Country Rankings has been used by journalists and NGOs to communicate water risk at the national and sub-national level.
- I need help with my organization's data. Can WRI help me with my analysis?
Please first consult this FAQ page, which answers the most common user questions related to finding and interpreting data. If your question remains unresolved, please fill out this form.
The Aqueduct team also works one-on-one with companies through the Aqueduct Alliance and our Corporate Water Stewardship projects to create tailored risk assessments, studies, and more.