Raw data and videos of historical and projected hydrodynamics and water quality in Lake Diefenbaker reservoir under climate change scenarios using the 2D CE-QUAL-W2 model

Lake Diefenbaker (LD) is a large, multi-purpose, mesotrophic reservoir in the Canadian Prairies. The 2D hydrodynamics and water quality model, CE-QUAL-W2, is implemented to explore how historical (2001-2010) and predicted future (2041-2050 and 2081-2090) hydrological and meteorological conditions may impact the in-reservoir nutrient and water chemistry characteristics of lake Diefenbaker. The LD model is discretized in 87 horizontal segments starting at Saskatchewan highway 4 at the upstream extending to the Gardiner Dam and the Qu’Appelle Dam at downstream. Vertically, the number of one-meter model layers is variable with a maximum of 60 layers at the deepest point near the Gardiner Dam. The CE-QUAL-W2 model is forced by projected meteorological variables for the 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 representative concentration pathways (RCPs), and five stochastically generated stream inflow scenarios and catchment nutrient load scenarios. The effects of climate change scenarios are analysed on water temperature, and DO, PO4, organic P, TN, NH4, NO3 and organic N concentrations.