The Digital Twin Portal is an online platform providing access to a live, data driven virtual model of a river basin that integrates monitoring, modelling, forecasting and decision-support tools .
The foundation of the Limpopo River Basin Digital Twin is a SWAT hydrological model running in near real time, augmented with a three-month seasonal forecast capability.
All model outputs, along with other integrated datasets are accessible through the web portal built on open standards.
This portal includes an interactive visualization application that allows users to explore trends spatially and temporally through maps, charts and scenario tools.
Datasets and tools
For the Limpopo River Basin Digital Twin the platform incorporates numerous datasets, including:
- 1,408 river channels covering 400,000 km² for seasonal forecasting.
- 305 discharge stations provided by South Africa’s Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation (DWS).
- 303 rainfall stations based on CHIRPS data .
- Three types of forecasts from ECMWF, supported by a 20-year historical database.
- Numerous datasets derived from earth observation, remote sensing and citizen science.
It also includes an embedded AI Water Agent (WaterCopilot), enabling users to query in plain language and receive instant, science-based insights from a dedicated Limpopo Basin only resource bank.