The Freshwater Competence Centre is dedicated to advancing environmental and river basin management through the use of digital twin technology. But what exactly is a digital twin? It is a virtual replica of a physical entity that allows for optimization, visualization, and analysis. While digital twins have been employed in various sectors, their application for smart river basin management is still relatively new.

That's where the Freshwater Competence Centre comes in. Through the development of a digital twin, this Centre aims to enhance data collection, management, modeling, and services in the field of environmental and freshwater management. The digital twin combines physical and digital elements, utilizing advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and big data processing tools.

The ultimate goal is to provide critical information, scenarios, and tools to different stakeholders, including researchers, environmental authorities, entrepreneurs, local authorities, and citizens. By linking catchment properties and functions to the hydro-climatic environment, the digital twin enables sustainable transformation in modern societies. The Freshwater Competence Centre is leading the development of a smarter digital twin for river basin management in Finland, with a focus on three supersite catchments.

With the integration of data fusion tools, river basin models, and participatory approaches, the Centre is paving the way for more efficient and effective water resource management