Water company Vitens recently started using a digital twin of the Overbetuwe region, which runs on the StellaSpark Nexus platform. The digital twin provides real-time insights into the status of water extractions in the Overbetuwe region and all aspects directly or indirectly related to the extractions, such as precipitation and evaporation, the state of the unsaturated zone, groundwater levels, and ground movement in the surrounding area.
A broader perspective on groundwater extraction
The digital twin brings together various heterogeneous data sources that were previously separated from each other, offering an integrated dashboard with a real-time 3D representation of the situation. The digital twin combines groundwater monitoring data, extraction volumes, InSAR observations (deformation determination using radar satellite images), extensometers, soil moisture simulations (FluxPark), building characteristics (BAG), and information about catchment areas (Rivierenland water authority).
Combining measurements and simulations
The digital twin is the result of an intensive collaboration between Vitens, Moisture Matters, and StellaSpark, with open data as a solid foundation, combined with Vitens’ own measurements and datasets and simulations of ground movement and the unsaturated zone using Moisture Matters’ FluxPark model. With the digital twin, Vitens can better monitor and predict the effects of water extraction and have the most important facts at hand to engage with the surrounding area and stakeholders.
Bringing heterogeneous data together with Nexus
StellaSpark Nexus is based on the latest big data technologies. The interactive web viewer provides lightning-fast access to geographic vector data, rasters, time series, and photos and generates a virtual 3D representation of a geographic area from this data.
