About Us
AccelNet: PEER2PEER International Convergence Research Networks in Transboundary Water Security (funded under NSF Award #2114701) brings together global networks focusing on transboundary water management. Driven by collaboration across the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the University of California Irvine (UCI) and Oklahoma State University (OSU), our focus is on synergizing research initiatives, sharing data and tools, and fostering collaboration in transboundary water security scholarship and capacity building to address gaps in research and education. The project creates an ecosystem for translating engineering, physical science, and social science research into plans and policies for stakeholders and governments at local, state, and national levels. Program activities have included yearly workshops bringing together global transboundary water security experts, technical trainings, webinars, and faculty and student exchanges.
One of our primary research products is the Water Resource Vulnerability and Coping Capacity (VCC) framework, a comprehensive approach for assessing global-scale vulnerability to droughts. This framework captures the dynamic nature of vulnerability by integrating social, economic, and climatic factors. For each basin, we evaluate three key dimensions: (1) water stress, defined by the balance between water demand and availability; (2) water management capacity, assessed through indicators of governance, economic strength, and human development; and (3) exposure to drought, measured by population density and agricultural assets. This tool offers insights into evolving global drought vulnerabilities, and we hope it can be utilized as a decision-support tool for policymakers and water managers navigating transboundary water challenges.
Our Mission and Framework
Our core purpose is to monitor vulnerability conditions and understand disparities in social, economic, and climatic vulnerability, particularly across transboundary water systems.
We introduce the Water Resource Vulnerability and Coping Capacity (VCC) framework, referred to for brevity as the Water Resource Vulnerability Monitor. This comprehensive approach captures the dynamic nature of vulnerability, primarily assessing global-scale vulnerability to droughts.
Our framework evaluates three key dimensions for each basin:
The VCC indicator weights are calibrated based on their ability to reproduce historical drought impacts recorded in the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT).
Comprehensive Data Coverage
We provide data for 6 core data types (vcc, baseline, ws, mc, wc, he) spanning 24 years from 2000 to 2023.
Data is available across four distinct spatial scales:
- •Country level (217 countries total).
- •Basin Level 2 (Large basins, ~60 total).
- •Basin Level 3 (Medium basins, ~300 total).
- •Basin Level 4 (Small basins, ~1,500+ total).
For countries, we also integrate demographic and economic trends (Population and GDP) over 25 years (2000–2023), sourced from World Bank Open Data, providing context for selected regions.
Advanced Visualization and Analysis Tools
Our platform offers interactive tools designed for powerful data exploration:
Interactive Charts
We feature several chart types, including the All Time Series Chart (displaying all 6 data types simultaneously) and the All Data Type Column Chart (comparing all 6 types for a selected year). These charts are optimized to fetch data in a single query, offering up to 6x faster performance than previous methods.
Global Context
When no region is selected on the map, charts automatically display global mean data for the selected spatial scale, eliminating empty screens and providing immediate context.
Trend Visualization
Users can switch to Trend Visualization Mode to analyze long-term trends (2000–2023) using Mann-Kendall analysis. The map coloring shows trend direction (Blue for increasing, Red for decreasing) based on the tau sign, while the opacity reflects statistical confidence (p-value), allowing users to identify both significant and emerging trends.
Data Comparison
The comparison feature supports a split-screen layout to compare data across two different years side-by-side, with synchronized map movement.
Country Trend Chart
For selected countries, we provide a dedicated SVG-based trend chart visualizing the 25-year history of Population and GDP, instantly updating as the user scrubs the timeline.
Technology and Performance
The application is built using a modern technology stack, including React 18, Next.js 14+, TailwindCSS, and TypeScript, ensuring a reliable and fully responsive design across desktop and mobile devices.
Key performance features include:
PostgreSQL Database
All vulnerability data is stored in a robust PostgreSQL database with an optimized schema, utilizing connection pooling and specialized functions for efficient data retrieval.
Vector Tiles
To handle massive basin geometry files (which can reach 800 MB originally), we use vector tiles for instant map loading and smooth interactions. This results in a massive 99% reduction in initial map load size.
Data Normalization
VCC data has been normalized from its original 0.00–0.276228 scale to a consistent 0.00–0.99 scale to ensure visualization, filtering, and export consistency across all six data types.
Data Export Capabilities
We enable users to download analysis results for use in external GIS software:
GeoJSON Shapefile Export
Users can export the current map visualization data (vulnerability values and geometries) as a GeoJSON file. For large basin data, we implement geometry simplification with three quality settings (Low, Medium—recommended, High) to reduce file size by 70–95%. Country exports are always optimized and small (~9 MB).
GeoTIFF Export
We offer export functionality for georeferenced raster files (.tif), ideal for scientific analysis and modeling. Users can select from three resolutions: High (0.025°), Medium (0.1°—recommended), and Low (0.25°), balancing detail and file size. GeoTIFF exports support all data types and spatial scales, respecting active filters.
Our Sponsors
