Priorities and Future Outlook for Cross-country Collaboration in Surface Water Quality Modeling: Collective Insights from China, Australia, and New Zealand

Water quality modeling is a powerful tool for analyzing the spatiotemporal dynamics of water quality and its key drivers. It is determined by the different development stages, management priorities, technical approaches, and scientific questions asked across countries. These differences create complementary strengths and valuable opportunities for cross-country collaboration. This study synthesized collective insights from water quality modeling communities in China, Australia, and New Zealand, drawing on presentations and discussions by experts from 17 institutions at the 1st China–Australia–New Zealand Water Quality Modeling Symposium (2024). The symposium showcased the three countries’ objectives, policymaking, research frontiers, and technological development in advancing water quality modeling. This study identified several potential avenues for future cross-country collaborations in water quality modeling, including developing best-practice guidelines to improve model reliability, sharing both successful and failed modeling cases to enhance learning, and continuing the conversation on advanced approaches and technologies to improve the value of modeling. The findings highlight the value of continued cross-country engagement in advancing scientific understanding and practical management.