2026 Hydrospatial Mapping Challenge

Hydrospatial Modelling

Prototype the future of hydrospatial products using 100% open-source data. This competition challenges undergraduate and graduate students to integrate multibeam and single-beam surveys with coastal geospatial layers. Develop an original hydrospatial workflow—be it an interactive dashboard, a 3D model, or an AI-driven analysis—and showcase your solutions at the Canadian Hydrographic Conference 2026.

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1) Overview

In a context of climate change, increasing pressures on coastal environments, and the rapid evolution of remote sensing technologies, hydrographic data play a strategic role in understanding, managing, and developing maritime territories. Multibeam systems, now widely used for high-resolution bathymetric mapping, allow for detailed characterization of the seafloor. However, single-beam data, still prevalent in many contexts (particularly in under-mapped regions or areas with historical coverage), remain valuable for supporting longitudinal spatial analyses and enhancing hybrid datasets. The integration of these various sources with coastal geospatial data (topographic, cadastral, land use, etc.) paves the way for next-generation hydrospatial products that are useful for modelling, integrated management, and scientific or public communication. This competition aims to mobilize the creativity and analytical skills of undergraduate and graduate students to explore the potential for showcasing the value of integrated hydrospatial products.

Objective

To encourage students to explore, develop, and propose integrated hydrospatial products by leveraging MBES and SBES data in combination with coastal geospatial data, in response to current challenges in marine environment management, communication, or research.

Competition Summary

The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students in hydrography, geomatics, oceanography, or related fields. Working in teams, participants will access datasets composed of MBES and SBES bathymetric surveys, along with coastal geospatial layers (land topography, property boundaries, orthophotos, land use, etc.) (see sample dataset sources at the bottom of this page). They will be asked to develop an original hydrospatial product that addresses one or more issues related to understanding or managing coastal environments (e.g., navigation safety, sediment dynamics, coastal planning, public awareness).

Teams will be evaluated based on the methodological quality of their data processing and integration, the originality and relevance of their proposed final product, and their ability to demonstrate its usefulness in an applied or forward-looking context. Final outputs – hydrospatial product – may take the form of an interactive dashboard, an analytical model, an enriched cartographic product, a 3D/4D visualization tool, or a functional prototype. A jury composed of experts in hydrography, geomatics, and coastal management will assess submissions according to a criteria grid provided in the guidelines.

2) Goal

Prototype a hydrospatial production chain using only open-source data. Apply your workflow to one of the proposed coastal areas and generate a hydrospatial product. Your final submission must include:

  • A proposed cartographic product (chart, 3D model, point cloud, etc.);
  • A clear presentation of your methodology (report, presentation, video, etc.), explaining your processing workflow and the design choices;
  • Quality control process of the generated product.

Your workflow should consider the integration of:

  • Multibeam and single-beam bathymetric data
  • Topographic and coastal geospatial layers (e.g., land use, orthophotos, property boundaries)

The goal is to develop next-generation hydrospatial products that address modern coastal challenges, such as sediment dynamics, navigation safety, coastal planning, and public outreach.

3) Who can participate?

  • The competition is open to all Canadian university and college students (Undergraduate, Master’s, or PhD).
  • Teams must have 2 to 4 members
  • Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged (e.g., combining geomatics, oceanography, data science, or others)

4) Timeline

  • February 10th, 2026 – Launch of the “Speed Hydrospatial Modelling Challenge – The integrated products of tomorrow” and registration opens;
  • February 10th, 2026 – Publication of complete guidelines and rules
  • March 13th, 2026 – Submission deadline: send deliverables to the evaluation committee
  • March 27th, 2026 – Announcement of the 3 winning teams
  • Week of April 27th to 30th, 2026 – Canadian Hydrographic Conference 2026 (CHC-2026): Winning teams present their solutions (in person or remotely via pre-recorded video)

To participate, you must register your team before 24 February 2026 via the following link. You must provide the names and affiliations of the team members.

5) Deliverables

Each team must submit:

  • A presentation of their methodology: format is flexible (written report, video, slide deck, etc.), but must clearly explain the data sources, tools, processing steps, and decision-making behind the chart production
  • 1 hydrospatial product based on their selected area and aligned with the project’s hydrospatial goals

You must submit your deliverables to the evaluation committee before 13 March 2026, by sending an email to the following address: speedmappingchallenge@gmail.com  

6) Evaluation criteria

Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of experts from academia, industry, and the Canadian Hydrographic Service.

Each team’s product and methodology will be assessed based on the following weighted criteria:

A. Hydrospatial Representation & Cartography – 50%

Submissions must demonstrate the effective transformation of raw data into a meaningful, usable, integrated hydrospatial product.

  • Accuracy & Safety – 25%
    • Safe and meaningful representation of depth changes – 10%
    • Relevant and selective information, clearly communicated – 10%
    • Correct topological logic and shoreline consistency – 5%
  • Clarity & Communication – 15%
    • Readability and legibility of the final product (3D visualization and temporal analysis)
    • Thematic clarity and intuitive symbology
  • Relevance to Coastal Issues – 10%
    • The product must reflect a real-world coastal challenge (e.g., sediment transport, access planning, navigation hazards, marine habitats, coastal erosion, etc.)

B. Methodology – 30%

  • Data Integration Strategy – 10%
    • Quality and rigour of integrating hydrospatial and coastal geospatial data
    • Smart combination of spatial and temporal dimensions, if applicable
  • Workflow Flexibility – 10%
    • Adaptability of the process to other sites or applications
  • Use of Open Tools & Data – 10%
    • Effective and innovative use of open-source software (e.g., QGIS, Python, CloudCompare) and public datasets

C. Innovation & Impact – 10%

  • Novelty of Product – 5%
    • Originality in form and function (e.g., public outreach, research tool, planning support)
    • The use of AI for product generation is encouraged
  • Potential for Real-World Application – 5%
    • Demonstrated or argued relevance for stakeholders (scientific, operational, public)

D. Team Composition – 10%

  • Interdisciplinary & Multi-Level – 5%
    • Teams that combine technical, scientific, and communication skills across academic levels (e.g., undergrad + master’s) or disciplines (e.g., hydrography + ecology)
  • Inter-Institutional – 5%
    • Teams composed of members from multiple institutions

7) Prizes

Les 3 meilleures solutions seront récompensées.

 🥇1st prize🥈2nd prize🥉3rd prize
Bourse4000 CAD $2000 CAD $1000 CAD $
Presentation of the proposal at CHC-2026X
Free access to CHC-2026XXX
Accompagnement par un comité de rédaction pour la publication d’un article dans la revue IHRX  
Prizes

8) Example Data Sources

Seules des sources de données ouvertes peuvent être utilisées. Ci-dessous une liste non exhaustive de données ouvertes pertinentes :

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