Wayne Jenkinson
Wayne Jenkinson started his service as Director of the Division of Hydrology and Cryosphere in May 2026. His approach is to put Members' needs at the centre: building national capacity, moving proven systems from demonstration into sustained operations, and closing the gaps in hydrological and cryosphere observation that limit early warnings where they are needed most.
Before joining WMO, Mr Jenkinson led the National Hydrological Service at Environment and Climate Change Canada. Working with the provinces and territories, the Service delivers a national network of some 2,800 hydrometric stations, from the High Arctic to temperate southern basins.
Under Mr Jenkinson's leadership, the Service expanded operational hydrological prediction for Canadian and transboundary watersheds and brought new observing methods, including non-contact and satellite measurement, into operations. He served as Canadian co-chair of the International Lake Ontario–St. Lawrence River Board of the International Joint Commission (IJC), as Canada's Accredited Officer for the St. Mary and Milk Rivers and, from 2014 to 2021, as Senior Engineering Advisor to the IJC. In the latter role, he supported binational boards and studies along the Canada–United States border.
Before that, at the National Research Council of Canada, Mr Jenkinson led an applied hydrology research team that developed operational flow forecasting solutions and information systems, including the Raven hydrological modelling framework, for provinces, territories and hydropower companies across Canada. The team also built hydrodynamic models to handle complex hydraulic problems, from widespread flooding on the Canadian Prairies to flows through hydropower dams and spillways. Within WMO, he served as Canada's Hydrological Adviser and represented the Executive Council Panel on Polar and High-mountain Observations, Research and Services (EC-PHORS) on the Hydrological Coordination Panel (HCP).
He holds a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Waterloo and is a registered Professional Engineer.
