Western Canada relies heavily on water yield from the Rocky Mountains. However, the sustainability of this yield in light of climate change and extreme weather events (droughts and floods) is largely controlled by alpine wetlands. As such a better physical understanding of the whole suite of mountain wetland and forest hydrological processes that control snowmelt, water storage, evapotranspiration and runoff generation is required. MSc and PhD students are being recruited to improve our understanding of wetland hydrological processes governing mountain water supply via examining: (1) controls on wetland evapotranspiration and moisture storage including internal and external controls and feedbacks, (2) forest hydrology snow and shoulder season and summer processes governing moisture storage and evapotranspiration, and (3) hydrological interactions between forests and wetlands. Research will be conducted at field sites in the Kananaskis Valley, Alberta and will involve field work and modelling. These positions at the University of Waterloo are fully funded.

For more information please contact Professor, Richard Petrone at rpetrone@uwaterloo.ca.