Canada’s water resources span an enormous range in geography, climate and ecosystems. Increasing threats to water quantity and quality from climate change, urbanization and resource development require a transformation in how environmental data is collected, integrated, analyzed and communicated. Water managers, decision makers and researchers are seeking more advanced tools to help them effectively diagnose, predict and adapt to change. Responding to this need, Claude Duguay and his team are working with industry and end-users to build and test emerging technologies such as drones and sensors which will withstand sub-zero temperatures, and a microsatellite to collect data on water quality and quantity. The data collected from these tools will collectively feed into a “smart” watershed network to deliver an enormous amount of near real-time data, allowing for a comprehensive picture of lake, river and watershed health to be created.
“We have spent months in the field testing these technologies with input from our industry partners and will continue to do so until we get it right,” he says. “These technologies will transform the way we collect data for water research and help us make informed decisions.”
Read more about the Transformative Sensor Technologies and Smart Watersheds (TTSW) Global Water Futures project.