Collaborative Water Program returns to the Grand River to build the next generation of water leaders
In September, the Collaborative Water Program (CWP) welcomed back graduate students from across the University to join the WATER 602 course, a field course on integrated water management set in the Grand River watershed. The course returned to the Grand River for the first time since the pandemic, visiting with partners from the headwaters to Six Nations. The goal was help train the next generation of water leaders by helping students understand the complex trade-offs in water management and the tools for addressing them, learning first-hand from a wide range of partners.
Launched in 2013-14 by the Water Institute and delivered by 11 participating departments and schools across all 6 academic faculties, over 400 students have enrolled in the CWP which helps students to learn about the drivers of complex water management challenges and develop the skills for tackling them.
This fall the WATER 602 course started with three days of learning throughout the Grand River watershed. The first day focused on the headwaters region and the experiences of fast-growing rural and agricultural communities, highlighted by a trip to the Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area and the Shand Dam and a visit with a local farmer participating in local monitoring and conservation programs. Day two followed the river into its urban stretches, visiting with the Region of Waterloo at Manheim Water Treatment Plant and spending time with the Grand River Conservation Authority, which is collaborating with CWP this year to give students a chance to apply what they are learning as part of the Authority’s watershed monitoring and 10-year report on heritage values. The day finished with a chance to test water quality at the confluence of the Grand and the Nith rivers, followed by an overnight stay at Five Oaks, where students reflected on the journey around the campfire. The final day included a visit to Chiefswood Park to spend time at Six Nations of the Grand River, where students learned about the lack of water access on the reserve and the history of land rights and progress toward reconciliation.
“The journey along the Grand River was an incredible opportunity to return to CWP’s roots: learning through interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on experiences. The Grand River has been recognized internationally for its progress – and challenges – in managing water for farms, energy, cities, and First Nations. The experience was transformative for many of us – the students eyes lit up when they got a chance to stand inside the Shand Dam and learn about the sobering challenges experienced across Six Nations. We left the trip with a clear sense about the value of interdisciplinarity, collaboration, and systems thinking.” – Dustin Garrick, CWP Director and University Research Chair in Water and Development Policy.
The CWP which is entering its 12th year is training the next generation of water leaders by focusing on the thinking, knowledge and skills required to navigate complex water challenges in a fast-changing water world. CWP students with diverse disciplinary backgrounds develop the skills sought after by employers.
“The Collaborative Water Program is a truly unique program that taught us how to appreciate and deepen our connection to water. I still carry the teachings and the beautiful learnings and knowledge from the program with me to this day. My graduate experiences in the Collaborative Water Program really helped to shape the way I think, I work and play in my day-to-day activities.” – Maricor Arlos, Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Alberta, CWP Cohort 1 (2013/14).
The Collaborative Water Program is co-delivered by 11 University of Waterloo departments and schools, making it a path to a career in water for students from a wide range of backgrounds. If you are a graduate student in one of these participating units interested in water, there is still time to join this year’s cohort. Learn more here.
