News

Canada's current wetland protection efforts have overlooked how the environment naturally protects fresh-water resources from agricultural fertilizer contaminants, researchers from the University of Waterloo's Water Institute have found.

In a recent study, engineering researchers at Waterloo found that small wetlands have a more significant role to play than larger ones in preventing excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer from reaching waterbodies such as the Great Lakes.

Sewage-contaminated water is even more harmful for aquatic life than previously thought, according to researchers in the University of Waterloo’s Department of Biology. Paul Craig, Water Institute member and assistant professor in the Department of Biology, and his research team are the first to examine the effects of the bacterial necrobiome on fish exposed to wastewater.

The following story was written by Sylvie Spraakman, an EIT working on researching and implementing low-impact development for stormwater management systems. 

Leaving wetlands in their natural state could reduce the financial costs of flooding by nearly 40 per cent, according to a report from the University of Waterloo.

Researchers at Waterloo’s Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation found that avoiding wetland loss could lead to substantial savings for Canadian communities that experience flooding.

Researchers leading the Agricultural Water Futures in Canada: Stressors and Solutions, a newly funded Global Water Futures (GWF) project, are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher (PDR) to provide social science research support.

The laboratories of Barb Katzenback and Paul Craig at the University of Waterloo, are seeking a PhD student for a Global Water Futures-funded environmental genomics research project: "Next generation solutions to ensure healthy water resources for future generations."

Water Institute member, Peter Huck, comments.

The AquaHacking 2017 semi-final competition unfolded last week at CIGI. By the end of the evening, five teams were chosen to move on to the final competition at Waterloo on September 13. It was a difficult decision for the five judges, as all 17 teams that competed offered innovative ideas that tackled the challenges and opportunities facing Lake Erie.  

The second International Conference on Amphibious Architecture, Design and Engineering – hosted by Water Institute member and associate professor Elizabeth English – took place June 25-28, and brought together academics, practitioners, professionals and policymakers to discuss amphibious architecture.