RESEARCH

Given that hard-water lakes in southern Saskatchewan are pulling in CO2 from the atmosphere, we want to determine whether we can use this to our advantage, and find sites that could be used for greenhouse gas offsets. Agricultural dugouts are prime candidates for carbon burial, as they are managed systems, with similar chemistry to other hard-water systems, and low rates of CH4 and N2O production. We are currently measuring greenhouse gas emission and uptake rates, carbon burial in the sediments, and basic water quality measurements to determine which dugout characteristics maximize carbon uptake and long term storage.

The quality of water in agricultural ponds and reservoirs is often a concern for producers in Saskatchewan. Issues of salinity, cyanobacteria, and pathogens can frequently cause health concerns for livestock and wildlife. We are looking into the underlying controls, and potential mitigation opportunities for salinity and sulfate, specifically, in dugouts and wetland ponds on agricultural land. With this work, we aim to develop guidelines for dugout best-practices, as well as identify options for water quality remediation. 

We are working with Water Rangers to expand and improve Community-Based Water Monitoring across the province of Saskatchewan. Here, we provide the tools and training to volunteers to sample their lakes and rivers for water quality measurements. By creating a network of highly engaged citizen scientists, we hope to improve the extent of water sampling, and aid in the integration of these data into water management programs in the province, and across Canada!