Global Institute for Water Security – Smart Water Systems Laboratory (SWSL)

The world is entering an era of immense water-related threats. Climate change and human actions are altering precipitation patterns, reducing snowpacks, accelerating glacial melt, intensifying floods, and increasing the risk of droughts. This change has tremendous implications on the future of human health and food production as it relates to our environment.

To help address this challenge, the SWSL at the University of Saskatchewan will transform the observation of Canadian waters by detecting change in water quantity and quality at high resolutions. SWSL will develop novel sensors that measure snowpacks, ice, open water, flooding, streamflow, soil moisture, wetlands, vegetation and algal growth. Many of these sensors will be deployed on specialized all-weather drones (unmanned aerial systems) for rapid deployment across Canada with first applications in the Prairies and the mountain headwaters of the Saskatchewan River Basin.

The Government of Canada, through Western Economic Diversification Canada, will provide $1,374,576 to SWSL. Additional funding is provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the University of Saskatchewan, Global Water Futures and industry contributions.

Key Benefits

• New capabilities for measuring and forecasting water quality and quantity.
• Increased ability to predict the threat of disaster from floods and droughts.
• Information for communities and industries to reduce and manage their flood risk.
• Information for farmers and ranchers to manage drought impacts on food production.
• New opportunities to develop environmental technologies in Canada.

About Global Water Futures

Global Water Futures is a seven-year, University of Saskatchewan-led research program established within the Global Institute for Water Security in 2016 and funded in part by a $77.8-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. The research goal is to transform the way communities, governments and industries in Canada and other cold regions of the world prepare for and manage increasing water-related threats. The program was developed and funded in part by the University of Saskatchewan with three key partners--the University of Waterloo, McMaster University, and Wilfrid Laurier University. It includes hundreds of researchers at 18 Canadian universities and works with 138 user groups.

Related Products

• News Release: Boosting Canada’s Global Expertise in Water Security and Precision Agriculture Research

Additional Links

• Government Supports Responsible Resource Development; May 21, 2015.
• Western Diversification Program
• Global Institute for Water Security

Stay Connected

Follow us on Twitter: @WD_Canada, @ISED_CA, @usask, @usask_water
WD Homepage
WD Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-WEST (9378)
TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388