University of Saskatchewan

Agro-waste could be the solution to a cleaner water supply in Sask., U of S researcher says

Agro-waste could be the solution to a cleaner water supply in Sask., U of S researcher says

Securing a safe water supply for Earth’s growing population is a global goal that is reflected in the long-term sustainability plans of almost every nation. Creatively solving this problem is another matter altogether. University of Saskatchewan graduate student Bernd Steiger is using chemistry expertise and Saskatchewan-based waste to soak up contaminants in fresh water reserves. “This province can be considered the breadbasket of Canada with its large agricultural sector,” Steiger noted. “Agro-waste (such as the inedible part of a plant, for example) is a low-value byproduct of agriculture, and turning this waste material into specialty adsorbents can aide in generating additional wealth for the Sask. agro-economy, while also serving to address water security and sustainability goals.” Steiger’s work uses several principles of what is referred to as ‘green chemistry’ — a type of chemistry that avoids a need for conventional chemical or energy inputs.

Living lab will see First Nations and farmers collaborate to do work in range of areas

Living lab will see First Nations and farmers collaborate to do work in range of areas

Saskatchewan will be home to the first Indigenous led living lab in Canada. In a media release sent out out Friday the establishment of the Bridge to Land Water Sky was announced. The prject will be led by Mistawasis Nêhiyawak and will also include Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan Aboriginal Land Technicians, North Saskatchewan River Basin Council, Redberry Lake Biosphere Region, the University of Saskatchewan and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

USask PhD candidate’s research shines light on Indigenous water governance in Manitoba

USask PhD candidate’s research shines light on Indigenous water governance in Manitoba

A University of Saskatchewan (USask) graduate student hopes his doctoral research into issues of water insecurity faced by Indigenous people in Manitoba will lead to positive policy changes. In November, Warrick Baijius defended his PhD thesis on Indigenous water governance, which was co-supervised by Dr. Bob Patrick (PhD), a faculty member in the Department of Geography and Planning in USask’s College of Arts and Science, and Dr. Chris Furgal (PhD), a faculty member in the Department of Indigenous Studies at Trent University.

USask research aims to identify how ‘thirsty’ forests affect water availability

USask research aims to identify how ‘thirsty’ forests affect water availability

University of Saskatchewan (USask) graduate Dr. Magali Nehemy (PhD) and her research team investigated how plants use water — where they get it, when they need it and how these processes impact overall water availability. Understanding the way plants use water can assist farmers to work efficiently and productively. Irrigation schedules and fertilizer applications depend heavily on the amount of water available in the surrounding soil and how efficiently plants can use it.

Young Innovators: USask researcher explores water economy on the Prairies

Young Innovators: USask researcher explores water economy on the Prairies

University of Saskatchewan (USask) PhD candidate Leila Eamen and her research team have developed a hydro-economic model that investigates alternative ways to allocate water resources from the Saskatchewan River Basin among the Prairie provinces to maximize economic benefits, such as a province’s gross domestic product. In Saskatchewan, where precipitation has been low and heat levels high in the summer of 2021, such a model has become extremely relevant as natural water supply dwindles.

Prairie farmers struggle as drought set to become among worst in Canadian history

Prairie farmers struggle as drought set to become among worst in Canadian history

Saskatchewan farmer Derek Tallon is harvesting one of the worst lentil crops he's ever grown. Like other farmers in the region, he watched his crops struggle to grow without much rain or reprieve from unrelenting heat during what one expert says is shaping up to be the worst drought in Canadian history. Tallon's farm in southern Saskatchewan only received about 50 millimetres of rain this year, compared to 190 millimetres during a normal year.

Lack of funding for piped water on First Nations in Sask. means some on reserves can’t drink from their taps

Lack of funding for piped water on First Nations in Sask. means some on reserves can’t drink from their taps

Rebecca Zagozewski, executive director with the Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association, says cisterns can pose health risks to those who rely on them. She says the structures can have cracked lids, which allows all sorts of debris to get into them — including rats, mice, drowned puppies and garbage — and they’re often not cleaned properly. On top of that, she says the Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association is concerned that there is no certification program for water truck drivers. The group wants to create such a program where drivers would have to be trained in how to keep the water safe and be held accountable if things go wrong. “Because right now there’s no accountability,” she says.

Members of Neskantaga come home today to boil water advisory

Members of Neskantaga come home today to boil water advisory

Another factor in the chief's decision is the fact that the plant still isn't running at capacity. It's designed to produce 3.8 litres of water per second for each of its two treatment lines, but the most it can produce now is less than three litres, according to project progress reports obtained by CBC News. "The amount would still meet the [community's] need," said Lalita Bharadwaj, a professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan who studies access to safe drinking water in First Nations. "But it raises concerns about the sustainability of the system, and operations and management of the system." Bharadwaj said there should be four operators working at the plant — two who are certified and two others from the local community who can receive training, which she said could take years.

Sask.'s $4B irrigation plan must address changing climate, Indigenous rights: professor

Sask.'s $4B irrigation plan must address changing climate, Indigenous rights: professor

The Saskatchewan government has announced a $4-billion plan to expand irrigation out of the Lake Diefenbaker reservoir. Work is set to begin immediately, and will be completed in three phases over the next decade. CBC reporter Jason Warick spoke Friday with John Pomeroy, a Canada Research chair and director of the University of Saskatchewan's Global Water Futures program.

Young Innovators: New U of S app tracks causes of algae bloom

Young Innovators: New U of S app tracks causes of algae bloom

A new University of Saskatchewan smartphone app will help farmers and communities identify hotspots of nutrient contamination in freshwaters and possibly predict where algae blooms — slimy, plant-like green organisms that hinder water quality — are likely to grow. “Tracking how and where agricultural nutrients, which help crops grow, may be washed away with rainfalls and snowmelt is a major concern for both researchers and the public, and that’s where our app comes in,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada scientist Diogo Costa.