Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

We are seeking funding to acquire equipment that measures the geometry of river ice in the field. We use these measurements to develop new tools and guidelines used by engineers and scientists in Canada and other cold-regions so that we can: (1) improve our ability to predict how water pollutants move in ice-affected waters and impact aquatic organisms, (2) predict and prepare for ice-jam flooding, (3) improve design decisions for water infrastructure (bridge piers, dam spillways, water intakes and sewer outfalls) in cold regions, and (4) improve our understanding and accounting of how much water Canada has available for people to use and to maintain ecosystems. These goals align with the research priorities of Canadian governments, as demonstrated by initiatives like Environment and Climate Change Canada's National Adaptation Strategy and Hydrologic Prediction and Innovation grants. Additionally, the Government of the Northwest Territories' 2017 research policy document, "Knowledge Agenda: Northern Research for Northern Priorities", emphasizes the need for research into cold climate challenges such as cold-regions infrastructure, flood mapping, and river ice breakup. To achieve these goals, we are requesting $142,472.20 in funding to purchase a real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS) survey instrument and two drones: one to measure the top of the ice, and one to observe the underside of the ice cover. The proposed RTK-GPS will replace a now outdated and unsupported RTK-GPS that was acquired by the Water Resources Engineering Group at the University of Alberta 17 years ago. The old equipment played a crucial role in training numerous Highly Qualified Personnel, who worked on projects across Canada funded by NSERC, governments, and industry. The new RTK-GPS will allow us to continue this cutting-edge research in water resources engineering while the drones extend our measurement capabilities to provide innovative capabilities to quickly and safely measure ice covers. This proposed equipment is pivotal to the success of six ongoing research programs and will support the training of a diverse team of 36 Highly Qualified Personnel. Furthermore, it is expected to support cutting-edge research and training at the University of Alberta for many years to come.