Centre for Hydrology
Mission
The Centre for Hydrology provides a focus and catalyst for hydrological research at the
University of Saskatchewan. The Centre is an interdisciplinary University research cluster
designed to bring together and coordinate academic, graduate student, postdoctoral and allied
government research staff for research, training and outreach on hydrological issues of local and
global importance and to coordinate the University presence in hydrology. It focusses on
advancing the theory and practice of hydrology as a physical environmental science, and
emphasizes research and training related to improving descriptions and explanations of the
natural and human factors which control the quantity and quality of water resources. This mission
is carried on from the former Division of Hydrology (1962-2001) which conducted and
coordinated some of the earliest Canadian hydrology research.
Overview
The University of Saskatchewan has a long established international reputation for excellence in
hydrological research and teaching. Hydrological research at the University can be grouped into
the following topics:
 Hydrology and Climate.
Research on global water and energy cycling,
hydrometeorology, hydrology in climate and weather models, hydrological modelling,
climate change impacts on water resources.
 Snow Processes and Cold Regions Hydrometeorology. Research on cold regions
hydrometeorology covers the complex interactions between atmospheric, cryospheric and
hydrologic domains, and their effect on both streamflow and meteorology.
 Water Resources of Western and Northern Canada. Research on the water resources of
the major river basins of western and northern Canada, water management, drought,
flooding, wetlands, groundwater, irrigation, cumulative effects assessment, soil water
relationships, plant-water relationships, forest hydrology.
 Hydroecology and Water Quality. Research on drinking water supplies, aquatic ecology,
agricultural water quality, water pathways, pollutant effects on aquatic ecosystem health,
development of software tools to relate changes in water quality and quantity to human
development.
 Effects of the Mining Sector on Water Resources. Research on mine reclamation with
respect to water quality and quantity on uranium mines, oilsands, potash mines, pipelines,
northern development. Research on the effects of the discharges of mine effluents on
aquatic biota and water quality.
There are currently 39 academic hydrologists affiliated with the University of Saskatchewan
along with many more researchers and graduate students working on the subject. Hydrologists
31 August 2015
are drawn from the Departments of Biology, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Civil and
Geological Engineering, Geography, Geology, Soil Science and Toxicology, the School of
Environment and Sustainability and from the National Hydrology Research Centre and
Saskatchewan Research Council on campus. The Centre for Hydrology contributes to the Global
Institute for Water Security (www.usask.ca/water) which coordinates a wide range of water
studies and science on campus.
Research Facilities
Superb facilities exist for hydrological research and training in Saskatoon. The Centre for
Hydrology has a central physical core in Kirk Hall with laboratories for cryospheric and
environmental simulation, ecohydrology, computer modelling, instrument development,
chemistry and sample preparation, in addition there are substantial computer, hydrochemistry,
aquatic biology, aquatic toxicology, soils, groundwater and hydraulic laboratories across campus
run by University faculty who comprise the Centre. Environment Canada maintains its national
hydrology laboratories in the National Hydrology Research Centre on campus. Instrumental
research basins run by those affiliated with the Centre span Canada and include arctic, prairie,
boreal forest and mountain environments including the prime areas of concern for water quantity
and quality. Current field research areas include sites in the alpine, glaciated and forested regions
of the Rocky Mountains, the Alberta oil sands, prairie agricultural wetlands, prairie uplands,
arctic tundra, sub-arctic taiga, boreal forest, and studies of lakes and river systems. Modelling
activities range from contribution to Environment Canada’s MESH hydrological land surface
scheme to the locally created Cold Regions Hydrological Model (CRHM).
The Centre for Hydrology maintains a research base, the Coldwater Laboratory, in the
Kananaskis Valley at the Barrier Lake Field Station of the University of Calgary's Biogeoscience
Institute. Coldwater has office and logistical space for hydrological studies of the headwaters of
the Saskatchewan River system and is the base for the Canadian Rockies Hydrological
Observatory which supports intensive measurements and modelling of water, climate, snow and
ice in the western cordillera.
Graduate Training
There are typically more than a dozen graduate class offerings each year in hydrology available
from the natural sciences, sustainability& environment, agriculture and engineering. There is a
strong tradition of interdisciplinary graduate training in hydrology and collaboration in graduate
hydrology research programmes on campus. In recent years graduate students in hydrology have
won many national and international awards (ESC, CGU, AGU) and a substantial number of
NSERC scholarships.
Website: www.usask.ca/hydrology
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University of Saskatchewan Hydrology Expertise
Department of Biology
112 Science Place, Saskatoon S7N 5E2
Ph. (306) 966-4399, Fax (306) 966-4461
Jeff Hudson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, 310a Biol
E-mail: jeff.hudson@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-4412
Fields of Interest: Aquatic Ecology: elemental
cycling in food webs, bioremediation,
biodiversity and ecosystem function, climate
change.
Som Niyogi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, 317 Biol
E-mail: som.niyogi@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-4453
Fields of Interest: Metal bioavailability and
toxicity in aquatic environment.
Department of Chemical and
Biological Engineering
57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon S7N 5A9
Ph. (306) 966-4760, Fax (306) 966-4777
Alain Pietroniro, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Adjunct
Professor,
Research
Scientist,
Environment Canada, NHRC
E-mail: Al.Pietroniro@ec.gc.ca
Ph. (306) 975-4394
Fields
of
Interest:
Water
Resources
Engineering; Hydrological
Modelling &
Systems; Geographic Information Systems;
Remote Sensing.
Department
Engineering
of
Civil
&
Geological
57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon S7N 5A9
Ph. (306) 966-5336, Fax (306) 966-5427
Lee Barbour, Ph.D.
Professor, Engineering
Email: lee.barbour@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-5369
Fields
of
Interest:
Geotechnical/GeoEnvironmental Engineering, Mine Waste
Reclamation and Decommissioning.
Jim Kells, Ph.D.
Professor, Engineering
Email: Jim.Kells@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-5340
Fields of Interest: Hydrotechnical Engineering.
Amin Elshorbagy, Ph.D.
Professor, Engineering
Email: amin.elshorbagy@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-5414
Fields of Interest: Hydrotechnical Engineering;
Environmental Systems Modelling.
Garth van der Kamp, Ph.D.
Adjunct
Professor,
Research
Scientist,
Environment Canada, NHRC
E-mail: Garth.Vanderkamp@ec.gc.ca
Ph. (306) 975-5721
Fields of Interest: Groundwater-surface water
interactions, Groundwater Flow in LowPermeability Formations; Groundwater Resource
Evaluation.
Warren Helgason, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Assistant Professor, 1A13 Engineering
E-mail: warren.helgason@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-5315
Fields of Interest: Atmospheric boundary layer
processes; energy and mass transport in the soilplant-atmosphere continuum; irrigation.
Kerry Anne Mazurek, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Engineering
Email: kam597@mail.usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-5477
Fields of Interest: Fluid Mechanics, Soil
Erosion and Scour, Cohesive Sediment Erosion
and Transport, Ecohydraulics, and Hydraulic
Structures.
Grant Ferguson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, 2B22 Engineering
Email: grant.ferguson@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-7427
Fields of Interest: Hydrogeology, cold regions
hydrology, energy and water resources, climate
change.
31 August 2015
Department of Computer Science
110 Science Place, Saskatoon S7N 5C9
Ph. (306) 966-4886, Fax (306) 966-4884
Raymond Spiteri, Ph.D.
Professor, S425 Thorvaldson
E-mail: raymond.spiteri@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-2909
Fields of Interest: Numerical Analysis,
Scientific Computing, High Performance
Computing, Engineering Process Optimization
and Design; Carbon Sequestration
Department of Geography and Planning
117 Science Place, Saskatoon S7N 5C8
Ph. (306) 966-5654, Fax (306) 966-5680
Dirk de Boer, Ph.D.
Professor, Department Head, 105 Kirk Hall
E-mail: dirk deboer@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-5671
http://homepage.usask.ca/~dhd842
Fields of Interest: Drainage Basins; Suspended
Sediment; Fluvial Geomorphology; Soil Erosion.
Barrie Bonsal, Ph.D.
Adjunct
Professor,
Research
Scientist,
Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research
Division, Water Science and Technology
Directorate, Environment Canada, NHRC
Email: Barrie.Bonsal@ec.gc.ca
Ph. (306) 975-5754 Fax (306) 975-5143
Fields of Interest: Climate Impacts on Historical
& Future Hydrology; Occurrence & Causes of
Canadian Hydro-Climatic Extremes (Droughts
and Excessive Moisture); Climate Change.
Xulin Guo, Ph.D.
Professor, 110 Kirk Hall
E-mail: xulin.guo@usask.ca;
Ph. (306) 966-5663
Fields of Interest: Remote Sensing; Climate
Change, Biogeochemistry, Prairie Evaporation
Philip Marsh, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, Professor and Canada
Research Chair in Cold Regions Water Science
Wilfrid Laurier University
E-mail: pmarsh@wlu.ca
Ph. (519) 884-0710 x 2856
Fields of Interest: Snow Hydrology;
hydrological processes; permafrost; hydrological
modelling; cold regions hydrology.
Lawrence Martz, Ph.D., P.Geo.
Professor, Vice-Dean of Faculty Relations
Arts 232
E-mail: lawrence.martz@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-4275
http://homepage.usask.ca/~lwm885/
Fields of Interest: Hydrological Modelling,
Water Resources, Geographic Information
Systems, Soil Erosion, Fluvial Systems.
Bob Patrick, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, 116 Kirk Hall
E-mail: robert.patrick@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-6653
Fields of Interest: Source water protection;
watershed planning and governance; political
ecology; water policy in Canada.
John Pomeroy, Ph.D. FRGS
Professor, Canada Research Chair in Water
Resources and Climate Change, 12.1, Kirk Hall,
E-mail: john.pomeroy@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-1426 or (403) 673-3236; Fax
(306) 966-1428
http://www.usask.ca/hydrology/people/Pomeroy
_John.php
Fields of Interest: Hydrological Processes;
Hydrological
Modelling;
land-atmosphere
interactions, snow ecology, water resources, cold
regions hydrology.
Chris Spence, Ph.D.
Adjunct
Professor,
Research
Scientist,
Environment Canada, NHRC
E-mail: chris.spence@ec.gc.ca
Ph. (306) 975-6907
Fields of Interest: Cold Regions Hydrology,
Hydrological
Processes,
Hydrological
Modelling, and Boundary Layer Climatology
Cherie Westbrook, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, 114 Kirk Hall
E-mail: cherie.westbrook@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-1818; Fax (306) 966-1428
http://homepage.usask.ca/~cjw842
Fields of Interest: eco-hydrology; wetlands and
riparian areas; groundwater-surface water
interactivities; hydro-biogeochemistry
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Department of Geological Sciences
114 Science Place, Saskatoon S7N 5E2
Ph. (306) 966-5683, Fax (306) 966-8593
Jim Hendry, Ph.D.
Professor, Cameco-NSERC Research Chair
E-mail: jim.hendry@usask.ca;
Ph. (306) 966-5720
Fields of Interest: Geological Science; Aqueous
and Environmental Geochemistry; Fate and
Transport of Contaminants in Groundwater.
Department of Soil Science
51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon S7N 5A8
Ph. (306) 966-6823, Fax (306) 966-6881
Dan Pennock, Ph.D.
Professor, 5C02.5 Agriculture Building
E-mail: dan.pennock@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-4064
Fields of Interest: Hydrological controls on
greenhouse
gas
emissions,
wetland-soil
interactions
Bing Cheng Si, Ph.D.
Professor, 5E10 Agriculture Building
E-mail: bing.si@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-6877
Fields of Interest: Vadose Zone Hydrology; The
Fate & Transport of Water & Contaminants;
Spatial Variability in Fields & Geostatistics.
Ken van Rees, Ph.D.
Professor, Agri-Food Innovation Fund (AFIF)
Chair in Agroforestry & Afforestation, 5C26
Agriculture Building
E-mail: ken.vanrees@usask.ca;
Ph. (306) 966- 6853
Fields of Interest: Forest soils; Plant root
systems; Short rotation woody crops, Willow
biomass energy.
Steven Siciliano, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, 5E26 Agriculture Building
E-mail: steven.siciliano@usask.ca;
Ph. (306) 966-4035
Fields of Interest: Soil Ecotoxicology;
Investigation of Trace Contaminant Effects in
Northern Terrestrial Ecosystems.
Jane Elliott, Ph.D.
Adjunct
Professor,
Research
Scientist,
Environment Canada, NHRC
E-mail: Jane.Elliott@ec.gc.ca;
Ph. (306) 975-5738
Fields of Interest: Soil-Water Interactions;
Snowmelt runoff; Nutrient and Contaminant
Transport; Agricultural BMPs.
Angela Bedard-Haughn, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, 5D18 Agriculture Building
E-mail: angela.bedard-haughn@usask.ca;
Ph. (306) 966-4291
http://homepage.usask.ca/~akb133
Fields of Interest: Soil Nitrogen and Carbon
Dynamics; Wetland Soils; Greenhouse Gas
Emissions; Land Use and Climate Change.
School of Environment and Sustainability
117 Science Place, Saskatoon S7N 5C8
Ph. (306) 966-1985, Fax (306) 966-2298
Helen Baulch, PhD
Assistant Professor
E-mail: helen.baulch@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-2549
Fields of Interest: Aquatic biogeochemistry,
climate change impacts on aquatic ecosystems,
agricultural management and water quality,
aquatic ecology.
Andrew Ireson, PhD
Assistant Professor in Subsurface Hydrology,
National Hydrology Research Centre,
11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon S7N 3H5
Email: andrew.ireson@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 996- 8020
Fields of interest: Unsaturated zone processes;
groundwater flow and quality modelling;
numerical modelling; physically based
modelling; land surface exchanges.
Yanping Li, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, National Hydrology
Research Centre,
11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon S7N 3H5
E-mail: yanping.li@usask.ca;
Ph. (306) 966-2793
http://www.usask.ca/sens/our-people/facultyprofile/Core/Yanping_Li.php
Fields of Interest: Regional climate modeling;
mesoscale
dynamics;
boundary
layer
meteorology; air-sea interaction.
31 August 2015
Jeffrey J. McDonnell, PhD, DSc, PH
Professor, National Hydrology Research Centre,
11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon S7N 3H5
E-mail: jeffrey.mcdonnell@usask.ca;
Ph. (306) 966-8529
Fields of Interest: Runoff processes, isotope
hydrology, forest hydrology, hydrological
modelling, theory development.
Saman Razavi, PhD. +Civil & Geological Eng.
Assistant Professor, National Hydrology
Research Centre, 11 Innovation Boulevard,
Saskatoon S7N 3H5
E-mail: saman.razavi@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-2923
http:// www.usask.ca/~ser134/
Fields of Interest:
Hydrologic Modeling,
Systems
Analysis,
Water
Resources
Management, Sensitivity and Uncertainty
Analysis, Non-stationarity and Climate Change.
Howard Wheater, CERC
Canada Excellence Research Chair in Water
Security, National Hydrology Research Centre,
11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon S7N 3H5
E-mail: howard.wheater@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966-1990
Fields of Interest:
Hydrology and water
resources; applications include climate change,
surface and groundwater hydrology, floods,
water resources, water quality and waste
management.
Research Fellows
Michael N. Demuth
Research Scientist, Cryosphere Geoscience
Section, Geological Survey of Canada
Project Lead – State and Evolution of Canada’s
Glaciers;
E-mail: mike.demuth@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca
Fields of Interest: Significance of glaciers to
environmental flows and natural resource
sectors. Snow-glacier interaction. Glacier mass
balance methods. Snow and ice geophysics
including nuclear and electromagnetic methods.
D. Scott Munro, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor
Department of Geography, University of Toronto
Mississauga,
3359
Mississauga
Road,
Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6
E-mail: scott.munro@utoronto.ca
Ph. (905) 627-7782
Fields of Interest: glacier boundary-layer,
turbulent heat transfer to ice and snow,
modelling of glacier mass balance, energy
balance and surface meltwater runoff, glacier
measurements.
Robert W. Sandford
Chair, Canadian Partnership Initiative, United
Nations Water for Life Decade & Director,
Western Watershed Research Collaborative,
Coldwater Laboratory, Kananaskis, Alberta
E-mail: sandford@telusplanet.net;
Ph. (403) 678-7003c
Fields of Interest: Public education and the
translation of scientific research outcomes into
effective and timely public policy action.
Kevin R. Shook, Ph.D., P.Eng
Research Scientist, Centre for Hydrology, 11
Kirk Hall, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, S7N
5C8.
E-mail: kevin.shook@usask.ca
Ph. (306) 966 5514
http://www.usask.ca/hydrology/people/Shook_K
evin.php
Fields of Interest: snowmelt modelling, fractal
analysis, flood/drought modelling, extreme
events analysis, prairie hydrometeorology.
Paul H. Whitfield
Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Hydrology,
Coldwater Laboratory, Kananaskis, Alberta.
E-mail: paul.whitfield@ec.gc.ca
Ph. (403) 673-3236
Co-Editor Canadian Water Resources Journal,
Emeritus Scientist, Environment Canada,
Adjunct Professor, Department of Earth
Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Fields of Interest: Applications of statistics to
the analysis of environmental data, transient
events, the design and implementation of
environmental monitoring programs, quality
assurance and quality control, water chemistry in
relation to hydrological processes, and the
relationship between water and climate in Arctic
and sub-Arctic environments, particularly in
relation to climate and land use change.
************************* *
31 August 2015
For further information on the Centre
for Hydrology or hydrology research:
Professor John Pomeroy
Canada Research Chair in Water Resources
and Climate Change
Director – Centre for Hydrology
117 Science Place
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Sask. S7N 5C8
Ph: 306-966-1426
31 August 2015