Global Institute for Water Security

Global Institute for Water Security
Name	Global Institute for Water Security
Established	2014
Type	Research institute
Location	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Affiliations	University of Saskatchewan

Global Institute for Water Security is a research institute focused on hydrology, water resources and climate interactions based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The institute concentrates on integrated water science linking field observations, remote sensing, modelling and policy engagement to address challenges affecting the Mackenzie River, Saskatchewan River, Prairie Provinces, and international basins. It collaborates with academic, Indigenous, governmental and international organizations to translate scientific results into decision-relevant knowledge.

History

The institute was formed within the University of Saskatchewan system in the 2010s to build on earlier work by groups from the Global Water Futures program, the Potash Corporation-era partnerships, and research networks tied to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. Founders and early contributors included scholars who previously worked with the International Hydrological Programme, the Arctic Council scientific community, and the World Meteorological Organization panels. Over time the institute expanded links to projects associated with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations Environment Programme, and basin-scale efforts such as the Mekong River Commission, Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, and programs funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Mission and Objectives

The institute’s mission aligns with priorities articulated by organizations like the United Nations, World Bank, Global Environment Facility, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to improve water security, resilience and sustainable development. Objectives emphasize generating actionable science for stakeholders including the Government of Canada, provincial ministries such as Saskatchewan Water Security Agency-linked entities, Indigenous governments including Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, and international partners such as the International Joint Commission. It seeks to inform policy processes connected with instruments like the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals, and transboundary agreements such as the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.

Research Programs

Research programs cover cryospheric hydrology, permafrost thaw impacts, land–atmosphere interactions, flood risk, drought monitoring and water quality tied to contaminants and eutrophication. Projects draw on methods used in studies by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, and modeling frameworks popularized in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. Scientific themes intersect with work from the International Association of Hydrological Sciences, the American Geophysical Union, the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, and thematic collaborations with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. Researchers publish in outlets and forums linked to the Journal of Hydrology, Water Resources Research, and proceedings of the World Water Forum.

Facilities and Infrastructure

The institute maintains field sites across prairie, boreal and Arctic environments supported by instrumentation comparable to arrays used by the Global Terrestrial Network for Hydrology, FluxNet towers, and monitoring stations coordinated with the Canadian Surface Observing Network. Laboratory infrastructure supports isotope hydrology and geochemistry analyses with equipment analogous to that in facilities at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique and the U.S. Geological Survey laboratories. Computational resources include high-performance computing clusters interfaced with national platforms such as Compute Canada and data systems interoperable with repositories like the Canadian Cryospheric Information Network.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The institute partners with universities including University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Waterloo, and international institutions such as University of Cambridge, Columbia University, Stockholm University, and Australian National University. It works with Indigenous organizations like the Meewasin Valley Authority and regional agencies including SaskWater as well as federal departments like Fisheries and Oceans Canada. International collaborations extend to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Water Management Institute, and multilateral initiatives supported by the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Education and Training

Educational activities include graduate supervision linked to the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, professional development workshops for staff from the Canadian Red Cross and municipal partners, and training aligned with certification programs from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan. The institute hosts internships, summer schools and curriculum contributions to programs similar to those run by the International WaterCentre and provides modules that draw from case studies featured in reports by the International Panel on Climate Change authors and the United Nations University.

Impact and Policy Influence

Findings have informed provincial water management decisions, flood forecasting systems used by the Prairie Provinces, and adaptive planning resources adopted by agencies such as Environment and Climate Change Canada and municipal authorities including City of Saskatoon. The institute’s science has been cited in policy briefs presented to parliamentary committees, technical contributions to the Council of Canadian Academies, and guidance documents used by the Canadian Red Cross in disaster response. Internationally, its methods and datasets have contributed to initiatives associated with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and capacity-building efforts supported by the World Bank and Global Water Partnership.

Category:Research institutes in Canada Category:Water management Category:University of Saskatchewan