GIWS is co-located at Environment and Climate Change Canada's National Hydrology Research Centre and maintains access to high-quality water research lab facilities and instrumentation. Much of the GIWS research infrastructure is part of the network of Global Water Futures Observatories.
GIWS offers office space (short- and long-term), services, equipment and facilities which may be booked via our QReserve system.
Multi-purpOse Soil Testing (MOST) Facility
MOST is a multi-purpose facility that provides slope testing and applied research for agriculture, hydrology, engineering, mining, and green infrastructure projects. It specializes in mine reclamation and environmental solutions for cold regions using advanced testing and simulation technologies. The MOST facility is led by the Department of Soil Science and is part of Global Water Futures Observatories.
To request equipment, space, or services, please see Services and Booking.
McDonnell Extraction & Stable Isotope Lab
The McDonnell Extraction & Stable Isotope Lab specializes in extracting water from soil and plant materials and conducting stable isotope analyses of water samples. The lab measures the ratios of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes (D/H, 18O/16O and 17O/16O) in fresh water and soil water, providing insights into water sources, movement, and hydrological processes. This lab is led by the Department of Soil Science and is part of Global Water Futures Observatories.
To request services, please see Services and Booking.
SaskWatChE Laboratory (Saskatchewan Water Chemistry and Ecology)
The SaskWatChE Laboratory provides analytical services for water quality assessment, including nutrient chemistry and dissolved gas analyses. The lab supports aquatic and environmental research by using advanced instrumentation such as discrete chemical analyzers, gas chromatographs, and membrane inlet mass spectrometers (MIMS). This lab is led by Dr. Helen Baulch (SENS) and is part of the Global Water Futures Observatories.
To request services, please see Services and Booking.
Smart Water Systems Laboratory
The Smart Water Systems Laboratory (SWSL) provides advanced remote sensing and surveying services using drones, LiDAR, and optical, thermal, and hyperspectral imaging technologies. These services delivers high-resolution data to monitor and detects changes in water quantity and quality. This laboratory is part of the Global Water Futures Observatories.
To request services, please see Services and Booking.
Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility
The Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility, the only facility of its type in Canada and one of only a few in the world, is a highly sophisticated laboratory for aquatic toxicology research. The facility simultaneously provides different water quality parameters and temperatures ranging from 5 to 45°C in order to perform both static and continuous flow toxicology experiments with a broad range of freshwater organisms including algae, crustaceans, insects, clams, amphibians and small- and large-bodied species of fish. The facility includes walk-in, controlled-environment chambers and self-contained proportional diluter systems for toxicant delivery. This equipment provides ideal conditions for conducting both acute and chronic aquatic toxicity experiments. This facility is led by the Toxicology Centre.
Canadian Rockies Hydrological Observatory
The Canadian Rockies Hydrological Observatory (CRHO) provides access to long-term hydrological and environmental monitoring data from a network of research sites across the Canadian Rockies. The CRHO collects data on snow, glaciers, streamflow, weather, groundwater, and ecosystems to better understand and predict mountain water resources under changing climate conditions. This observatory is part of the Global Water Futures Observatories.
To view and request data, please see CRHO webpage.
Global Water Futures Observatories (GWFO)
GWFO is led by the University of Saskatchewan in partnership with eleven universities across Canada, providing essential data to help researchers and other users develop sustainable water resource management solutions. The geographical scope of GWFO covers most of the major river basins in Canada with exemplary observation sites that provide key insights on water cycling and quality.
Analytical Geochemistry Laboratory
The Analytical Geochemistry Laboratory houses various instrumentation to support research in environmental geochemistry. The lab offers fee-for-service analysis of aqueous samples for academic researchers and their collaborators.
Additional USask Research Facilities
GIWS also collaborates with and is part of the broader USask research enterprise, which includes the following:
