Northern Research
Arctic, sub-Arctic and boreal regions are experiencing rapid, human-induced changes to aquatic ecosystems that threaten the natural environment and the livelihoods and traditions of northern communities worldwide. As scientists, governments and communities across the globe increasingly look for solutions to changes occurring in the Arctic, Canadian Rivers Institute scientists continue their mission of making every river — including those in the north — a healthy river.
MActaquac aquatic ecosystem study
The Mactaquac Aquatic Ecosystem Study (MAES) is a planned, whole-river ecosystem study of the Wolastoq | Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada. It began and continues with a multi-year assessment of the structure and function of a large river ecosystem building baselines and environmental metrics leading toeffective environmental assessment, various modeled simulations of flow, sediment, temperature, and habitats, and assessments of fish passage at the Mactaquac Generating Station (MQGS) and other hydropower stations. A comprehensive study of a large river ecosystem of this scale is a global first.
The Saint John River: A State of the Environment REport
In 2011, with the assistance of the Province of New Brunswick, the Canadian Rivers Institute published The Saint John River: A State of the Environment Report. The report provides a concise synthesis of the environmental state of the Saint John River. The report contains both historical and recent data from studies that employed indicators of freshwater environmental quality, and describes trends in the condition of the ecosystem of the Saint John River. The report is comprised of chapters that cover six topics: socioeconomic conditions, river habitats, water quality, primary production, fish, and traditional ecological knowledge. A summary of issues and concerns, data gaps, and recommended future research is provided at the end of each chapter.
WATER GRANDMOTHER
Between 2011-2015, CRI developed and promoted the initiative of the “Water Grandmother” (Samaqan Nuhkomoss, Samuqwan Mi'kiju); a Maliseet person who visited with First Nations communities across New Brunswick to raise awareness and where possible, address local water quality issues. In partnership with the provincial and federal government, the CRI provided the science and technical support regarding water quality. In addition, the CRI involvement provided the window and access point to post-secondary education opportunities in environmental management that will arose from the Water Grandmother’s work in local communities.