Wang Water Group Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba
Project

The Nelson River project

Development of a novel water quality monitoring tool and its application in the Upper Nelson River watershed


What we are doing

This project develops a monitoring tool that responds in real time to both inorganic and organic species in water. Run from a boat, it produces a high-resolution profile along the river, revealing the pollution sources that degrade water quality and threaten fish habitat.

The specific objectives are as follows.

  1. To develop and optimize the monitoring tool in the laboratory.
  2. To deploy it along the Upper Nelson River, mapping water quality at high resolution and locating potential pollution sources.
  3. To sample those sources for detailed laboratory analysis, and to develop remedial measures that protect fish habitat.

The project

Funder
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Location
Upper Nelson River watershed, Manitoba
Field testing
The Seine and Red Rivers in Winnipeg, ahead of deployment on the Nelson
Instrumentation
A prototype based on fast radical reactions, alongside a multi-parameter sonde as a reference instrument

Updates

Laboratory prototype development is under way, and field work is planned for summer and fall 2026; updates will be posted here as the project progresses.

Questions about the project, or interest in collaborating, are welcome. Chengjin.Wang@umanitoba.ca

Funded by
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada
In collaboration with
  • Violumas
  • Save Our Seine