Remediation of contaminated surface water towards low cost, sustainable agricultural re-utilization.
The Constructed Wetlands Research Facility is a unique collaboration between industry, government and an academic institution to address environmental problems and meet the strategic government environmental policy needs. It was established to provide research support to implement Alberta’s Water for Life strategy. The infrastructure is an 8.5-hectare outdoor laboratory consisting of 20 research ponds that are equipped with real-time hydrological and water-quality monitoring instrumentation and telemetry capabilities. The facility is utilized for on-site experimentation, verification and development of treatment processes and technologies that could be used in off-site applications. As water is increasingly becoming a limited resource in Alberta, it is imperative that low cost, water quality remediation solutions can be developed and validated to support the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. Olds College constructed wetlands are an ideal research facility to support such efforts.
- Demonstration of effectiveness of wetlands as a water quality remediation technology.
- Mitigation of water quality contaminants in meeting provincial and federal water quality guidelines and standards, thereby enabling value-added utilization of non-contaminated water.
- Testing digital water quality monitoring technologies with respect to biological, chemical and physical pollutants.
- Identification of effective, reliant, perennial, cold-climate, native aquatic plant species conducive for phytoremediation of contaminated surface water bodies in Alberta.
- Biodiversity monitoring and enhancement.
- Agriculture, animal science and food
- Clean technology
- Construction (including building, civil engineering, specialty trades)
- Education
- Environmental technologies and related services
Specialized labs and equipment
| Equipment | Function |
|---|---|
| Research ponds | Triple-lined with water-recirculation capabilities. |
| Recirculation pumps | |
| Xylem YSI ProDSS Multiparameter Digital Water Quality Meter | Handheld water quality meter. |
| Hach Hydrolab DS5X, DS5 and MS5 Water Quality Multiprobes | Multiparameter, remote monitoring, real-time sondes. |
| Greenhouse | For aquatic plant cultivation, growth performance and phytoremediation efficacy testing. |
| ADCON Telemetry A850 Telemetry Gateway | Remote data monitoring system. Integrated with information technology (IT) system for remote data transfer and processing. |
| Arable Mark 2 Digital Weather Monitoring System | Multiparameter, remote monitoring, weather station. |
Private and public sector research partners
- Foothills Landscaping Ltd. (Calgary)
- CIMA+ (Calgary)
- WestCreek Developments (Strathmore)
- Town of Strathmore (Alberta)
- Prairie Merchant (Calgary)
- Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
- High Plains Industrial Park (Balzac)
- Town of Olds (Alberta)
- Ducks Unlimited Canada
- Red Deer River Watershed Alliance
- Tannas Conservation Services Ltd.
- Klassen AgriVentures Ltd. (Linden)
- Penridge Feeders Inc. (Swalwell)