University of Guelph
The reappearance of excessive nutrient loading in Lake Erie and the subsequent algae blooms is an extremely complex issue and is quite different in nature than the previous phosphorous loadings in the 1970s. Unlike the issue in the 1970s, there are far more sources adding nutrients to the late and these sources are diverse in nature ranging from rural to urban. In order to understand the nutrient loading, both in the temporal and spatial domains, more complex analytic and predictive tools are required in order to help policy make sound, science based, and defendable solutions.
The University of Guelph is uniquely positioned to help address the issues around Lake Erie with long standing core strengths in both the agricultural sector and the environmental field. In conjunction with our partner, Greenland Consulting Engineers, and their watershed evaluation tool (CANWETTM), we believe that we have the engineering and technology to extrapolate CANWETTM from the watershed level up to the lake basin level and provide decision-making support for the entire Lake Erie basin.
Hussein Abdullah, Ph.D., P. Eng.
Director, School of Engineering
University of Guelph
January, 26 2015
County of Simcoe
Greenland provided exemplary consulting services to complete this landmark project. The firm’s attention to detail and proactive ideas was very important to assist the County in addressing the issues of concern about the study’s findings and also providing defendable, yet provocative, solutions based on best available science and proven technologies for the benefit of all local municipalities.
This letter confirms that the study objectives were met within the approved time frame. Greenland also provided a sizeable in-kind contribution to complete value-added deliverables and established new partnerships in terms of future watershed modeling and technology development initiatives involving the County of Simcoe.
Rick Newlove, P. Eng.
General Manager of Engineering, Planning and Environment
County of Simcoe
May 1, 2012
Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA)
Check out this (Greenland) video of THREATS (an open-source cumulative effects assessment tool to help direct environmental management (industrial or other)) and/or planning of future projects. It enables the compiling and juxtaposition of public environmental data (including, but not limited to, wildlife use areas and environmental quality data) with on-site or "targeted" environmental data. For security, the provision to include data protected behind a firewall exists to enable analysis and comparison of potentially sensitive data in the context of other datasets. The goal here is to allow for predictive capability and in turn mitigate potential effects. Equally, this provides a capacity to enable retroactive assessment (investigation of cause) of observed changes. The ability to spatially interpret stressor/pathway/receptor data, and conduct analyses within the tool, while retaining data in its original database (secure) is what is truly unique here. Excited to see what can be achieved with this powerful platform in areas where it has already begun to be used!
Neal Tanna
Advisor, Monitoring and Risk Assessment
Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA)
November 3, 2017
