PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia–( BUSINESS WIRE )–The University of Northern British Columbia and Rio Tinto (NYSE: ) have expanded their partnership to advance vital research into the impacts of climate change on water security and freshwater fish in the Nechako Basin.
This announcement contains multimedia. See the full press release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250115183770/en/
$1.75 million in research funding from Rio Tinto will support two research chairs at UNBC over the next five years, creating regional knowledge critical to the long-term sustainability of the watershed while informing global water management and climate resilience efforts.
Professor of environmental science dr. Stephen Déry has been appointed head of research at Rio Tinto for climate change and water security. The position is a renewal of the initial appointment of an Industrial Research Chair (IRC) jointly supported by Rio Tinto and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada in 2019. The next phase of Déry’s research will involve expanding the hydrometeorological monitoring and numerical modeling efforts developed through the IRC, as well as system development forecasts to predict river water temperatures along the main stream of the Nechako River.
Through the IRC research program that began in 2019, our team has worked in collaboration with multiple partners including Rio Tinto to greatly expand our monitoring and understanding of climate change and meteorological phenomena such as atmospheric rivers. This led us to assess their impact on water security in the Nechako Basin in the context of past and potential future climate change, says Déry. Over the next five years, we will continue to closely monitor and investigate climate, atmospheric, and hydrologic conditions, processes, and phenomena across the Nechako Basin as the climate crisis continues to unfold. This will help communities, management societies and industries better prepare, adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change to ensure future water security in the Nechako Basin and beyond.
Associate Professor of Ecosystem Sciences and Management dr. Eduardo Martins has been appointed Rio Tinto’s head of research on climate change and freshwater fish ecology. His research will address gaps in knowledge about how water temperature variability caused by natural processes and river regulation affects fish behavior and survival.
The Nechako watershed is home to numerous species of fish “sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, rainbow trout, burbot and Nechako white sturgeon” that are important to ecosystems as well as First Nations and diverse cultures throughout the region, Martins says. Given their sensitivity to warmer water temperatures, observed warming trends and recent extreme temperature events raise concerns about the long-term sustainability of many species.
Working in collaboration with Déry, Martins will develop models that investigate how changes in water temperature and future extreme events will affect freshwater fish populations in the basin, informing critical fisheries management of key (salmon) and threatened (nechako white sturgeon) aquatic species, as well as conservation policies and practices in the region.
Findings from these research projects will help support Rio Tinto’s operations in the watershed while providing guidance for ecological stream discharges at the Skins Lake spillway.
Climate change is having a significant impact on the Nechako Basin, which plays a vital role in our hydroelectric power, First Nations cultural practices and the quality of life of local communities, says Andrew Czornohalan, director of the Energy and Watershed Partnership at Rio Tinto BC Works. The research work carried out by dr. Déry and his local team are improving our collective understanding of meteorological phenomena and their environmental consequences. The expanded scope of our partnership with UNBC will provide additional scientific data to inform our collaborative approach to reservoir management and river improvement.
This renewed partnership will maintain active outreach and engagement throughout the region as UNBC’s research chairs and their team members work with local First Nations and a range of community partners and groups.
This partnership illustrates the transformative power of collaboration as we work together to find local solutions to global issues, says UNBC Vice President, Research and Innovation, Ph.D. Paula Wood-Adams. Big challenges like climate change cannot be solved in isolation. Diverse teams and partnerships are essential, including community members living and working in the region and private businesses alongside our academic researchers.
In addition to funding from Rio Tinto, UNBC will provide cash and in-kind contributions totaling approximately $1.3 million over the five-year program, helping to support a team of 11 researchers, including master’s students, doctoral candidates and graduate students. doctoral scholars.
Backgrounder
Rio Tinto Research Chair in Climate Change and Water Security
The overarching goal of this research program is to better understand and quantify the roles of climate change and hydrometeorological extremes on the long-term water security of the Nechako watershed.
Three main topics:
- Hydrometeorological extremes including droughts and atmospheric rivers
- Microclimates and climate change in the Vanderhoof agricultural belt
- Variability and predictability of water temperatures
Research on these topics will extend from the headwaters of the Nechako River to the confluence of the Nechako River with the Fraser River in Prince George.
Rio Tinto Chair for Research on Climate Change and Freshwater Fish Ecology
The overarching goal of this research program is to focus on how spatial and temporal variability in water temperature “caused by natural processes, land use, forest fires, and river regulation” affects fish behavior and survival.
Two main topics:
- Thermal preference and behavioral thermoregulation
- Thermal tolerance
The research program will be developed by collecting data using telemetry, data logging, thermal imaging and laboratory experiments on thermal preference and tolerance.
Review of IRC research by dr. by Stephen Déry is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D__otHvfeg
About Rio Tinto in British Columbia
Rio Tinto celebrated its 70th anniversary in British Columbia in June 2024. With industry-leading technology and four generations of employee expertise, as well as clean hydro at Keman and Nechako Reservoir, the Kitimat smelter produces aluminum with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world.
See the original version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250115183770/en/
Rio Tinto media relations
Malica Cheršnja
M +1 418 592 7293
malika.cherry@riotinto.com
UNBC Communications Officer
Michelle Cyr-Whiting
M +1 250-960-5402
michelle.cyr-whiting@unbc.ca
Category: BC Works
Source: Rio Tinto
