There have been significant changes in the South Saskatchewan River basin (SSRB) since the publication of the Roadmap in 2016, these changes include irrigation district expansions, water infrastructure-related projects, and changes to the operation of the basin. Given these changes, in 2021 the SSROM underwent an update process to update the model to reflect current conditions of the basin. The purpose of the model update was to ensure that the current operations were reflected in the SSROM to allow the SSROM to continue to inform water management decisions and planning within the SSRB.
Through a series of collaborative working group meetings, working group members provided information to bring the model up to date. Working group members included irrigation districts and key Government of Alberta representatives (e.g., Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) and Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (AAI)). Information provided by working group members included:
The model update not only achieved the primary objective of updating the model to reflect current basin operations, but it also enabled an update of the OASIS modelling platform to OASIS Enterprise, allowing for more efficient modelling of complex scenarios and user-friendly interface.
There were also additional water management strategies identified; the working group indicated that it would be beneficial to assess these strategies further leveraging a collaborative approach. Example water management strategies identified include assisting in the development of a drought management plan for the City of Calgary, optimization of water management in the upper SSRB, assessing water management options for rural and economic development, and evaluating ecosystem health within the context of new projects that are underway. These were to be evaluated in a later work.
Information detailing the SSROM model and its construction from 2021/22 can be found here on the Open Alberta site.
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Ross has extensive executive experience in Operations, Governance, Information Technology and Strategy at the board and senior management level including Mancal Corporation, Mancal Energy, Highridge Exploration and Atlantis Resources. He has worked in Oil and Gas, Coal, Commercial Real Estate, Portfolio Management, Recreation, Retail and Water and Wastewater Treatment. His experience is also geographically diverse having overseen operations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Additionally, he has been on the board of companies with operations in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Kazakhstan, and Russia. He has served on numerous Public, Private and Not for Profit Boards across a number of industries.
Ross has been active on several industry Boards and committees including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and The Schulich School of Engineering Industry Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Engineering.
Brian is a seasoned Cleantech entrepreneur with a proven history of successfully bringing complex water technologies to the market. With over 25 years of experience, he has led various organizations to achieve significant milestones in the industry.
Having started as the founding CEO of the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) and later taking the helm at the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP), Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth within the sector.
He is an active investor in the cleantech sector and has served on many boards including the Ontario Clean Water Agency.
Actively engaged in industry associations like AWWA, WEF, IWA, and ASCE, Brian enjoys collaborating with fellow professionals to promote advancements in the field.
Brian holds an undergraduate degree and a PhD in Physics from Queen’s University, which has provided him with a solid technical foundation. As a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, he brings valuable insights to corporate governance.