Athabasca River Basin

Download Hydrological Model of Alberta using SWAT Model. Part 1 (3 MB) Hydrological Model of Alberta using SWAT Model. Part 2(2 MB) The Athabasca River originates in the Rocky Mountains […]

Alberta’s Water Yield

Water Yield can be calculated by dividing the mean annual volume of streamflow that is produced in a nested watershed (expressed in cubic meters per year), by the area of […]

Bow River Project

Introduction In 2010, the Bow River Project Research Consortium was established to explore options for re-managing the river system from headwaters to confluence- the Bow River Project (BRP). Participants worked […]

Impacts of Long-term Climate Cycles on Alberta

The Alberta Water Research Institute commissioned Suzan Lapp and Stefan Kienzle of the University of Lethbridge to provide an improved understanding and appreciation of the impacts of large scale and […]

The Story of Water Management on the Bow River

Through the vision, funding and support of the Bow River, Eastern and Western Irrigations Districts, we are excited to showcase this initial series of ten HD-quality, professional videos on The […]

Agriculture and Irrigation in Alberta

Alberta’s Irrigation System The distribution of the irrigation area in Alberta primarily involves the 13 irrigation districts in southern Alberta (approximately 525,000 hectares), but also includes the “private irrigation” of […]

Historical Data and Observation Reports

The following is a selection of regularly updating websites with historical or current observation reports on Alberta’s environment. Alberta Precipitation Levels Precipitation that reaches the surface of the earth can […]

World Water Facts

Water Supply About 70% of the Earth’s surface is water-covered[1]. The oceans hold about 96.5% of all Earth’s water[1]. 68.9% of the Earth’s fresh water exists in the form of […]

Alberta Water Facts

No matter where you go in the world water is one of our most precious resources. Use the section headers as jumping off points to learn more about all the […]

Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Ross Douglas

Ross Douglas

Board Member

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.

Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Brian Mergelas

Brian Mergelas, PhD, ICD.D

Board Member

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.