Rio Tinto and the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) announced a five-year partnership extension on Jan. 15 that will further research on the impacts of climate change on water security and freshwater fish in the Nechako Watershed, a river system in north-central B.C.  

The partnership between Rio Tinto and UNBC was established in 2019 to help support students and enhance the capacity for education and research in the region. Rio Tinto initially committed $450,000 over three years to support programs at UNBC focused on research into the socio-economic state within the watershed, initiatives in shared areas of interest, such as the environment, and experiential learning opportunities for students.  

As part of the expanded partnership, Rio Tinto has committed $1.75 million in funding to support two research chairs at UNBC over the next five years. The positions officially started on Jan. 1 and will run through to Dec. 31, 2029. Along with the funding from Rio Tinto, UNBC will contribute approximately $1.3 million over the span of five years to fund a team of 11 researchers, including master’s students, PhD candidates and post-doctoral fellows, who will collaborate with the research chairs.  

The Nechako Watershed spans approximately 47,200 square kilometres, with its drainage area overlapping the traditional territories of 15 First Nations. Rio Tinto’s BC Works operation in Kitimat, B.C., which includes the Kemano Powerhouse hydropower facility that supplies power to its aluminum smelter, draws water from the Nechako Reservoir.  

The information collected in these studies will assist Rio Tinto’s operations within the watershed and help inform the release of ecological flows at the Skins Lake Spillway for the Kenney Dam. 

Stephen Déry, environmental science professor at UNBC, has been selected as the new Rio Tinto research chair in climate change and water security. This role builds on a five-year industrial research chair (IRC) appointment that was first established in 2019 with joint support from Rio Tinto and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. 

“Climate change is having a significant impact on the Nechako Watershed, which plays a vital role in our hydroelectric operations, First Nations cultural practices and the quality of life of local communities,” said Andrew Czornohalan, director of energy and watershed partnerships at Rio Tinto BC Works, in a Jan. 15 press release. “The research work conducted by Dr. Déry and his local team enhances our collective understanding of meteorological phenomena and their consequences on the environment. The expanded scope of our partnership with UNBC will provide additional scientific data to inform our collaborative approach to reservoir management and improving the river.” 

Déry has been leading this research for six years to better understand hydrology in the face of climate change and the human impacts on the watershed. This research is anchored by the Tahtsa Ranges Atmospheric River Experiment, Canada’s first field campaign focused on studying atmospheric rivers, which are narrow, elongated regions of the atmosphere that transport concentrated water vapor through the sky.  

The use of technology such as vertical point radars, water stations and water temperature loggers have helped to improve data collection and hydrological modelling. According to UNBC, hydrological models can help to predict future water flow changes and the impact of climate change on water temperatures, while also laying the foundation for sustainable water management for future generations. These findings will inform and enhance ongoing, community-driven water management strategies. 

The next phase of research that Déry is engaged in will focus on expanding the hydrometeorological monitoring and numerical modelling efforts initiated through the IRC, as well as developing forecasting systems to predict river water temperatures along the main stem of the Nechako River. 

“Over the next five years we will continue to closely monitor and investigate climate, atmospheric and hydrological conditions, processes and phenomena across the Nechako Watershed as the climate crisis continues to unfold. This will assist communities, stewardship societies and industries to better prepare, adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change to ensure future water security across the Nechako Watershed and beyond,” said Déry in the Jan. 15 press release. 

Eduardo Martins has been chosen as the Rio Tinto research chair in climate change and freshwater fish ecology. Working alongside Déry, Martins plans to create models that will help examine how shifts in water temperature and future extreme meteorological events may affect the freshwater fish populations within the watershed. This research will inform essential fisheries management strategies for key species in the watershed, including salmon and endangered Nechako white sturgeon. It will also help to shape conservation policies and practices in the region. 

“The Nechako Watershed is home to numerous fish species—sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon, rainbow trout, burbot and Nechako white sturgeon—that are important to the ecosystems as well as the First Nations and diverse cultures across the region,” said Martins in the press release. “Given their vulnerability to warmer water temperatures, the observed warming trends and recent extreme temperature events raise concerns about the long-term sustainability of many species.” 

Paula Wood-Adams, vice-president of research and innovation at UNBC, noted that the partnership between Rio Tinto and UNBC illustrates the transformative power of collaboration when looking for local solutions for global issues. “Grand challenges such as climate change cannot be addressed in isolation,” she stated in the press release. “Diverse teams and partnerships are essential, including community members who live and work in the region and private enterprise along with our academic researchers.”