Kicking Off the 2025 Wetland Monitoring Season
- leliaweiland
- Jun 16
- 2 min read
The summer 2025 field season has begun! In early May, our teams from Calgary and Waterloo made the journey north to Fort McMurray to kick off what promises to be a productive and exciting four months in the field.
Meet the Teams
At the Stony Mountain Headwater Catchment Observatory this year's crew includes Katrina and Kaitlyn, both undergraduate research assistants supporting hydrology work in natural wetland headwater ecosystems.
The DPL project welcomed Ethan and Jess, also undergraduate research assistants, who are contributing to lake monitoring and mine site work.
Over at the Aspen project, Saeed, an incoming MSc student, and Euan, an undergraduate research assistant, are focusing on road-wetland interactions and greenhouse gas dynamics.
Supporting all three projects are Natasa and Murdoch, postdoctoral fellows with the group, and Lelia and Jenn, research technicians helping to guide and organize field operations.
Stony Mountain Highlights
The team at Stony hit the ground running. Weekly measurements of stream discharge, groundwater levels and water chemistry are well underway. The occasional misstep into various peat holes has kept things interesting, and the resident grey jays at Maqua Lake have kept morale high.
Smooth Start at Aspen
The Aspen team had a successful first month, setting up new stream gauging sites and reinstalling IRGASON instruments to monitor gas fluxes. A few muddy road adventures also gave us the chance to master an unexpected new skill—truck towing.
Bears and Boats at DPL
The DPL project offered a mix of tranquil lake work and higher-adrenaline mine site visits. Days were spent measuring lake water chemistry and bathymetry by boat, as well as routine measurements on the mine site with the occasional interruption by curious bears. Thankfully, trained wildlife monitors were on hand to keep everyone safe.
Looking Ahead
With the first month behind us, the teams have settled into a rhythm and are well-prepared for the months ahead. As wildfire season picks up and the boreal summer unfolds, we’re excited to continue gathering critical data and making the most of our time in the field. Stay tuned for more updates from the north!