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This report details a five-year study (2019-2023) of the De Salaberry water retention project in southeastern Manitoba, examining how a small, naturalized dam affects phosphorus reduction to combat eutrophication and harmful algal blooms in Canadian freshwater systems.

This executive summary explains how optimizing the design of water retention projects in the Canadian Prairies can maximize phosphorus reduction to prevent algal blooms. Using data from the De Salaberry project (2019-2023), the authors demonstrate that increasing hydraulic retention time through strategic design changes, such as modifying outlet culvert diameters, significantly improves phosphorus removal. The report recommends integrating quantitative phosphorus reduction estimates into planning, targeting phosphorus hotspots, and developing practical tools for engineers to balance water quality with flood mitigation.

A report by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, based on a Nanos Research survey of 1,015 Canadians in October 2025, finds broad public support for climate action, specifically regarding the regulation of oil and gas methane emissions and the reduction of health risks associated with wildfires and heat waves.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development has developed a replicable spatial targeting strategy for water retention projects in the Canadian Prairies, designed for use in ungauged basins. By utilizing models like PTMApp and public digital elevation data, the strategy aims to optimize the placement of natural infrastructure—such as wetlands and small dams—to maximize phosphorus reduction and mitigate the increased risks of floods and droughts caused by climate change.

This executive summary from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of 17 types of natural infrastructure in enhancing water resilience across the Canadian Prairies. It argues that natural assets—both conserved/restored and constructed—should complement conventional grey infrastructure to mitigate floods, secure water supplies during droughts, and improve water quality.

This executive summary describes a spatial targeting strategy developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to optimize the placement of water retention projects, such as wetlands and small naturalized dams, to reduce phosphorus loading in Canadian Prairie watersheds.

This IISD guidebook provides a framework for integrating climate adaptation planning into Manitoba's Integrated Watershed Management Plans (IWMPs). It outlines a five-stage adaptation process—getting started, assessing risk, identifying actions, implementing, and monitoring—and maps these onto the existing IWMP stages. The guide introduces a risk matrix for prioritizing hazards based on likelihood and severity and offers a menu of climate-resilient actions, such as wetland restoration and riparian management, to enhance the resilience of natural and human systems against floods, droughts, and extreme heat.

This executive summary outlines pathways to increase private investment in natural infrastructure within the Canadian Prairies to address a growing water-related infrastructure funding gap.

The 'Essential Monitor's Guide for Prairie Water Retention' by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) explains the importance of monitoring natural infrastructure projects to ensure they meet specifications and maintain performance over time. The guide aims to make monitoring more accessible by providing technical information on equipment, analysis methods for water quantity and quality, and practical examples from IISD's experience.

The 'Essential Monitor’s Guide for Prairie Water Retention' is a technical guidebook published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in February 2024. It provides a framework for monitoring the water quantity and quality of water retention projects—natural infrastructure designed for flood and drought mitigation, water quality improvement, and biodiversity enhancement. The guide details the necessity of water and contaminant mass balances, recommends specific monitoring tools and equipment, and explains how to use rating curves and automated samplers to collect data in the challenging environments of the Canadian Prairies.

This executive summary by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues for the adoption of natural infrastructure—such as conserved wetlands and restored riparian areas—to address aging water infrastructure and climate vulnerabilities in the Canadian Prairies. The document advocates for a shift away from 'grey' infrastructure (dams, pipes) toward nature-based solutions to manage water supply, treat wastewater, and mitigate disasters like floods and droughts.

This fact sheet by the International Institute for Sustainable Development describes the economic impact and growth potential of the natural infrastructure sector in the Canadian Prairies, with a specific focus on Saskatchewan. It defines natural infrastructure as a method of planning and working with nature to meet needs such as wastewater treatment, flood protection, and drinking water supply.

This report summarizes a virtual workshop hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) on June 23, 2022, focused on the monitoring and modelling of water retention projects in the Canadian Prairies. The event brought together 20 participants from government, academia, and industry to share research on the effectiveness of small dams, retention ponds, and wetlands in managing water quantity and nutrient loads, specifically phosphorus. The workshop highlighted the technical challenges of monitoring in cold climates, the use of new technologies like UV-Vis spectrometers, and the need for better business cases to encourage the adoption of natural infrastructure by agricultural producers.

This report summarizes a virtual workshop hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) on June 23, 2022, which focused on monitoring and modelling for water retention projects in the Canadian Prairies. The event brought together 20 participants from government, non-governmental organizations, academia, and industry to share research and identify collaboration opportunities to advance water retention science and business case development.

This report examines the intersection of climate change and agriculture in the Canadian Prairies, detailing the risks to productivity, the sector's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, and the role of beneficial management practices (BMPs) and policy support in increasing resilience.

Beardy’s and Okemasis’ Cree Nation in Saskatchewan utilized the Pathways to Climate Change Resilience Guidebook to develop a climate adaptation plan following severe flooding in 2005, 2007, and 2011. By integrating Traditional Knowledge and partnering with entities like the University of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Research Council, the community identified risks—including extreme heat and precipitation variability—and implemented infrastructure improvements such as expanded drainage systems and water quality research.

This briefing examines the use of green and climate bonds to fund distributed water harvesting (DWH) as a climate adaptation strategy for the agriculture sector in the Canadian Prairies.

A statement by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) welcoming the November 2016 announcements by the Canadian federal government and the Government of Alberta to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2030, highlighting the expected public health and environmental benefits.

The document proposes the creation of an Agricultural Water Security Market (AWSM) in southwestern Manitoba to manage water resource demands from the agricultural and oil and gas sectors amidst climate-driven supply variability.

The document describes a report on the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to climate change adaptation in Africa. It outlines an analytical framework for adaptation interventions—addressing vulnerability, building response capacity, managing risks, and confronting climate change—and draws on case studies from Senegal, Malawi, and Uganda to suggest policy and practical interventions.