Grant Hodgins
The role of groundwater in delivering chloride to urban streams
Increasing concentrations of chloride in urban streams and lakes are a growing ecological concern. This is especially the case in temperate climates where chloride is a main component in road salts used for de-icing during the winter months. Aquatic exposure to road salt can impact amphibian community structure by excluding salt-sensitive species from high chloride environments. High chloride levels also impact the recovery of freshwater mussels species at risk. This research will combine groundwater sampling from multiple urban streams with chronically high chloride levels with the use of groundwater tracers Radon-222, temperature mapping, and bromide to better understand the role of groundwater in delivering chloride to urban streams.
Personal Background:
I completed a B.Eng in Materials Engineering & Society from McMaster University in 2020. During the summer of 2018 I worked at the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority where I was introduced to surface water and soil quality. During the summer of 2019 I worked for Environment Canada where I was introduced to the RESTORE research group. This led to me joining the RESTORE research group in June 2020.
Awards:
Canada Grand Masters Scholarship (2020),
The Neil Forsyth Prize (2019)
The John F. Moore Prize (2018)
The Ronald K. Ham Memorial Prize (2018)
