Developing a Transferable Multi-Source Geospatial Framework to Quantify Blue-Green Infrastructure Impacts on Intra-Urban Heat Dynamics

The proposed 12-week Mitacs internship will extend the student’s current Master’s research on how climate change affects urban stormwater runoff in Victoria, Australia, to the contrasting setting of Saskatoon, Canada. She will adapt her existing runoff model by incorporating Saskatoon’s historical weather records, snowmelt patterns, soil infiltration rates, and land-use data. The model will be adjusted to reflect frozen ground, seasonal snowpack, and prairie soil conditions. Once the model accurately simulates observed runoff in Saskatoon’s catchments, she will apply future climate projections, including warmer winters and heavier summer rains, to assess changes in runoff volume and flow rates. By comparing results from Victoria and Saskatoon, the research will identify which urban design strategies, such as rain gardens, retention ponds, or permeable surfaces, are most effective under evolving climate conditions. Throughout the internship, she will develop visual outputs, prepare a summary report for stakeholders in Saskatoon, and present the work at the School of Environment and Sustainability. This project will test the adaptability of her model across two distinct climates and provide practical insights for enhancing urban stormwater management in response to climate change.

Faculty Supervisor:

Varuni Jayasooriya

Student:

Partner:

Victoria University;University of Moratuwa

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Water; Sustainability and the Environment; Environmental Science and Technology

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program: