Water
Just as our fresh water flows across borders, our work stretches across nation and sectors.
IISD can influence how we manage fresh water like no other think tank on earth, because we create scientific understanding of fresh water at our very own freshwater science facility, which then informs the policy recommendations developed by our team of policy analysts.
In other words, we truly bridge science and policy.
First the science.
IISD Experimental Lakes Area is the world’s freshwater laboratory.
A series of 58 lakes and their watersheds in northwestern Ontario, Canada, IISD-ELA is the only place in the world where scientists can experiment on and manipulate real lakes to build a more accurate and complete picture of what human activity is doing to freshwater lakes. The findings from its over 50 years of ground-breaking research have rewritten environmental policy around the world—from mitigating algal blooms to reducing how much mercury gets into our waterways—and aim to keep fresh water clean around the world for generations to come.
Then comes the policy.
We then take those scientific findings, and develop policy and programming solutions for governments, civil society, and industry that protect and enhance the natural environment, keep our fresh water clean, while also improving socioeconomic well-being.
We conduct economic analyses and hydrologic assessments so that governments best understand all the options before making final decisions. And we support the management of watersheds across national boundaries, bringing all the relevant sectors and stakeholders to the table.
IISD Experimental Lakes Area
We are the world’s freshwater laboratory—the only place in the world where scientists can manipulate real lakes to understand what human activity does to fresh water.

Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions (NIWS)
Put simply, it’s about looking after nature, so nature can look after us.

What are the African Great Lakes?
Whatever you know about Africa’s Great Lakes, sit back and allow us to explain all—in under 3 lil' animated minutes…

Speaking Each Other’s Language
When it comes to communicating the research findings of the world's freshwater laboratory, we need to speak to communities in their own languages. Literally.

Let’s Talk About Natural Infrastructure…
Allow us to take you on a whirlwind tour of Pelly’s Lake in southern Manitoba, Canada, where the marvels of natural infrastructure are already being felt.
How to Protect Fresh Water from Oil Spills
This episode looks at what freshwater scientists are trying to accomplish by spilling oil into a remote lake and the unusual solution they've found to help clean up future oil spills.
Our work in the news
Freshwater fish can recover from mercury pollution in just a few years - New Scientist
"Yet little is known from observations about how fast mercury levels decline once the pollution stops. To find out, the team ran a study in the Experimental Lakes Area in Ontario, Canada, a remote set of lakes set aside for science."
Experimental lake shows fish populations can recover quickly from mercury contamination - Science Magazine
"Now, a 15-year study of an experimental lake shows reducing mercury pollution that entered the ecosystem caused concentrations of the toxin in fish populations to drop substantially within only a few years. "
Animals and their DNA move through the environment in different ways - Massive Science
"Environmental DNA (or eDNA) is all the rage in ecology. Animals create and shake off DNA every day, leaving tracks as to where they’ve been. The DNA that has been shed into the environment can be sampled and tested later."
Here's what some Canadian researchers did during their summer of science - CBC Quirks and Quarks
"This summer Haley Moskal spent her summer studying those same lakes, to gather data on what is emerging as an environmental success story."
Experts
Paul Blanchfield
Research Fellow

Paul Fafard
Field Sampling Technician II, IISD-ELA

Pauline Gerrard
Deputy Director, IISD-ELA

Richard Grosshans
Lead, Bioeconomy

Bill Hamlin
Associate

Sonya Havens
Research Chemist, IISD-ELA

Chris Hay
Scientific Data Officer

Lauren Hayhurst
Fisheries Research Biologist II, IISD-ELA

Hans Herrmann
Senior Associate

Scott Higgins
Research Scientist, IISD-ELA

Lee Hrenchuk
Senior Biologist, IISD-ELA

Murray MacKay
Research Fellow

Matthew McCandless
Senior Director, Fresh Water & Executive Director, IISD-ELA

Hisham Osman
Research Fellow

Vince Palace
Head Research Scientist, IISD-ELA

Michael Paterson
Senior Research Scientist, IISD-ELA

Jim Perry
Associate

Louie Porta
Senior Associate

Marina Puzyreva
Policy Advisor

Michael Rennie
Research Fellow, IISD-ELA

Dimple Roy
Director, Water Management

Ken Sandilands
Biologist - Field Coordinator, IISD-ELA

Joey Simoes
Hydrologist II

Madeline Stanley
Policy Advisor

Lauren Timlick
Biologist II - Ecotoxicology, IISD-ELA
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