OUR TEAM
RED RIVER BASIN COMMISSION
The Red River Basin Commission is a charitable, not-for-profit organization designed to help facilitate a cooperative approach to water management within the Red River Basin and is a well-established forum for identifying, developing, and implementing solutions to cross-boundary issues. The RRBC is led by 44 directors representing the diversity of this multi-jurisdictional Basin and is comprised of local, state, provincial, and First Nation government representation, the environmental community, and at-large members. It maintains offices in Fargo, ND and Winnipeg, MB and is dedicated to innovation in the management of the Red River Basin’s water resources.
RICHARD GROSSHANS
Dr. Richard Grosshans is a research scientist and Bioremediation Lead at the International Institute for Sustainable Development's (IISD) Water Program. He has over 20 years of expertise working in natural and managed wetland systems, environmental management, and sustainable energy. He has conducted research in both Delta Marsh on Lake Manitoba and Netley-Libau Marsh on Lake Winnipeg; examining long-term wetland changes. Richard has led innovative applied research on integrated watershed and renewable energy management with a focus on Lake Winnipeg phosphorus issues, biomass harvesting, wetland restoration, water retention, and agriculture resilience. More recently, he has led research on bioremediation and floating wetland islands at the IISD Experimental Lakes Area (ELA).
PASCAL BADIOU
Dr. Pascal Badiou has been a research scientist with Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research (IWWR) since 2006. Prior to joining DUC, Pascal worked as an aquatic scientist specializing in water quality and aquatic ecology for an environmental consulting firm in Winnipeg. In general, Pascal’s research interests focus on the ecology of wetlands and shallow lakes. He is particularly interested in how multiple stressors - such as droughts, eutrophication, nonindigenous species and pesticides - interact to affect the ability of wetlands to enhance water quality and regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, Dr. Badiou is working in a number of prairie watersheds where he and his team are examining the impacts of wetland management practices (drainage and restoration) on hydrology and water quality at large scales. Dr. Badiou has a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and a Ph.D. in Wetland Ecology from the University of Manitoba. He is an adjunct professor in the University of Manitoba’s departments of Biological Sciences and Soil Science.
MIKE STAINTON
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Mike is the Chair of the Lake Winnipeg Foundation and is a chemist with DFO’s Freshwater Institute and the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) research team. His areas of expertise include Lake Winnipeg scientific research and networking with the scientific community working on Lake Winnipeg. He is currently researching the impact of flooding and land use practice on nutrient loss from agricultural lands, and monitoring the algal productivity that these nutrients produce in Lake Winnipeg using remote sensing and shipboard instrumentation.
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ALEX SALKI
B.Sc., M.Sc. (UofM), MSM (2017). Alex conducted limnological research as a DFO Biologist at the Experimental Lakes Area, the Laurentian Great Lakes, Southern Indian Lake, and many other Canadian lakes (1968-2007). He was co-founder and Science Program Coordinator of the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium (1999-2009), board member and Science Advisory Council Chair of the Lake Winnipeg Foundation (2009-2016), appointed to the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board (2003-2007), steering committee member of the Climate Change Connection, and member of the Forks Citizens Advisory Committee (1992-1993). Alex specializes in the taxonomy, ecology and distribution of crustacean plankton in lakes throughout Canada and USA. In retirement (2007-present), Alex provides laboratory analyses and consulting services on zooplankton communities for Canadian consultants, governments and industry.
PAIGE KOWAL
Paige Kowal works as a Research Biologist for Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research. Paige is involved in water quality and ecological monitoring projects, and geospatial analyses of wetlands and their surrounding landscapes. She has extensive experience studying coastal freshwater marshes in Manitoba (Delta and Netley-Libau Marshes) through her academic and professional work, and now works primarily on quantifying wetland ecosystem services provided by prairie pothole wetlands. Paige graduated with her M.Sc. from the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Manitoba. Her thesis focused on using GIS and aerial photo interpretation to analyze historical changes in emergent vegetation extent within Netley-Libau Marsh in Manitoba in response to lake and river hydrology.
GREG MCCULLOUGH
Dr. McCullough holds a PhD in Geography, with specialty in the study of hydrological processes, and sediment and nutrients transport in rivers, lakes and oceans. His professional life has been spent studying water, including: the physical impacts of hydro-electric developments; flow and nutrient transfers through undeveloped watersheds and lakes; algal bloom formation in Lakes Winnipeg, Manitoba and Winnipegosis; and the effect of fresh water from rivers and annual ice formation on oceanographic processes in Hudson Bay and the Beaufort Sea. Greg's skills include: knowledge of water-related science in Lake Winnipeg and its watershed; connections with many scientists studying it and experience helping non-scientists understand their work.
GORDON GOLDSBOROUGH
Dr. Gordon Goldsborough is a member of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Manitoba where he studies the impacts of human activities and invasive species on wetlands and lakes. Much of his research has focused on coastal wetlands of Manitoba's large lakes, especially Delta Marsh and Netley-Libau Marsh. He is also the past Chair of the Manitoba Water Council, the senior advisory body to the Minister of Sustainable Development.
SHAWN CLARK
Dr. Shawn Clark is a Professor and Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Manitoba. His primary research program involves a considerable amount of fieldwork throughout Manitoba, where his team monitors ice processes on the Assiniboine, Dauphin, Nelson and Red Rivers. The fieldwork component is complemented by laboratory testing and numerical modelling. He first began conducting research on the Netley-Libau Marsh in 2009, which focused on understanding flow distributions within the various marsh channels as well as water level variations throughout the marsh.
BUSTER WELCH
Dr. Harold Welch worked as a scientist for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) until his retirement, specializing in all aspects of aquatic ecosystem research. Buster is one of the lead scientists for the Lake Winnipeg Foundation and continues to support environmental projects within the Foundation and abroad.
ZACH REGIEC
Zach has enjoyed working in various communications roles within Manitoba Hydro and now with the Red River Basin Commission. He has lived in Manitoba most of his life and now has two young children who he aims to teach about the importance of Mother Nature and our waterways. Graduating from Red River College in Creative Communications in 2007 helped show Zac there are always vital stories to tell and pass on. His hope, with working with both the RRBC and Manitoba Hydro, is that he continues to garner more knowledge to keep sharing these important stories about how hard people are working to make this province a better place to live.
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SHAUN MOFFATT
Shaun Moffatt, M.Sc. has over 20 years of experience as an ecological researcher and environmental scientist with a broad range of experience working in the environmental, water resource, construction and energy industries. As a Senior Environmental Scientist at KGS Group, Mr. Moffatt is responsible for project management, senior review, public consultation and coordination, undertaking, analysis and reporting of environmental fieldwork. Fields of expertise include Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Approvals, Public Consultation, Environmental Monitoring and Terrestrial Ecology Studies.
MIKE SUTHERLAND
Mike Sutherland is a member of the Peguis First Nation in Treaty 1 and is the current Director of Peguis’ Consultation & Special Projects Office. Before Mike started the Consultation & Special Projects office, he was a Councilor for Peguis. Under Mike’s leadership, the office has participated in over 30 environmental projects at the regional, provincial & federal levels. Mike has been in and out of post-secondary institutions throughout his life time, however he places the greatest value on the education he received from living on the land. Mike has been an active trapper for the past 43 years, being taught at a young age by his grandfather. Mike has also held positions in forestry, fishing, farming, in addition to a number of years spent on a contract working for Manitoba Conservation with the Aboriginal Relations Branch. Mike has been married for 35 years and has 2 children and 3 grandchildren. He is passionate about teaching his children and grandchildren his knowledge of the land.
GEOFF REIMER
Director of Environment Program; Southern Chiefs' Organization Incorporated
ARMAND BELANGER
Manager; East Interlake Watershed District
