Jana Levison, University of Guelph

Research

numerical modelling hydrogeology hydrology water quality water quantity agricultural interactions with groundwater climate change adaptation field-based research

Latest papers

Assessing multiple techniques for identifying various sources of chloride to urban groundwater and streams
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment · 2026 · senior author
A review of machine learning applications in the prediction of selected groundwater quality parameters: Key lessons, knowledge gaps, and future directions.
The Science of the total environment · 2026
Machine learning models for prediction of nutrient concentrations in surface water in an agricultural watershed.
Journal of environmental management · 2024

All 10 publications

Latest funding

High spatial and temporal resolution water quality monitoring associated with food production systems
NSERC · 2025 · Co-investigator
$150,000
Exploring how nature-based solutions can contribute to alleviate climate change impacts on watershed hydrology
NSERC · 2023 · Principal investigator
$199,790
Towards resilient rural groundwater systems in a climate emergency
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$129,000

All 9 grants and awards

10 publications.

01

Assessing multiple techniques for identifying various sources of chloride to urban groundwater and streams

Lackey RJ, Roy JW, Mackie C, Levison J

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-026-14994-y

02

A review of machine learning applications in the prediction of selected groundwater quality parameters: Key lessons, knowledge gaps, and future directions.

Elsayed A, Levison J, Binns A, Larocque M, Goel P

The Science of the total environment2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.181693 PMID: 41861475

03

Machine learning models for prediction of nutrient concentrations in surface water in an agricultural watershed.

Elsayed A, Rixon S, Levison J, Binns A, Goel P

Journal of environmental management2024

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123305 PMID: 39561445

04

Investigating relationships between climate controls and nutrient flux in surface waters, sediments, and subsurface pathways in an agricultural clay catchment of the Great Lakes Basin.

May H, Rixon S, Gardner S, Goel P, Levison J, Binns A

The Science of the total environment2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160979 PMID: 36549520

05

Impacts of soil, climate, and phenology on retention of dissolved agricultural nutrients by permanent-cover buffers.

Noble DT, MacDougall AS, Levison J

The Science of the total environment2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160532 PMID: 36455728

06

Using isotopic tracers to enhance routine watershed monitoring - Insights from an intensively managed agricultural catchment.

Persaud E, Levison J, Ali G, Robinson C

Journal of environmental management2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118364 PMID: 37399619

07

Application of classification machine learning algorithms for characterizing nutrient transport in a clay plain agricultural watershed.

Elsayed A, Rixon S, Levison J, Binns A, Goel P

Journal of environmental management2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118924 PMID: 37678017

08

Nitrate sources and transformation processes in groundwater of a coastal area experiencing various environmental stressors.

Boumaiza L, Ben Ammar S, Chesnaux R, Stotler RL, Mayer B, Huneau F, Johannesson KH, Levison J, Knöller K, Stumpp C

Journal of environmental management2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118803 PMID: 37611515

09

A GIS-based groundwater pollution potential using DRASTIC, modified DRASTIC, and bivariate statistical models.

Khosravi K, Sartaj M, Karimi M, Levison J, Lotfi A

Environmental science and pollution research international2021

DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13706-y PMID: 33961192

10

Spatiotemporal variations of nitrogen and phosphorus in a clay plain hydrological system in the Great Lakes Basin.

Rixon S, Levison J, Binns A, Persaud E

The Science of the total environment2020

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136328 PMID: 31986379

High spatial and temporal resolution water quality monitoring associated with food production systems

Co-investigatorNSERC2025Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Rooney, Neil

Keywords: nutrient dynamics; aquaculture; agriculture; nitrogen; phosphorus; autoanalyzer; field sonde; environmental monitoring; ecosystem impacts

$150,000

Exploring how nature-based solutions can contribute to alleviate climate change impacts on watershed hydrology

Principal investigatorNSERC2023Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Levison, Jana JK

Keywords: climate change; data driven modeling; field work; geomorphology; hydrogeology; hydrology; nature based solutions; numerical modeling; water quality; water quantity

$199,790

Towards resilient rural groundwater systems in a climate emergency

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Levison, Jana

Keywords: groundwater resources; climate change adaptation; field-based research; numerical modelling; rural water issues; agricultural interactions with groundwater; indigenous water issues; groundwater quantity; groundwater quality

$129,000

Real-time groundwater monitoring of a quarry reclamation within the City of Guelph for source water protection

Co-investigatorNSERC2021Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Munn, Jonathan JD

Keywords: bedrock; borehole logging; field studies; fractures; geochemistry; groundwater; monitoring; municipal water supply; rock matrix properties; water resources

$573,904

Understanding groundwater, agronomy and drainage system design influences on tile water quantity and quality

Principal investigatorNSERC2021Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Levison, Jana JK

Keywords: agricultural water managment; field study; geophysics; glacial geology; hydrogeology; hydrology; numerical modelling; water quality; water quantity

$243,700

Advancement of groundwater multi-level system technologies for improved management of source water in fractured sedimentary bedrock

Co-investigatorNSERC2018Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Principal investigators: Parker, Beth BL

Keywords: contamination; fractured rock; geology; geophysics; groundwater; hydrogeochemistry; modelling; physical hydrogeology; source water monitoroing; surface water

$2,225,000

Towards effective First Nations source water protection

Principal investigatorNSERC2016Engage Grants Program

Principal investigators: Levison, Jana

$23,950

Multimode Microplate Reader for Investigation of Biofilms and Design of Biosensing Assays

Co-investigatorNSERC2016Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Neethirajan, Suresh

$110,000

Improving crystalline bedrock aquifer conceptual models using novel discrete fracture network methods

Principal investigatorNSERC2014Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Levison, Jana

$200,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Engineering, School of
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Earth, Environment & Society
Civil Engineering - Génie civil
Sciences appliquées

Co-authors at University of Guelph, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Andrew Binns

Engineering, School of

5 shared papers, latest 2026

Romain Chesnaux

Sciences appliquées

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Majid Sartaj

Civil Engineering - Génie civil

1 shared papers, latest 2021

James W Roy

Earth, Environment & Society

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Clare Robinson

Civil and Environmental Engineering

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: numerical modelling Dear Professor Levison, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Assessing multiple techniques for identifying various sources of chloride to urban groundwater and streams" (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Exploring how nature-based solutions can contribute to alleviate climate change impacts on watershed hydrology" (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]