His research focuses on environmental history and water history, with a regional specialization in Western Canada. He serves as a co-leader of the Canadian Water History Project (with Stéphane Castonguay, UQTR), and as an executive leader of the Network in Canadian History and Environment (NiCHE). His books include Fish versus Power (awarded the Canadian Historical Association’s Clio Prize), The River Returns (with C. Armstrong and H.V. Nelles), and Urban Rivers (with S. Castonguay).