Researchers studying movement of submerged remains in the Bow River
Leading researchers are partnering with the Calgary Police Service to conduct a scientific study designed to improve search and recovery efforts within the Bow River.
This collaborative project brings together expertise from the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Windsor in the fields of scavenging and aquatic ecology, with the goal of better understanding how submerged bodies move within the river environment.
As part of the study, pig cadavers will be equipped with GPS tracking devices that records depth, temperature and distance travelled, and placed in the Bow River. The cadavers will be monitored remotely, until they become buoyant, at which point trained personnel will conduct a controlled recovery. Pig cadavers are regularly used by researchers as a scientifically acceptable alternative for human bodies.
The information gathered during this study will be used to create predictive models that can inform future search strategies, including where and when human remains are most likely to be located in the Bow River.
“This research will give us data we simply don’t have right now. By understanding how remains behave in the Bow River – how far they travel, where they move and when they surface – we can develop evidence-based models that improve recovery efforts. Ultimately, this work is about helping investigators find answers sooner and bringing closure to families.”
This study began several years ago in Saskatchewan, where findings directly contributed to the successful recovery of human remains in a homicide investigation.
The CPS remains committed to using evidence-based practices to support missing persons and homicide investigations. Sadly, it is a tragic reality that past missing persons have entered our city’s waterways and this is part of our efforts to ensure every available measure is taken to locate those who go missing.
Residents and Bow River users may notice activity related to the study over the coming weeks. We are asking all Calgarians not to approach, interfere with or disturb any research equipment.