California Construction News staff writer
Construction has started on a new water research and training facility at San Diego State University’s Mission Valley campus.
The One Water Laboratory, an active research, education and outreach facility located next to the river park at SDSU Mission Valley, is expected to be completed later next year.
The project is funded by $2.6 million in grant support from the San Diego River Conservancy, a state agency focused on preserving and restoring the San Diego River area.
Once operational, the laboratory will provide SDSU students with hands-on learning opportunities tied to real-world water systems, including stormwater, surface water and wastewater management.
“Water is central to life, to public health, and to the future of our region,” said Hala Madanat, vice president of SDSU’s Division for Research and Innovation. She said the lab will help address challenges related to drought, flooding, water quality and long-term water sustainability.
The facility will consist of a 480-square-foot modular building and associated outdoor space that will utilize bioretention basins built throughout the Mission Valley river park. The basins are designed to capture and filter stormwater runoff before it flows into the San Diego River and ultimately Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
The laboratory is based on the “One Water” concept, which treats all forms of water as interconnected and equally valuable resources. The approach emphasizes integrating water systems to improve climate resilience, protect ecosystems and reduce water scarcity.
“The river park is enclosed by the San Diego River and Murphy Canyon Creek, with nearby biofiltration basins that stabilize slopes and clean stormwater,” said Natalie Mladenov, SDSU professor of environmental engineering and principal investigator for the project. “This gives us direct access to a living watershed that is representative of San Diego and the region.”
Beyond university research, the One Water Laboratory will play a role in addressing the need to modernize water infrastructure across the region to protect public health, prevent pollution and better prepare for extreme events such as droughts and wildfires.
“The research and training conducted at the One Water Laboratory are intended to have an impact far beyond SDSU,” Madanat said. “This work will help develop solutions and a skilled workforce to meet the region’s growing water challenges.”
