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Water quality in the McLeod River as an indicator for mining impacts and reclamation success (2005 to 2016)

Description

The McLeod River headwaters originate in the Rocky Mountains in west-central Alberta and join the Athabasca River near Whitecourt. Coal mining has occurred in the McLeod watershed since the 1970s... More ≫

Description

The McLeod River headwaters originate in the Rocky Mountains in west-central Alberta and join the Athabasca River near Whitecourt. Coal mining has occurred in the McLeod watershed since the 1970s and more recently, there has been both reclamation and expansion of mine sites in the upper basin. In this study, trends in surface water quality parameters in the McLeod River watershed were assessed over time to understand changes in water quality and associations with active mining and reclamation activity.

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Synthesis report of the enhanced monitoring program on the Lower Athabasca River 2019-2020

Description

This document summarizes work completed for the Lower Athabasca River enhanced monitoring program for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Data that has been generated from this program to date includes... More ≫

Description

This document summarizes work completed for the Lower Athabasca River enhanced monitoring program for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Data that has been generated from this program to date includes surface water quality, sediment quality, fish health endpoints, and fish communities.

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Summary of enhanced monitoring of the Lower Athabasca River, 2018

Description

Summarizes work completed for the Lower Athabasca River enhanced monitoring program in 2018. Data that has been generated from this program to date includes surface water quality, sediment... More ≫

Description

Summarizes work completed for the Lower Athabasca River enhanced monitoring program in 2018. Data that has been generated from this program to date includes surface water quality, sediment quality, fish health endpoints, and fish communities. These data are provided in appendices at the end of this report.

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A study design for enhanced environmental monitoring of the Lower Athabasca River

Description

Presents an enhanced sampling design for deployment in the Lower Athabasca River. It represents one component of work to describe baseline environmental conditions in the Lower Athabasca River... More ≫

Description

Presents an enhanced sampling design for deployment in the Lower Athabasca River. It represents one component of work to describe baseline environmental conditions in the Lower Athabasca River prior to the potential release of coke slurry-treated oil sands process affected water (OSPW). The document describes sampling locations and sampling frequency to establish a comprehensive description of baseline environmental conditions in surface water chemistry, benthic sediments, benthic algae, benthic macroinvertebrates, and small-bodied fish.

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Assessing toxicity of treated oil sands process-affected water : experimental study design

Description

Describes efforts being taken by provincial regulators (Alberta Environment and Parks and the Alberta Energy Regulator) to gather scientific information to inform future decisions around the... More ≫

Description

Describes efforts being taken by provincial regulators (Alberta Environment and Parks and the Alberta Energy Regulator) to gather scientific information to inform future decisions around the potential for the release of treated oil sands process water into the Lower Athabasca River.

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Ecotoxicity assessment of treated oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) : 2019 toxicity and mesocosms studies

Description

This technical report, compiled by Hatfield Consulting, describes the experimental design used to determine the toxicity of oil sands process-affected water (OSPWW) treated using Syncrude's... More ≫

Description

This technical report, compiled by Hatfield Consulting, describes the experimental design used to determine the toxicity of oil sands process-affected water (OSPWW) treated using Syncrude's coke-slurry treatment process. The three primary components of the study design are: chemical characterization of untreated and treated OSPW; toxicological testing of treated OSPW; and assessment of aquatic invertebrate community mesocosm responses to treated OSPW.

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Upper Athabasca Region groundwater supply and allocation assessment

Description

This study provides an assessment of groundwater supply and the capacity in the Upper Athabasca Region through an analysis of aquifer extent and groundwater users.

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Assessments of groundwater influence on selected river systems in the oil sands region of Alberta

Description

Reports on two studies developed to address science needs and gaps related to groundwater-surface water interactions on tributaries of the Lower Athabasca River and proximate to tailings ponds.... More ≫

Description

Reports on two studies developed to address science needs and gaps related to groundwater-surface water interactions on tributaries of the Lower Athabasca River and proximate to tailings ponds. The studies address to sub-themes of the groundwater theme identified in the Joint Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring program regarding water quality of the Lower Athabasca River, namely: What is the relative importance and contribution of groundwater quality and quantity to surface waters? and: Is there groundwater seepage from tailings ponds and/or other oil sands industrial operations entering the surface water system?

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Surface water quality of the Athabasca, Peace and Slave rivers and riverine waterbodies within the Peace-Athabasca delta

Description

This study investigates key issues identified in the Joint Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring program regarding water quality of the Lower Athabasca River mainstem and the downstream... More ≫

Description

This study investigates key issues identified in the Joint Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring program regarding water quality of the Lower Athabasca River mainstem and the downstream Peace-Athabasca delta, specifically: the current state of water quality; the distribution of contaminants in surface water; and whether substances added to the rivers by natural and man-made discharges are likely to cause deterioration of water quality.

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Assessing ecosystem health in benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages of the Athabasca River main stem, tributaries and Peace-Athabasca delta

Description

Results from the Joint Oil Sands Monitoring plan presented here address the need to develop a comprehensive and robust invertebrate biomonitoring program for oil sands development in the lower... More ≫

Description

Results from the Joint Oil Sands Monitoring plan presented here address the need to develop a comprehensive and robust invertebrate biomonitoring program for oil sands development in the lower Athabasca River and area. Benthic macroinvertebrate biomonitoring was conducted along the main stem of the lower Athabasca River, its primary tributaries and in the Peace-Athabasca delta to assess spatial and temporal change in ecological condition within these aquatic habitats. The study focused on macroinvertebrates because they are relatively sedentary, can be sensitive to multiple stressors, are critical components of fish habitat, and are the most common group used for aquatic bioassessments globally.

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