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Surface water quality of Lower Athabasca River tributaries

Description

This study investigates key issues identified in the Joint Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring program regarding water quality of tributaries to the lower Athabasca River, specifically: the... More ≫

Description

This study investigates key issues identified in the Joint Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring program regarding water quality of tributaries to the lower Athabasca River, specifically: the current state of water quality; the distribution of contaminants; whether the presence of toxic substances is increasing or decreasing, and their rate of change' 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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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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Analysis of water quality conditions and trends for the long-term river network : Oldman River, 1966-2005

Description

The purpose of this report was to provide both a general summary of water quality conditions in the Oldman River and to subject the extensive long-term dataset to a thorough series of trend... More ≫

Description

The purpose of this report was to provide both a general summary of water quality conditions in the Oldman River and to subject the extensive long-term dataset to a thorough series of trend assessments. Although monitoring on the Oldman River has frequently addressed a host of trace organic contaminants, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and numerous other compounds, most of these data are insufficient for statistical evaluation of trends. Hence, analysed data are largely restricted to conventional water quality variables, including such things as ions, nutrients, bacteria, and metals. Results of trend assessment on these data suggest that a number of variables have undergone significant changes over the years. Despite ongoing expansion of livestock operations, irrigation activities, and human population in the Oldman River basin, all but one significant trend detected at the two sites after 1987 are decreasing and largely indicative of improving water...

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Fish diet analysis McLeod and Smoky River Drainages

Description

The primary objective of the study was to provide a summary of the diet data and any major patterns in the diet of fish from waterbodies within the study area. The analysis included the three diet... More ≫

Description

The primary objective of the study was to provide a summary of the diet data and any major patterns in the diet of fish from waterbodies within the study area. The analysis included the three diet content methods used (frequency of occurrence, percent composition by count, and percent composition by weight; see Section2.1 for details) and presentation of temporal (years and where appropriate months) and spatial patterns for the fish species among the river systems.

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Toxicity assessment of Wabamun Lake sediments

Description

In 2002 Alberta Environment initiated several studies on Wabamun Lake in response to public concerns about murky water near the TransAlta Utilities Corporation ash lagoon outfall and to follow-up... More ≫

Description

In 2002 Alberta Environment initiated several studies on Wabamun Lake in response to public concerns about murky water near the TransAlta Utilities Corporation ash lagoon outfall and to follow-up on incidences of fish mortality. Elevated metal levels were found in the water and sediments near the ash lagoon outfall, but the cause of fish mortality was unrelated to these metal levels. The objective of this study was to determine if the sediments contained substances toxic to aquatic life forms.

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Spatial variability of water quality in Wabamun Lake (July 2002) data report

Description

The objective of the sampling program initiated by AENV in July 2002 was to scope out the degree of spatial variability in Wabamun Lake water quality. Eight other lakes were also sampled to allow... More ≫

Description

The objective of the sampling program initiated by AENV in July 2002 was to scope out the degree of spatial variability in Wabamun Lake water quality. Eight other lakes were also sampled to allow comparisons of the intra- and inter-lake variability in water quality. This document provides a compilation of the data and highlights the major findings

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Wabamun Lake water quality 1982 to 2001

Description

This report outlines how in the early 1980s, Alberta Environment established a formal water quality monitoring program at Wabamun Lake. The program was designed to determine long-term patterns in... More ≫

Description

This report outlines how in the early 1980s, Alberta Environment established a formal water quality monitoring program at Wabamun Lake. The program was designed to determine long-term patterns in the overall water quality of the lake. It was not designed to evaluate the effects of specific activities (e.g., point and non-point source inputs) in the watershed.

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Benthic invertebrate assessment in Wabamun Lake, November 2002

Description

Two TransAlta Utilities Corporation power generating plants are located on the shores of Wabamun Lake. The plants use a local supply of coal which is strip mined within the watershed. The Wabamun... More ≫

Description

Two TransAlta Utilities Corporation power generating plants are located on the shores of Wabamun Lake. The plants use a local supply of coal which is strip mined within the watershed. The Wabamun Power Plant is located on the north shore near the village of Wabamun and the Sundance Power Plant on the opposite south shore. There are three major point source discharges to Wabamun Lake through canals including a thermal discharge and mine drainage discharge from the Wabamun Plant on the north shore and a water discharge from the Wabamun Lake Water Treatment Plant on the south shore. Of the three major point source discharges to Wabamun Lake, the influence of the thermal effluent on aquatic vegetation and invertebrate fauna has been documented, however, the effects from the two other sources on local invertebrate fauna have not been documented.

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A survey of metals and trace organic compounds in sediments from Wabamun Lake and other Alberta lakes

Description

In 2002 Alberta Environment (AENV) initiated several studies (including this one) in response to complaints about murky water in the lake near the TransAlta Utilities Corporation (TAU) ash lagoon... More ≫

Description

In 2002 Alberta Environment (AENV) initiated several studies (including this one) in response to complaints about murky water in the lake near the TransAlta Utilities Corporation (TAU) ash lagoon outfall and in support of an investigation on fish mortality. The specific objectives of this study were to document surficial sediment quality of Wabamun Lake with respect to metals and trace organics and to compare results with those from other lakes.

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An initial assessment of microcystin in raw and treated municipal drinking water derived from eutrophic surface waters in Alberta

Description

Microcystin, a widespread hepatotoxin, has been the topic of recent research in Alberta and it is suspected that certain communities may be exposed to this toxin because elevated levels have been... More ≫

Description

Microcystin, a widespread hepatotoxin, has been the topic of recent research in Alberta and it is suspected that certain communities may be exposed to this toxin because elevated levels have been measured in their raw water supplies. However, the total extent of microcystin in Alberta’s raw drinking water sources remains largely undetermined. Furthermore, it is unclear whether traditional drinking water treatment practices effectively remove microcystin. The objectives of this study were: to assess the prevalence of microcystin in selected municipal raw water sources; to determine if current water treatment practices adequately remove the toxin; and to determine the efficacy of an experimental bio-filtration process for the removal of microcystin.

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