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Analysis of water quality sampling of Twin Valley Reservoir, Clear Lake and tributaries, 1999-2010

Description

Twin Valley Reservoir was first filled in 2003 following construction of a new dam on the Little Bow River near its confluence with Mosquito Creek. To fill and operate the new reservoir, increased... More ≫

Description

Twin Valley Reservoir was first filled in 2003 following construction of a new dam on the Little Bow River near its confluence with Mosquito Creek. To fill and operate the new reservoir, increased diversion from the Highwood River to Women’s Coulee and to the Little Bow River occurs in spring according to an approved water management plan. An existing lake, Clear Lake, was also stabilized by diversion from Mosquito Creek near the mouth first operated in 2002, and additional enhancements. This report presents an evaluation and statistical analysis of water quality in Twin Valley Reservoir, Clear Lake, and their tributaries that was prepared using intensive monitoring data collected by Alberta Environment from 1999 to 2010, with reference to previous baseline sampling where needed for statistical testing.

Water quality sampling of Grand Valley Creek in 2003

Description

A partnership of agricultural, residential, and recreational landowners concerned about water quality and low flow in Grand Valley Creek was formed in 2002. Alberta Environment provided a water... More ≫

Description

A partnership of agricultural, residential, and recreational landowners concerned about water quality and low flow in Grand Valley Creek was formed in 2002. Alberta Environment provided a water quality sampling and flow gauging program in this watershed in 2003, to document current conditions in this basin and assist planning by this partnership. This sampling program focused on key water quality variables in Grand Valley Creek that may be indicative of impacts from ranching or wastewater from septic fields.

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Flows required to protect water quality in the Little Bow River and Mosquito Creek

Description

To assist the development of plans for the Highwood and Little Bow River watersheds, the Science and Standards Division, Alberta Environment was asked to examine the relationship between flow and... More ≫

Description

To assist the development of plans for the Highwood and Little Bow River watersheds, the Science and Standards Division, Alberta Environment was asked to examine the relationship between flow and water quality in the Little Bow River and Mosquito Creek. This report presents an evaluation of the effects of flow on water quality. Equations were developed to predict the relationship between flow and dissolved oxygen in the Little Bow River, and the relationship between flow and total suspended solids in Mosquito Creek. These equations were used to estimate flows that should ensure suitable water quality.

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Evaluation of the water quality impacts of the Nose Creek deflection structures

Description

Alberta Environment installed deflection structures in the Bow River immediately downstream from Nose Creek in the spring of 2001. This report summarizes data collected in the monitoring program... More ≫

Description

Alberta Environment installed deflection structures in the Bow River immediately downstream from Nose Creek in the spring of 2001. This report summarizes data collected in the monitoring program and evaluates whether the deflection structures caused any impact in water quality.

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Predictive equations for suspended solids and dissolved oxygen in the Highwood River

Description

This report presents equations that can be used to predict total suspended solids and dissolved oxygen as functions of flow and maximum water temperature, respectively.

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Water quality sampling of the Little Bow River and Mosquito Creek in 1999

Description

A water quality sampling program was initiated by Alberta Environment in the Little Bow River and Mosquito Creek basins in 1999. This program was intended to document the water quality impacts of... More ≫

Description

A water quality sampling program was initiated by Alberta Environment in the Little Bow River and Mosquito Creek basins in 1999. This program was intended to document the water quality impacts of agriculture and municipal wastewater discharge in these basins, and identify the most important loading sources (critical areas) for phosphorus, nitrogen, and total suspended solids (TSS).

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Evaluation of recent trends in water quality in the Elbow River upstream from Glenmore Reservoir

Description

Water Sciences Branch, Alberta Environment (AENV) was asked to determine if any significant changes had occurred in the water quality of the Elbow River upstream from Glenmore Reservoir, since the... More ≫

Description

Water Sciences Branch, Alberta Environment (AENV) was asked to determine if any significant changes had occurred in the water quality of the Elbow River upstream from Glenmore Reservoir, since the previous survey by the Alberta government (Beers and Sosiak 1993). All the available water quality data for the Glenmore Reservoir and the upper Elbow River were compiled and evaluated. Those variables with a sufficient number of samples were then tested statistically to determine whether significant changes in concentration had occurred over time.

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Recent changes in contaminant levels in the Bow River following the installation of a containment system at the Canada creosote site

Description

Alberta Envrionmental Protection has intensively monitored the Bow River ecosystem since 1989. This work was designed to determine the distribution of contaminants from the Canada Creosote site in... More ≫

Description

Alberta Envrionmental Protection has intensively monitored the Bow River ecosystem since 1989. This work was designed to determine the distribution of contaminants from the Canada Creosote site in the aquatic ecosystem, to protect domestic water supplies and to ensure the human consumption of fish was safe. This report evaluates changes in water quality over the two years since the containment system was intalled.

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Changes in contaminant levels in the Bow River following the installation of a containment system at the Canada Creosote site

Description

In November 1989, a liquid mixture of various contaminants including the wood preservatives creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP) was found seeping into the Bow River adjacent to the abandoned... More ≫

Description

In November 1989, a liquid mixture of various contaminants including the wood preservatives creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP) was found seeping into the Bow River adjacent to the abandoned Canada Creosote site in Calgary. A temporary berm was built in the river around the seepage area on November 6-9, 1989, and rebuilt on October 9-19, 1990. Contaminants were removed from the bermed area. A permanent barrier to contaminant flow was installed along the entire shoreline between April 29 and May 3, 1995, and a system designed to prevent the flow of contaminated groundwater to the river around the barrier was operational by February 8, 1996.

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Modelling of the response of Pine Lake to reduced internal and external loadings

Description

The Pine Lake Restoration Society began various projects in 1995 designed to reduce nutrient loading and thereby control algal blooms in Pine Lake. Measures to control both external (e.g., runoff... More ≫

Description

The Pine Lake Restoration Society began various projects in 1995 designed to reduce nutrient loading and thereby control algal blooms in Pine Lake. Measures to control both external (e.g., runoff from agricultural sites) and internal phosphorus loadings (e.g., sewage in ground water and sediment phosphorus release) are being implemented. To assess the potential benefits of these projects, a water quality model (Bathtub 5.3)(Walker 1986) was used by Water Sciences Branch, Alberta Environmental Protection to predict theoretical changes in phosphorus concentration in Pine Lake after various levels of reduction in external and internal phosphorus loading. Predictive equations for Pine Lake were then developed to predict changes in algal biomass (chlorophyll a) and transparency (Secchi depth) based on the new phosphorus concentrations predicted by the model.

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