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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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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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Regional hydro-climatic and sediment modelling

Description

Reports on the development of an integrated modelling framework established and implemented from April 2012 to March 2015, to provide a comprehensive understanding of hydrology, hydraulics,... More ≫

Description

Reports on the development of an integrated modelling framework established and implemented from April 2012 to March 2015, to provide a comprehensive understanding of hydrology, hydraulics, sediments, and contaminants within the Athabasca River and to inform current and future monitoring efforts. The broad objective of this part of the Joint Oil Sands Monitoring plan was to provide critical knowledge on and improved predictive modelling capability for water availability and sediment/contaminant transport in the lower Athabasca River.

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Longitudinal water quality patterns in the Athabasca River : winter synoptic survey (2015)

Description

The report presents results of a water quality monitoring program completed on the Athabasca River. During the winter of 2015, Alberta Environment and Parks conducted a synoptic survey on the... More ≫

Description

The report presents results of a water quality monitoring program completed on the Athabasca River. During the winter of 2015, Alberta Environment and Parks conducted a synoptic survey on the Athabasca River. The purpose of the study was threefold: to evaluate winter spatial patterns in water quality along the length of the Athabasca River; to assess the cumulative effects of industrial and municipal point-source discharges on the Athabasca River during winter low flow, while considering contributions from major tributaries; and to compare current water quality conditions in the Athabasca River to data collected in 1990-1993. A synoptic survey is a comprehensive spatial survey that aims to sample the same ‘parcel’ of water as it flows downstream in a river basin.

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Analysis of water quality conditions and trends for indicators triggered in 2012 under the surface water quality management framework for the Lower Athabasca River

Description

This report presents the results of a technical assessment of water quality trigger exceedances for total nitrogen, dissolved uranium and dissolved lithium at the Athabasca River at Old Fort... More ≫

Description

This report presents the results of a technical assessment of water quality trigger exceedances for total nitrogen, dissolved uranium and dissolved lithium at the Athabasca River at Old Fort monitoring station for the year 2012. The assessment was initiated under the Lower Athabasca Region Surface Water Quality Management Framework for the Lower Athabasca River and helps fulfill a commitment made in the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan to initiate a management response when annual assessments indicate triggers or limits have been exceeded. The monitoring results are found in the 2012 Status of Ambient Environmental Conditions Report. This water quality assessment completes the first two steps (verification and preliminary assessment) in the management response and identifies which water quality indicators will be moved into the investigation phase.

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Lower Athabasca region : surface water quantity management framework for the Lower Athabasca River

Description

The Surface Water Quantity Management Framework for the Lower Athabasca River establishes weekly management triggers and water withdrawal limits to enable proactive management of mineable oil... More ≫

Description

The Surface Water Quantity Management Framework for the Lower Athabasca River establishes weekly management triggers and water withdrawal limits to enable proactive management of mineable oil sands water use from the Athabasca River. The Framework also introduces a series of adaptive management triggers that will indicate when river flow and water use conditions are close to-, or outside of-, the range of predicted future conditions used in modelling and development of the weekly management triggers and water withdrawal limits.

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Final report of Athabasca River water quality results in response to the Obed Mountain Mine release

Description

This final report summarises the analytical sample data collected by ESRD and analysed by both ESRD and its regulatory partners. The mine operator has also been conducting its own sample and... More ≫

Description

This final report summarises the analytical sample data collected by ESRD and analysed by both ESRD and its regulatory partners. The mine operator has also been conducting its own sample and data collection; however, these data are not included as part of this report.

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Athabasca River water management framework : Alberta's regulatory backstop to protect the Athabasca River

Description

Alberta Environment is setting strict limits on how much water oil sands companies can remove from the Athabasca River under a new framework that sets maximum withdrawals. With this unprecedented... More ≫

Description

Alberta Environment is setting strict limits on how much water oil sands companies can remove from the Athabasca River under a new framework that sets maximum withdrawals. With this unprecedented action, Alberta Environment is putting in place a water management framework for immediate protection of the Athabasca. Alberta is providing this regulatory backstop as an interim measure while key stakeholders continue to work on long-term planning to safeguard the river.

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2014 status of water quality : Athabasca River, Alberta at the Old Fort monitoring station : Water Quality Management Framework : Lower Athabasca Regional Plan

Description

This report presents the monthly water quality results for the Old Fort monitoring station, Athabasca River, Alberta for 2014. These data are provided to fulfill reporting requirements mandated by... More ≫

Description

This report presents the monthly water quality results for the Old Fort monitoring station, Athabasca River, Alberta for 2014. These data are provided to fulfill reporting requirements mandated by the Surface Water Quality Management Framework, which supports the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan. The 2014 report is the first report produced by the Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Agency for the Lower Athabasca Region. Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development produced previous reports.

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Preliminary report of Athabasca River water quality results in response to the Obed Mountain Mine release

Description

A dyke failure on the Obed Mountain Mine site in the Hinton region on October 31, 2013 caused the release of an estimated 670,000 cubic metres of process water and suspended sediment into the... More ≫

Description

A dyke failure on the Obed Mountain Mine site in the Hinton region on October 31, 2013 caused the release of an estimated 670,000 cubic metres of process water and suspended sediment into the Apetowan and Plante Creeks. These creeks merge into the Athabasca River downstream of Hinton. A number of government departments and agencies have actively been involved in responding to this event. This preliminary report summarises the first week of analytical sample data collected by Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) and analysed by both ESRD and Alberta Health Services. Current near real-time turbidity data is also included.

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