Description
Stormwater ponds are artificial structures that are critical components of stormwater management systems in many Canadian cities. They serve to prevent flooding of urban areas during excess rainfall. Stormwater ponds also contribute to environmental health by allowing the settlement of dirt and solids from stormwater to the bottom of the pond. As a result, the sediments of stormwater ponds can become enriched with potentially harmful contaminants. The health risks posed to anglers by contact with stormwater and sediments and consumption of fish from stormwater ponds are not well characterized. The City of Lacombe (Alberta) is a municipality with two stormwater ponds stocked with sterile fish for angling. Alberta Health collected water, sediment and fish from these two ponds over two seasons (fall 2010 and spring 2011) and analyzed the samples for a suite of contaminants. Water samples were collected from three sites at each pond and three depths for each site (n=40; nine samples plus one replicate sample per pond per season). Sediment samples were collected from the same three sites at each pond (n=12; three samples per pond per season). Fish samples (rainbow trout) were collected in fall 2010 (n=18; eight from East Pond and ten from Len Thompson Pond). For the contaminant analysis, all samples (water, sediment and fish) were tested for parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Additionally, water samples were tested for routine chemicals, trace metals, pesticides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and fish muscle tissue was tested for total mercury.
Updated
February 21, 2023
Tags
Resources
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Lacombe Stormwater Column Descriptions
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Lacombe Stormwater Dataset
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Title and Dataset Information
Alternative Title
Lacombe Stormwater Pond Dataset
Date Modified
2023-02-21
Update Frequency
Once
Publisher / Creator Information
Creator
Publisher
Health
Subject Information
Resource Dates
Date Created
2023-02-21
Date Added to catalogue
2023-02-21T21:56:44.395165
Date Issued
2023-02-21
Date Modified
2023-02-21
Audience information
Language
Identifiers
Usage / Licence
Usage Considerations
This dataset presents the levels of various contaminants in water (PAHs, VOCs, Routine Chemistry and Trace Metal Parameters), sediment (PAHs) and fish samples (PAHs, Mercury) collected from two stormwater ponds in Lacombe, Alberta over two seasons (fall 2010, spring 2011). Analyses were completed at the Biogeochemical Analytical Service Laboratory (Edmonton, AB; PAHs) and the Alberta Center for Toxicology (Calgary, AB; all other parameters). Please see the Column Descriptions for analytical details. The dataset is representative of the years/seasons sampled and should not be extrapolated to other years or areas. PAHs occur naturally in coal, crude oil, gasoline and wood and are released through the burning of these materials. Several PAH congeners are suspected carcinogens. The dataset includes 42 parent and alkylated PAHs. Mercury (Hg) enters the environment through natural processes and human activity. People may be exposed to Hg through consumption of Hg-containing fish. Hg can accumulate in the human body and can adversely affect the nervous system. The dataset includes total Hg in fish muscle. Routine chemical analyses were performed to evaluate water quality; the dataset includes 18 routine parameters. Trace elements are substances found in very low quantities in the environment. They are released through natural processes and human activity, can dissolve in water and can harm the health of aquatic biota and humans. The dataset includes 23 trace elements in water. Pesticides are chemicals designed to kill organisms that destroy food crops and cosmetically improve the appearance of lawns and gardens. Improper storage and agricultural runoff can cause pesticides to enter waterbodies. The dataset includes 42 pesticides in water. VOCs are a group of chemicals with various domestic, industrial and agricultural uses. They can evaporate into air or dissolve into water. At high exposures, VOCs can damage the liver, immune system and nervous system. The dataset includes 24 VOCs in water.
Contact
Contact Name
Environmental Public Health Science Team