Publications

Looking upstream : a 5-year review of Alberta’s monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (MER) plan for lotic systems

Description

This report provides a summary of activities conducted between 2016 and 2021 under A Five-Year Provincial Water Quality Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Plan for Lotic Systems (Kerr and Cooke... More ≫

Description

This report provides a summary of activities conducted between 2016 and 2021 under A Five-Year Provincial Water Quality Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Plan for Lotic Systems (Kerr and Cooke 2019). An overview of this first river water quality monitoring, evaluation and reporting plan is provided, along with an evaluation of key metrics of the program, including sampling details, parameters monitored, and quality assurance/quality control efforts. The report presents summary findings and identifies ongoing gaps related to scientific questions. Key issues and improvements are recommended for consideration in the development of the next monitoring, evaluation and reporting plan.

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Alberta Environment and Protected Areas Indigenous Lake monitoring program evaluation report

Description

The Indigenous Lake Monitoring Program (ILMP) was developed in response to Indigenous communities’ concerns about the quality of lakes of local importance as well as the Community-Based Monitoring... More ≫

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The Indigenous Lake Monitoring Program (ILMP) was developed in response to Indigenous communities’ concerns about the quality of lakes of local importance as well as the Community-Based Monitoring & Knowledge teams’ mandate to explore opportunities to work together with Indigenous communities to advance environmental stewardship. The ILMP aims to support and enable stewardship and management of Alberta’s lakes based on the best available Indigenous and scientific knowledge. From 2016-21, staff from CBM&K, Watershed Sciences and Watershed Monitoring units within the Airshed & Watershed Stewardship Branch worked with community technicians from four First Nations (Bigstone Cree Nation, Cold Lake First Nations, Whitefish Lake First Nation, Dene Tha' First Nation) to collect and report on water chemistry, physical measurements, and biological samples on seven lakes in Northern Alberta. The ILMP Evaluation Report summarizes the findings of an independent evaluation of the ILMP...

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Evaluation of quality control data from Alberta’s lotic water monitoring programs : 2016-2019

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This report investigates the bias and variability of data generated from the Long Term River Network (LTRN) and Tributary Monitoring Network (TMN) programs. In total, 323 field blank samples and... More ≫

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This report investigates the bias and variability of data generated from the Long Term River Network (LTRN) and Tributary Monitoring Network (TMN) programs. In total, 323 field blank samples and 318 duplicate samples were taken from nearly 100 stations across the province of Alberta. Data analyses relate these QC samples to 4,482 provincial LTRN and TMN environmental samples taken between January 2016 and December 2019. There was a wide range of potential contamination (i.e. bias) and variability evident in the parameters monitored in the TMN and LTRN programs. Data end-users should be cognizant of this potential bias and variability in data generated by the LTRN and TMN programs. Parameters with low environmental concentrations, elevated potential for extraneous contamination and/or high variability should be interpreted with caution.

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Knowledge for a changing environment : 2019-2024 science strategy

Description

Knowledge for a Changing Environment: 2019-2024 Science Strategy sets the strategic direction for an integrated environmental science program to monitor, evaluate, and report on the condition of... More ≫

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Knowledge for a Changing Environment: 2019-2024 Science Strategy sets the strategic direction for an integrated environmental science program to monitor, evaluate, and report on the condition of Alberta’s ambient environment. The strategy lays the foundation to: address key environmental information needs of multiple users; deliver transparent, sound and trustworthy science on environmental conditions; braid Indigenous Knowledge with classical science through knowledge co-production; and provide scientifically-sound information to decision makers so they can address provincial environmental challenges.

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2019 fish consumption guidance : mercury in fish

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This technical report was prepared to provide summary information about the fish consumption advice available for Alberta water bodies and to present new data collected from 2013 to 2016... More ≫

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This technical report was prepared to provide summary information about the fish consumption advice available for Alberta water bodies and to present new data collected from 2013 to 2016 (inclusive) along with attendant advice. The information in this report may be of interest to researchers, public health professionals, or members of the public who are interested in fish consumption advice in Alberta and want additional information. This document has been produced using methods described in past reports – as such, the information contained herein is a summary of available data related to mercury in fish and human health advice.

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Wabasca Lake Monitoring Project results report

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The Wabasca Lake Monitoring Pilot Project is part of the Indigenous Lake Monitoring Program of Alberta’s provincial Lake Monitoring Program. The project was initiated in response to community... More ≫

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The Wabasca Lake Monitoring Pilot Project is part of the Indigenous Lake Monitoring Program of Alberta’s provincial Lake Monitoring Program. The project was initiated in response to community interest in water quality and concern for fish health, and was carried out in collaboration with the Lands Department of Bigstone Cree Nation and Alberta Environment and Parks. The goals of the project were to address gaps in water quality knowledge and information for North Wabasca Lake, and provide aquatic monitoring training in scientific sampling methodology to Bigstone Cree Nation.

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A five-year provincial water quality monitoring, evaluation and reporting plan for lotic systems

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This document outlines the key scientific questions, approaches, and deliverables for a five-year provincial water quality monitoring, evaluation and reporting plan for lotic systems (rivers and... More ≫

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This document outlines the key scientific questions, approaches, and deliverables for a five-year provincial water quality monitoring, evaluation and reporting plan for lotic systems (rivers and streams) across Alberta. The goal of this plan is to provide a scientific foundation for understanding how various natural and anthropogenic stressors are potentially impacting water quality within Alberta’s rivers and streams.

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Land use, climate change and ecological responses in the Upper North Saskatchewan and Red Deer River Basins : a scientific assessment

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To inform future land use planning in the Eastern Slopes of west-central Alberta, a review was conducted of key land use stressors and expected ecological responses. Altered fire regimes, forest... More ≫

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To inform future land use planning in the Eastern Slopes of west-central Alberta, a review was conducted of key land use stressors and expected ecological responses. Altered fire regimes, forest harvesting, and linear disturbances are key stressors that, along with climate, and other environmental drivers, affect wildlife, hydrology, and other valued ecosystem attributes. The current status of each stressor in the study area was characterized from geospatial and other environmental datasets, expected ecological responses were summarized from reviews of the published literature, and future research and monitoring priorities were identified.

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Public land management : southern Alberta's Eastern Slopes

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This information booklet describes public land management planning in Southern Alberta's Eastern Slopes. It provides an overview of the area and various activities that occur on the landscape, as... More ≫

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This information booklet describes public land management planning in Southern Alberta's Eastern Slopes. It provides an overview of the area and various activities that occur on the landscape, as well as various tools that are being considered and implemented in the area, such as public land use zones and conservation areas. It also provides information about the draft Land Footprint Management and Recreation Management plans for the Livingstone and Porcupine Hills areas.

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What we heard : Indigenous Climate Leadership Initiative

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As part of the Government of Alberta’s commitment to the implementation of the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in February 2017, Indigenous... More ≫

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As part of the Government of Alberta’s commitment to the implementation of the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in February 2017, Indigenous peoples living in Alberta, and those who represent an Indigenous organization, were invited to provide input on Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan. This document presents the results of this consultation.

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