Publications

Air quality monitoring the neighbourhood of Calder, Edmonton : winter, summer 2004 and winter 2005 : final report

Description

Residents of the Calder neigbourhood in Edmonton had concerns with diesel fume impacts on the air quality in the area resulting from a Canadian National rail yard located just south of the... More ≫

Description

Residents of the Calder neigbourhood in Edmonton had concerns with diesel fume impacts on the air quality in the area resulting from a Canadian National rail yard located just south of the neighbourhood. Alberta Environment conducted mobile air monitoring surveys in the winter and summer of 2004 and the winter of 2005. In general, pollutant concentrations in the neighbourhood were not significantly different from concentrations measured at the comparison stations outside the Calder neighbourhood.

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Physical mixing patterns of water and contaminants in the North Saskatchewan River

Description

A ten day field campaign was carried out on North Saskatchewan River to study the physical mixing with the ambient river water of effluent from the Goldbar Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP),... More ≫

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A ten day field campaign was carried out on North Saskatchewan River to study the physical mixing with the ambient river water of effluent from the Goldbar Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), Capital Region WWTP and Agrium Redwater operations. In this report we present rhodamine concentrations, depth averaged water velocities, and flow depths across surveyed sections in reaches downstream of each plant. The objectives of the study were twofold. The primary objective was to determine the downstream distance required to achieve full mixing of the effluent. Full mixing was defined as the location where tracer concentration was uniform across the section. The second objective was to measure spatially distributed tracer concentration and water velocity in the mixing zone, such that dispersion patterns could be determined.

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Occurrence and prevalence of chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in amphibian species of Alberta

Description

Infectious diseases are one of a suite of factors implicated in the declines and extinctions of amphibians worldwide. One such disease, chytridiomycosis, is caused by the chytrid fungus... More ≫

Description

Infectious diseases are one of a suite of factors implicated in the declines and extinctions of amphibians worldwide. One such disease, chytridiomycosis, is caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Chytrid fungus was discovered in Alberta in 1999 from necropsies of several specimens of boreal toads and northern leopard frogs collected near Caroline. In late 2006, a pilot-study was conducted to determine whether Bd was present at northern leopard frog sites in southern Alberta. The detection of Bd at multiple sites, and in a provincially Threatened species, led to the expansion of Bd surveillance to other areas of the province, and to other amphibian species between 2007 and 2010. The results, reported in this study, provide a base-line for the occurrence and prevalence of Bd in Alberta. This information is required for the effective conservation and management of a broad suite of amphibian species, many of which are of high conservation concern in Alberta.

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Synthesis of recent knowledge on water quality, sediment quality and non-fish biota in the North Saskatchewan River with special emphasis on the Industrial Heartland-Capital Region Water Management Framework reach

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The main objective of this report is to provide a succinct overview of the technical studies conducted in support of the Water Management Framework for the Industrial Heartland-Capital Region... More ≫

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The main objective of this report is to provide a succinct overview of the technical studies conducted in support of the Water Management Framework for the Industrial Heartland-Capital Region (IH-CR). The IH-CR supports a population of over one million people and a large segment of Alberta’s resource processing heavy industry, and the region is expected to continue to experience industrial and population growth. Unless this growth is managed carefully, cumulative impacts on the river from point and non-point source loading of contaminants could lead to the deterioration of water quality and aquatic ecosystem health. The Water Management Framework for the IH-CR focuses on the management of current and future municipal and industrial impacts.

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Assessment report on arsenic for developing ambient air quality objectives : 2011 update

Description

Ambient air quality objectives are established as part of the Alberta air quality management system. The purpose of this assessment report was to provide a review of scientific and technical... More ≫

Description

Ambient air quality objectives are established as part of the Alberta air quality management system. The purpose of this assessment report was to provide a review of scientific and technical information to assist in evaluating the basis and background for an ambient air quality objective for arsenic. Arsenic and its compounds are used in a number of applications and industrial processes. Chrome copper arsenate is used as a wood preservative. Other uses of arsenic and its compounds include the manufacturing of glass, metallurgy, the manufacturing of gallium arsenide for the electronics industry and some medical applications. In Alberta, the power and electrical utilities sector as well as the wood industry (wood preserving) contribute to arsenic emissions.

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Assessment report on acrolein for developing ambient air quality objectives

Description

Ambient air quality objectives are established as part of the Alberta air quality management system. The purpose of this assessment report was to provide a review of scientific and technical... More ≫

Description

Ambient air quality objectives are established as part of the Alberta air quality management system. The purpose of this assessment report was to provide a review of scientific and technical information to assist in evaluating the basis and background for an ambient air quality objective for acrolein. Acrolein is a reactive unsaturated aldehyde that exists as a highly volatile clear or yellow liquid. The largest commercial use of acrolein is as a biocide for aquatic environments, specifically for eradicating floating aquatic weeds or bacteria in produced water. In Alberta, acrolein has also been used to scavenge hydrogen sulphide from produced fluid in petroleum operations.

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An assessment of sediment quality, benthic invertebrates and epilithic algae in the North Saskatchewan River based on 2007 and 2008 data

Description

Alberta Environment (AENV) collected sediment, benthic invertebrate and epilithic algal samples from 25 river water-quality monitoring sites on the NSR in the fall of 2007 and 2008. Several sites... More ≫

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Alberta Environment (AENV) collected sediment, benthic invertebrate and epilithic algal samples from 25 river water-quality monitoring sites on the NSR in the fall of 2007 and 2008. Several sites were sampled on both the left and right banks (facing downstream). Sediments from depositional areas were analyzed for a wide range of contaminants, including nutrients, metals and trace organic contaminants (e.g., extractable priority pollutants, PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and flame retardants). Benthic invertebrates were sampled from both erosional (Neill cylinders) and depositional (kick samples) areas; invertebrates were enumerated and identified. Epilithic algal communities were sampled from erosional areas, and were analyzed for chlorophyll-a content, as well as taxonomically.

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Mechanisms for the alignment of air quality planning

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This report reviews the history of airshed formation in Alberta and surveys airshed air quality planning approaches used in selected jurisdictions. The report also provides information on air... More ≫

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This report reviews the history of airshed formation in Alberta and surveys airshed air quality planning approaches used in selected jurisdictions. The report also provides information on air quality planning alignment mechanisms, which will be useful in delineation of air zones in Alberta under the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment's Air Quality Management System, and in alignment of Alberta airsheds and land-use regions in the Alberta Land-use Framework.

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Potential for gas migration due to coalbed methane development

Description

Coalbed gas (CBG) effectively consists of methane with minor amounts of ethane and propane, but no hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Recognition of CBG as an increasingly important energy resource has led... More ≫

Description

Coalbed gas (CBG) effectively consists of methane with minor amounts of ethane and propane, but no hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Recognition of CBG as an increasingly important energy resource has led to rapid expansion of exploration activity. Rapid development started in the 1980s in the western United States of America (USA), and has spread over the last six years to the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). Increased production activities have brought increased awareness of environmental issues surrounding CBG development. In particular, reports of negative experiences associated with early CBG development in the USA have raised stakeholder concerns in Canada. Alberta CBG development has largely avoided the water resources issues experienced in the USA from CBG exploitation for two reasons. The major CBG resource plays in Canada to date have been in ‘dry’ coals, while ‘wet’ CBG coals developed in the USA required dewatering in order to recover the gas. Secondly, the rapid...

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Pilot study to evaluate the practicality of aquatic ecosystem monitoring in small agricultural streams in Alberta

Description

The intent of this pilot study on Rose and Strawberry creeks and the Blindman River was to scope out the feasibility of adding sediment and non-fish biota to the AESA water quality monitoring and... More ≫

Description

The intent of this pilot study on Rose and Strawberry creeks and the Blindman River was to scope out the feasibility of adding sediment and non-fish biota to the AESA water quality monitoring and to make a preliminary evaluation of the data. Collection of field data, invertebrate samples (kick nets), epilithic algae and sediment quality sampling in the three streams was practical. Benthic invertebrate and epilithic algal communities were diverse and abundant and offer good potential for future monitoring, along with water and sediment chemistry. Defining reference conditions ecoregionally would be important in future aquatic ecosystem health monitoring and data interpretation.

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