Transcript FishCrkStudyWaterQuality

2009 Water Quality Monitoring Report –
Fish Creek
Provincial Park Society
Vaughn Hauser, B.Sc.
Naomi Parker, B.Sc., BIT, CEPIT
Watershed
• Tributary of the Bow River
• Begins west of Calgary, flows
east, and eventually drains into
the Bow River
• Lower reach flows through Fish
Creek Provincial Park
Land Use
• Upstream land use is
predominantly agricultural
• Tsuu Tina First Nation is located
along the banks of Fish Creek
• Storm water runoff collected
drains nine outfalls into Fish
Creek
Background
• In 2007, a monitoring program
was initiated for Fish Creek and
the outfalls
• 5 sites were selected
• Monitoring of these sites
continued in 2008 and 2009
Site 1 - Control
Site 2 – Outfall F-7
Site 3 – Outfall F-2
Site 4 – Acadia Drive Outfall
Site 5 – Confluence of Fish
Creek and the Bow River
Goals:
• To develop a base line for water
quality
• Continued monitoring to
determine the impact of replacing
stormwater outfalls with
engineered wetlands
Parameters:
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Salts
Solids
Nutrients
Bacteria
Pesticides
Other Water Chemistry:
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Hardness
Dissolved Oxygen
Temperature
pH
Electrical Conductivity
Sampling:
• A grab sample was taken on June
10, July 15, August 21,
September 21 and October 23,
2009
• Samples were sent to AGAT
Laboratories
• Field analysis was done at each
site for: pH, EC, Turbidity,
Temperature
CCME Water Quality Index
Index
Description
95-100
Excellent: water quality is protected with a virtual absence of threat or
impairment; conditions very close to natural or pristine levels.
80-94
Good: water quality is protected with only a minor degree of threat or
impairment; conditions rarely depart from natural or desirable levels.
65-79
Fair: water quality is usually protected but occasionally threatened or
impaired; conditions sometimes depart from natural or desirable levels.
45-64
Marginal: water quality is frequently threatened or impaired; conditions
often depart from natural or desirable levels.
0-44
Poor: water quality is almost always threatened or impaired; conditions
usually depart from natural or desirable levels.
Salts
• Salt concentrations across all sites
were consistent
• Increased downstream from Site 15
• Calcium, Chloride and Sodium
were found to be well below the
Surface Water Quality Guidelines
for Use in Alberta (SWQGA)
Solids
• Total suspended solids (TSS)
were highest in the July sampling
• TSS was highest at Site 5
• 164 mg/L
• TSS was not analyzed in August
• Total dissolved solids (TDS)
remained stable throughout the
sampling season
Nutrients
• Total Phosphorus exceeded the
guidelines for the protection of
aquatic life in July at all sites
• Nitrogen was analyzed as Total
Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) and
Nitrite-Nitrate (N-N)
• Nutrients were not analyzed in
August
Bacteria – Total Coliforms
Bacteria – Fecal Coliforms
Pesticides
• Carbamate
• Multiresidue
• Neutral
• Organochlorine
• Organophosphate
Other Water Chemistry
Total Hardness
Electrical Conductivity
Dissolved Oxygen
Turbidity
Water Qualtiy Index
Site
WQI
Category Rating
1
S=79.2/F=83.2
Fair/Good
2
S=81.0/F=83.2
Good/Good
3
S=80.1/F=83.2
Good/Good
4
S=80.7/F=83.2
Good/Good
5
S=81.1/F=80.4
Good/Good
Conclusions
• Storm water discharge volumes
vary seasonally
• Large runoff events increase
bacteria and nutrients entering
Fish Creek
• Data not yet indicative of current
trends of storm water input
Recommendations
• Continue to monitor on a yearly
basis
• Consider metal analysis in 2010
• Public education addressing:
– Pesticide, fertilizer and road salt use
– Cleaning up pet feces
Acknowledgements
• Bow River Basin Council
• AGAT Laboratories
• Alberta Conservation Association
• Alberta Stewardship Network
• RBC Blue Water Fund
References
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Alberta Environment. 2006. Aquatic Ecosystems Field
Sampling Protocols. Environmental Monitoring and
Evaluation Branch, Environmental Assurance Division,
Alberta Environment, Edmonton, AB. Online at:
http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/posting.asp?assetid=78
05&categoryid=5
Alberta Environment. 1999. Surface Quality Guidelines
for Use in Alberta. Environmental Assurance Division,
Science and Standards Branch, Edmonton, AB. Online
at: http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/5713.pdf
Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment
(CCME), 2001, Water Quality Index, Obtained December
6, 2009 from:
http://www.ccme.ca/ourwork/water.html?category_id=102
Questions?