Environmental Contaminants In Water And Sediments Upper Athabasca River April 1992

Describes field and analytical methods, and presents results, from a reach-specific study of 200 kilometres of the Athabasca River between Hinton and Whitecourt. This section of the river receives municipal effluent from Hinton in addition to pulp mill effluent. Results are presented for water, suspended sediment, and bottom sediment samples collected in 1992. Contaminants studied include dioxins, furans, chlorinated phenolics, resin acids, organochlorine pesticides, and metals. The data presented will be incorporated into a synthesis report addressing the distribution of contaminants within northern Alberta rivers.

Presents the analytical results and spatial trends for the following contaminants in bottom sediment samples collected from northern Alberta rivers in 1994-95: polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, resin acids, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated phenolics, polychlorinated biphenyls, extractable organic halides, toxaphene, and mercury. Sampling locations were chosen to provide broad coverage of both the Athabasca and Peace river basins, coverage of key mixing zones downstream from four pulp mills, and replication with locations sampled previously. The 1994-95 survey objectives included: determination of within-site variability in bottom sediment contamination; testing of the assumption that the sand fraction is not an important repository of contaminants; and providing a data set for comparison with earlier bottom sediment collections in 1988-89 and 1992.

The Northern River Basins Study was initiated through the "Canada-Alberta-Northwest Territories Agreement Respecting the Peace-Athabasca-Slave River Basin Study, Phase II - Technical Studies" which was signed September 27, 1991. The purpose of the Study is to understand and characterize the cumulative effects of development on the water and aquatic environment of the Study Area by coordinating with existing programs and undertaking appropriate new technical studies. This report documents field methods and sampling sites in the Upper Athabasca River, northern Alberta, for a study of pollution in river bed sediments and fauna.

Presents results of contaminant analyses of bottom sediments collected from the Peace and Athabasca river basins 1988-90 and 1992. Contaminant groups represented are the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, resin acids, chlorophenolic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Contaminant concentrations were correlated with percent organic carbon of the fine fraction (the fraction on which analysis was performed. Correlations between concentrations of bleached kraft mill related contaminants were also investigated and results are presented.

Report to the federal ministers of Environment and Indian & Northern Affairs, Alberta's Minister of Environmental Protection, and NWT's Minister of Renewable Resources. Summarises the main scientific findings of the Northern River Basins Study, which was established to examine the relationship between industrial, municipal, agricultural, and other development and the Peace, Athabasca, and Slave River basins. Reviews the characteristics of the northern river basins and their peoples, the organisation of the Study, and major findings in the areas of environmental overview, use of aquatic resources, traditional knowledge, flow regulation, fish distribution and habitat, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, contaminants, drinking water, ecosystem health, modelling, human health, and cumulative effects. Recommendations by the Study Board, First Nations, and scientific advisors regarding such issues as basin management, monitoring, research, public participation, and a successor organisation are then presented. Also includes a summary of opinions, suggestions, and recommendations expressed at 17 community workshops held throughout the northern river basins area.

An important component of the Northern River Basins Study was the original data resulting from the collection and analysis of environmental samples. Samples were collected, stored, and analysed by a number of different agencies, and an inventory of samples obtained by the Study and results data were compiled into a single electronic database to ensure future ease of access to the original data. This report describes the data contained in the database, the methods used to compile the database, the media and the nature of the samples, the collection site, and the data collected. Information is provided on which analyses were conducted on samples as well as the values of various parameters measured for the samples. All the files and the data fields that comprise the database are described in the users' guide in the report appendix.

Summarizes levels of polychlorinated dioxins and furans in fish observed in various studies on the Peace and Athabasca rivers in Alberta and assesses temporal trends in these contaminants by comparison with previously published data. Begins with background information on chlorinated dioxins and furans, and describes site locations, sampling, and field and laboratory methodologies used. Spatial trends in relation to industrial pollution sources are also noted and risks to humans, fish, and wildlife are evaluated. Fish species analyzed include longnose sucker, burbot, mountain whitefish, and northern pike.