2009 Water Quality Monitoring Report – Fish Creek

1. 2009 Water Quality Monitoring Report – Fish Creek Vaughn Hauser, B.Sc. Naomi Parker, B.Sc., BIT, CEPIT

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

6. Site 1 - Control

7. Site 2 – Outfall F-7

8. Site 3 – Outfall F-2

9. Site 4 – Acadia Drive Outfall

10. Site 5 – Confluence of Fish Creek and the Bow River

11. Goals: To develop a base line for water quality Continued monitoring to determine the impact of replacing stormwater outfalls with engineered wetlands

12. Parameters: • Salts • Solids • Nutrients • Bacteria • Pesticides • Other Water Chemistry: • Hardness • Dissolved Oxygen • Temperature • pH • Electrical Conductivity

13. 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

14. CCME Water Quality Index

15. Salts Salt concentrations across all sites were consistent Increased downstream from Site 1-5 Calcium, Chloride and Sodium were found to be well below the Surface Water Quality Guidelines for Use in Alberta (SWQGA)

16. 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

17. 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

20. Bacteria – Total Coliforms

21. Bacteria – Fecal Coliforms

22. Pesticides Carbamate Multiresidue Neutral Organochlorine Organophosphate

23. Other Water Chemistry Total Hardness Electrical Conductivity

24. Dissolved Oxygen

25. Turbidity

26. Water Qualtiy Index

27. 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

28. 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

29. Acknowledgements Bow River Basin Council AGAT Laboratories Alberta Conservation Association Alberta Stewardship Network RBC Blue Water Fund

30. References 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=7805&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

31. Questions?