Status of the SSRP Water Quality Management Framework · Status of the SSRP Water Quality...

Status of the SSRP Water Quality Management Framework

Feb 6, 2019 AIDA Conference

Natalie Kromrey P.Biol, Dip.(RRM), B.Sc., M.Sc.Regional Limnologist - Oldman & South Sask sub-basin

Alberta Environment & Parks

ContentsBackground– Methodology:

• Monitoring Stations & Indicators• Triggers & Limits• Assessment approach

Results:• Annual Assessment

– Bow– Oldman– South Saskatchewan (SEAWA)– Milk

• Management Response– 2014/2015– 2015/2016

• Investigation/Management Response

Why is this important to the Irrigation Districts

Summary 2

Background

http://aep.alberta.ca/land/programs-and-services/land-and-resource-planning/regional-planning/south-saskatchewan-region/default.aspx

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SSR WQMF Goals Background

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Monitoring StationsBackground

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Indicators, Triggers and Limits• A screening tool as an “early warning system”

• Twenty one water quality parameters measured at the LTRN stations were chosen by AEP for assessment and are referred to as indicators in the SSRP: SWQMF.

• Fifteen primary indicators (Table 1) and six secondary indicators (Table 2) were used to assess water quality at the nine LTRN stations, annually.

Background

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Triggers & LimitsTriggers:• Primary Indicators• Numerically derived from the “historic” dataset (mostly1999-2009)

• ‘Median trigger’ = 50th percentile (median) concentration• ‘Peak trigger’ = 90th percentile concentration

• Triggers unique for each indicator at each station for open water (Apr-Oct) & winter (Nov-Mar) seasons

• Secondary Indicators – similarly derived but with limited data.

Limits:• Based on toxicity thresholds – Alberta & CCME guidelines• the same for all parameters at all stations.• 9 primary indicators with associated limits• Assessed annually against seasonal Median values

(not individual samples*) *except toxicity modifying factor parameters

Background

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Indicators, Triggers and LimitsBackground

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The Assessment Process

and Annual AssessmentEMSD Division

Operations Division

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Annual assessment overview: Primary & Secondary Triggers

Seasonal median

Seasonal 90th

percentile

Seasonal median crosses median trigger (historic) in an

undesirable direction?YES NO

Statistically significant change in central tendency vs.

historic data?YES NO

TRIGGER EXCEEDANCE

Seasonal 90th %ile crosses 90th %ile trigger (historic) in an

undesirable direction?YES NO

Statistically significant change in peak vs. historic data?

YES NO

TRIGGER EXCEEDANCE

Background

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Assessment overview: Limits & Guidelines

Seasonal median

Crosses water quality limit in an undesirable direction?

YES NO

LIMIT EXCEEDANCE

Primary Indicators

Seasonal median

Crosses water quality guideline in an undesirable direction?

YES NO

Secondary Indicators

Exceedances of guideline flagged in report

Background

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Results

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Status of Surface Water Quality (Annual Assessment Results)

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Monitoring Stations 2014-2018 Update

• Blue: trigger exceedance of primary indicator (median or peak)• Red: limit exceedance of primary indicator• Green: guideline exceedance of secondary indicator• Black: guideline value was equal to the secondary indicator median value

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Preliminary Assessment and Investigation

• The purpose of the preliminary assessment is to determine if the results indicate concerns with the ambient condition and provide direction to the decision of moving into the next phase - Investigation.

• Trends, trends, trends, trends, trends…and more trends

• The purpose of an investigation is to identify sources and/or processes that contribute to trends in surface water quality.

& Annual Assessment

The Assessment Process

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Status of Management Response

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2014/2015 Preliminary Assessment

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2015/2016 Preliminary Assessment

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Milk Hwy 880

2016/2017 & 2017/2018 Preliminary Assessment

• Coming soon

• Trend assessments ongoing.

• Delayed due to availability of validated flow data.

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Preliminary Assessment and Investigation

• The purpose of the preliminary assessment is to determine if the results indicate concerns with the ambient condition and provide direction to the decision of moving into the next phase - Investigation.

• The purpose of an investigation is to identify sources and/or processes that contribute to trends in surface water quality.

• Case specific analyses

& Annual Assessment

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Mitigative Management Actions

• Recommendations will be made by the science team.

• Implementation teams will be created.

• All the science information and recommendations will be provided and the implementations teams will be responsible for evaluating the information and collaboratively deciding what actions to take.

• After management actions are implemented, monitor and evaluate effectiveness. Adapt, repeat.

& Annual Assessment

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Why is This Important to the Irrigation Districts

• Investigations may include looking at the influence on water quality from Irrigation Districts.

• Respective Irrigation Districts may be asked to participate in Science Teams

• Irrigation Districts may be asked to participate in Management Response Implementation Teams

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Summary

Annual Assessments• Bow River exceedances in nitrogenous parameters and measures of salinity• Oldman Exceedances in measures of salinity but no exceedances in the past 2

years.• South Sask exceedance in measures of salinity only in the recent year.• Milk Limit exceedances in measures of salinity.

Preliminary assessments• Milk - Hwy 880 Winter TDS Limit exceedances - automatic Investigation stage.• Bow River at Carseland Specific conductance – Investigation.• Further analysis for remaining parameters in Preliminary Assessment stage.

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Questions?

natalie.kromrey@gov.ab.ca

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