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1
EPCOR’s Source Water Protection Plan for the North Saskatchewan River – New Challenges
and Directions
Mike Christensen, M.Sc., P.Biol.,
Steve Craik, Ph. D., P. Eng. Steph Neufeld, M. Sc.
EPCOR Water Canada
PFSRB Annual Conference
October 19, 2017
2
■ EPCOR’s Source Water Protection Plan
■ Recent variability/changes in water quality
■ Hydrocarbon spill mitigation
■ Water quantity and climate change
■ Upstream river water quality monitoring program
Outline
3
EPCOR’s Operations ■ EPCOR builds, owns and operates water and wastewater
treatment facilities, sanitary and stormwater systems and infrastructure in Canada and the United States
4
Water/Wastewater Plants in Edmonton
Rossdale
WTP
E.L. Smith WTP
Capital Region WWTP Gold Bar WWTP
5
North Saskatchewan Watershed in Alberta
■ EPCOR builds
Major Features 1.2 million people 20 counties 2 hydro-electric reservoirs 3 coal fired power plants Large petrochemical sector Large agricultural sector Forestry 12 Sub-basins
Source: NSWA 2012
6
EPCOR’s Watershed Protection Plan Goals
■ To ensure clean and adequate water supplies for all water treatment plants that EPCOR operates through a watershed approach
■ To ensure minimal effects of operations on water quality and aquatic ecosystem health to receiving water bodies
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■ There are multiple, competing land and water planning and research initiatives in Alberta’s watersheds – including Source Water Protection Planning
■ Integration within these frameworks is the most effective way to ensure source water objectives are achieved
■ EPCOR Water integrates through its adaptive Watershed Protection Program
■ Source Water Protection Planning is now mandated in Alberta for all drinking water systems as part of Drinking Water Safety Plans
Overview of Source Water Protection
8
EPCOR’s Approach
Watershed Management Working in partnership to set objectives and
targets for the watershed, water quality, and
quantity and develop water policies that
influence management.
Implementation Supporting programs and organizations that
implement programs to reduce contaminants
entering source waters and ensure healthy
aquatic environments and watersheds.
Research and Monitoring • gathering scientific data on water quality
and quantity
• fostering collaborative long-term monitoring
programs
• evaluating source waters and effluent
impacts
• participating in research partnerships.
Education and Awareness
Educating and informing industry,
stakeholders, and the public of the importance
of watershed protection and best
management practices through strategic
partnerships
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High Colour Event: A New Normal?
■ Colour exceeded 200 TCU and remained elevated until December
■ Highest colour observed in 30 years
■ Will start chemical characterization of colour
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Co
lou
r (T
CU
)
Average
2005
2007
2011
2013
2016
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Early Spring Melt: A New Normal?
Early melt
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Research and Monitoring: Land Use
²
0 10 20 30 405Kilometers
1 cm = 20 kmScale
2015 Data
Status
Abandoned
Discontinued
Operational
Planned
Removed
Pipelines
Huffington Post – July 23, 2016
Financial Post – July 25, 2016
CBC – August 2, 2016
CBC – November 2, 2016
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Pipelines Upstream of Edmonton
²
0 10 20 30 405Kilometers
1 cm = 20 kmScale
2015 Data
Status
Abandoned
Discontinued
Operational
Planned
Removed
Data Sources: Government of Alberta Alberta Energy Regulator
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■ Further understanding what products could enter the river, and where
■ Evaluation of alternative drinking water supplies for emergencies
■ Research into the treatability of hydrocarbon contaminated water using existing treatment plants
■ Exploration of new technologies for water treatment plant long-term plan
Spill Mitigation Research
14
Water Supply Research
Water supply to the Capital Region: ~90% comes from 4 upper sub-basins
~2% of annual flow from glaciers
50% of annual flow to Sask - PPWB (1969)
Source: Golder 2008
15
■ Two dams regulating flow in watershed • Brazeau built in 1961
• Bighorn built in 1972.
■ Bighorn dam reservoir 1,418,208 dam3. • Abraham Lake
■ Brazeau reservoir 485,382 dam3.
Pre- and Post-Dam Flows in NSR
Crescent Falls - Bighorn Canyon
112 114 132
228 251
364 354
225
183 152
130 118
36 33 39
142
298
568 554
416
261
134
69 42
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Ave
rage
Mo
nth
ly F
low
(cm
s)
Post Dam
Pre Dam
Glacial melt: 2%
Allocations: 26%
Consumptive use: 3%
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How much water would Edmonton use?
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
1 3 5 7 9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
31
33
35
37
39
41
43
45
47
49
51
Per
cen
t o
f Fl
ow
s W
ith
dra
wn
fo
r W
ater
Tre
atm
en
t
Week
Nauralized flow
Regulated FlowBased on average weekly use (2000-2015)
17
1,000 Year History of Water Supply in the NSR
Crescent Falls - Bighorn Canyon
Work by Dave Sauchyn and PARC
1
10
100
1,000
10,000
1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
An
nu
al F
low
(m
3 /s)
Maximum Average Minimum
18
Worst Week Every Year in 1,000 year History
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1 3 5 7 9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
31
33
35
37
39
41
43
45
47
49
51
Per
cen
t o
f Fl
ow
s W
ith
dra
wn
fo
r W
ater
Tre
atm
ent
Week
19
■ Gaps in existing and historical monitoring programs (LTRN, Synoptic, EC)
■ Past and existing programs are not sustained or are limited in scope
■ Funding is limited
■ Need comprehensive, sustainable, basin wide, program to link land use to water quality
River Water Quality Monitoring Program
20
NSWA 2012 IWMP
Goal 1: Water quality in the NSR is maintained or improved Watershed Management Direction 1.3: Develop and implement a
comprehensive, integrated monitoring and evaluation program
for water quality of the mainstem and tributaries of the NSR, and
for point and non-point pollution sources.
Action 1.3.2. Government of Alberta to implement a comprehensive
long-term, water-quality monitoring program for the NSR, ensuring
adequate funding arrangements are in place and providing a
database readily accessible to all stakeholders.
21
Proposed Monitoring Program: From Headwaters to the Sask. Border
Source: NSWA 2010
22
■ Science-based
■ Mass balance approach
■ Determination of fluxes and parameter loading
■ Linkage to land use
■ Base flow sampling
■ Event-based sampling (spring run-off, rain events)
Key Program Characteristics
23
Tributary Monitoring
²
0 10 20 30 405
Kilometers
Bighorn River Clearwater RiverRamRiver
Baptiste River
Nordegg River
Brazeau River
Rose Creek
TomahawkCreek
ModesteCreek
Strawberry C.MishowCreek
WabamunCreek
WeedCreek
ConjuringCreek
WhitemudCreek
Vermillion RiverSturgeon River
Redwater River
MillCreek
Gold Bar Creek
Horsehills Creek
Wedgewood C.
Data Source: Government of Alberta
• Up to 22 possible tributaries identified
• 14 high priority
24
River Main Stem Monitoring
²
0 10 20 30 405
Kilometers
Whirlpool Point
Below Bighorn
Saunders
Rocky Mountain House (LTRN)
Ancona
D/S Rocky Mountain House
U/S Baptiste
U/S Brazeau
Drayton Valley
Genesse Devon (LTRN)
EL Smith
Fort Sask BridgeFort Sask Rail Tressle
U/S Capital Region WWTPU/S Gold Bar WWTP
Vinca Bridge
Waskatenau
Pakan (LTRN)
Duvernay
Elk Point
Lea Park
Border (PPWB)
Rundle ParkRossdale
Data Source: Government of Alberta
• Up to 25 Possible Locations
• Enhancement of LTRN sites
25
Broad spectrum of parameters:
■ Physical, Nutrients, Major Ions
■ Bacteria (coliform)
■ Parasites (Cryptosporidium, Giardia)
■ Metals (total and dissolved)
■ Trace organic compounds – priority pollutants
■ Grab samples and continuous monitoring
■ Flow monitoring
Proposed Parameters to Monitor
26
CoE Edmonton Monitoring Program
and River for Life Strategy
CRIH Cumulative Effectives
Management Framework
North Saskatchewan Regional Plan
EPCOR Source Water Protection
Plan
Modelling Efforts
NSR Monitoring Program Will Support …
27
Multi-Stakeholder Project Steering Committee
NSWA
Governance Communication
EPCOR Water
Funding
Source Water Protection
EPCOR Drainage EMP
AEP Operations GoA Policy
AEP MSRD
Scientific Design
Execution
CoE Sust. & Env.
CoE Interests
28
$1 Million per year funding from EPCOR City of
Edmonton water rate payers
Special watershed monitoring rate
surcharge
< 15 cents per monthly
residential bill
Four years funding (2018 -2021) with possible renewal
Additional in-kind resources provided by AEP Monitoring
and Science Division
Program Funding
29
Next Steps
• Complete detailed monitoring plan Nov 2017
• Set-up financial arrangements Dec 2017
• Begin monitoring Feb 2018
• Short activity reports to stakeholders Annual
• Program summary results report Early 2021
• Application for next phase funding Early 2021
30
Questions?