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 October1 19, 2017

Outline

■ 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

2 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

3 Water/Wastewater Plants in Edmonton Capital Region WWTP Gold Bar WWTP

Rossdale WTP

E.L. Smith WTP

4 North Saskatchewan Watershed in Alberta Major Features . 1.2 million people . 20 counties .■2 hydroEPCOR-electric builds reservoirs . 3 coal fired power plants . Large petrochemical sector . Large agricultural sector . Forestry . 12 Sub-basins

Source: NSWA 2012

5 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

6 Overview of Source Water Protection

■ 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

7 EPCOR’s Approach

Watershed Management Implementation Working in partnership to set objectives and Supporting programs and organizations that targets for the watershed, water quality, and implement programs to reduce contaminants quantity and develop water policies that entering source waters and ensure healthy influence management. aquatic environments and watersheds.

Research and Monitoring Education and Awareness • gathering scientific data on water quality Educating and informing industry, and quantity stakeholders, and the public of the importance • fostering collaborative long-term monitoring of watershed protection and best programs management practices through strategic • evaluating source waters and effluent partnerships impacts • participating in research partnerships.

8 High Colour Event: A New Normal?

160 Average ■ Colour exceeded 2005 140 2007 200 TCU and 2011 120 remained 2013 elevated until 2016 100 December

80 ■ Highest colour

observed in 30 Colour (TCU) Colour 60 years 40 ■ Will start chemical 20 characterization 0 of colour Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

9 Early Spring Melt: A New Normal?

Early melt

10 Research and Monitoring: Land Use Huffington Post – July 23, 2016 Pipelines

2015 Data Status ² Abandoned Discontinued Financial Post – OperationalJuly 25, 2016 Planned Removed

Scale 1 cm = 20 km Kilometers 0 5 10 20 30 40 CBC – August 2, 2016

11 CBC – November 2, 2016 Pipelines Upstream of Edmonton

2015 Data Status ² Abandoned Discontinued Operational Planned Removed

Scale 1 cm = 20 km Kilometers 0 5 10 20 30 40

12 Data Sources: Government of Alberta Alberta Energy Regulator Spill Mitigation Research ■ 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

13 Water Supply Research

~2% of annual flow from glaciers

50% of annual flow to Sask - PPWB (1969)

Water supply to the Capital Region: ~90% comes from14 4 upper Source: Golder 2008 sub-basins Pre- and Post-Dam Flows in NSR

Glacial melt: 2% 568 554 Allocations: 26% Post Dam ■ Two dams regulating Consumptive use: 3% Pre Dam

flow in watershed 416

• Brazeau built in 1961 364 354 • Bighorn built in 1972. 298

■ Bighorn dam reservoir 251 261 228 225 1,418,208 dam3. 183 152 • Abraham Lake Average Monthly Flow (cms) 142 132 134 130 112 114 118 ■ Brazeau reservoir 69 3 485,382 dam . 36 33 39 42

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Crescent Falls - Bighorn Canyon

15 How much water would Edmonton use? 20 Based on average weekly use (2000-2015) Nauralized flow 18 Regulated Flow

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

Percent of Flows Withdrawn for Water Treatment Water for Withdrawn Flowsof Percent 2

0

1 3 5 7 9

19 11 13 15 17 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 Week

16 1,000 Year History of Water Supply in the NSR

Work by Dave Sauchyn and PARC 10,000 Maximum Average Minimum

1,000

/s) 3

100 Annual Flow (m Flow Annual 10

Crescent Falls - Bighorn Canyon 1

1100 1200 1300 1400 150017 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 Worst Week Every Year in 1,000 year History

70

60

50

40

30

20

10 Percent of Flows Withdrawn for Water Treatment Water for Withdrawn Flows of Percent

0

3 1 5 7 9

39 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 41 43 45 47 49 51 Week

18 River Water Quality Monitoring Program

■ 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

19 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.

20 Proposed Monitoring Program: From Headwaters to the Sask. Border

21 Source: NSWA 2010 Key Program Characteristics ■ 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) 22 Tributary Monitoring

• Up to 22 possible tributaries identified • 14 high priority Redwater River Sturgeon River Vermillion River

Wabamun Horsehills Creek Tomahawk Creek Gold Bar Creek Creek Wedgewood C. Mill Strawberry C. Creek Mishow Creek Modeste Creek Whitemud Creek Brazeau River WeedConjuring Creek Creek Rose Creek Nordegg River Baptiste River ²

Bighorn River Ram Clearwater River River Data Source: Government of Alberta

Kilometers 0 510 20 30 2340 River Main Stem Monitoring

• Up to 25 Possible

Locations Waskatenau Elk Point • Enhancement of Vinca Bridge Pakan (LTRN) Fort Sask Rail Tressle Duvernay Border (PPWB) Fort Sask Bridge Lea Park LTRN sites U/S Capital Region WWTP U/S Gold Bar WWTP Rundle Park Rossdale EL Smith

Genesse Devon (LTRN) Drayton Valley

U/S Brazeau U/S Baptiste ² Saunders Ancona D/S Rocky Mountain House Below Bighorn Rocky Mountain House (LTRN)

Kilometers Data Source: Government of Alberta 0 510 20 30 40 Whirlpool Point

24 Proposed Parameters to Monitor

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

25 NSR Monitoring Program Will Support … CoE Edmonton Monitoring Program and River for Life Strategy CRIH Cumulative Modelling Effectives Efforts Management Framework

EPCOR Source North Water Protection Saskatchewan Plan Regional Plan

26 Multi-Stakeholder Project Steering Committee

EPCOR Water Funding Source Water Protection

CoE Sust. & Env. EPCOR Drainage CoE Interests EMP NSWA Governance Communication

AEP MSRD AEP Operations GoA Scientific Design 27 Policy Execution Program Funding

$1 Million per year funding from Special watershed < 15 cents per EPCOR City of monitoring rate monthly Edmonton water surcharge residential bill rate payers

Additional in-kind Four years funding resources provided (2018 -2021) with by AEP Monitoring possible renewal and Science Division

28 Next Steps

Nov 2017 • Complete detailed monitoring plan

Dec 2017 • Set-up financial arrangements

Feb 2018 • Begin monitoring

Annual • Short activity reports to stakeholders

Early 2021 • Program summary results report

Early 2021 • Application for next phase funding

29 Questions?

30