2008 Monitoring Results Fort Chipewyan, June 9, 2009 Presented by: Fred Kuzmic Wade Gibbons Martin Davies Heather Keith © Hatfield Consultants. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 1 What is RAMP? Initiated in 1997, the Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program (RAMP) is a joint environmental monitoring program that assesses the health of rivers and lakes in the oil sands region. © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. SLIDE 2 1 RAMP Objectives Monitor aquatic environments in the oil sands area; Collect data to better understand the RAMP study area; Compare monitoring data with Environmental Impact Assessment predictions; and Respond to community concerns. © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. SLIDE 3 RAMP Studies Water Quality; Sediment Quality Benthic Invertebrate Communities; Fish Populations; Climate and Water Flow; Acid Sensitive Lakes River Response Networks Reporting and Communications © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. SLIDE 4 2 2008 Monitoring Activities - Athabasca River & Delta Water quality on Athabasca River Fish monitoring – Athabasca-Clearwater rivers, Big Island Lake and Moose (Gardiner) Lake Sediment-dwelling invertebrates and sediment quality – Athabasca Delta Water Flow – Athabasca River upstream and downstream of oil sands industry © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 5 Water Quality Monitoring Where do we sample? ±45 stations sampled by RAMP each year (seasonally), in Athabasca River and tributaries; In the delta: monthly sampling at Old Fort by Alberta Environment. Map What do we sample? ~90 different water properties/chemicals (more @ AENV); Nutrients, metals (mercury, arsenic), organic chemicals, ions (salts), oxygen, acidity What are we looking for? Change from natural conditions. © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 6 3 © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 7 © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 8 4 © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 9 2008 Water Quality Results Changes in water quality in some smaller tributaries (Tar River, Beaver Creek): Harder, saltier water; More suspended sediment; Higher nutrients (nitrogen). Athabasca River: Recent water quality values at Old Fort within historical ranges and similar to quality found Upstream of Fort McMurray © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 10 5 Arsenic in Athabasca River Water Old Fort 12 Upstream of Fort McMurray 10 Range of natural conditions 8 6 Federal guideline for protection of aquatic life (Micrograms perL) 4 Arsenic 2 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 11 Mercury in Athabasca River Water 0.05 Old Fort Upstream of Fort McMurray 0.04 Range of natural conditions 0.03 (Microgramsper L) 0.02 Mercury 0.01 Federal guideline for protection of aquatic life (chronic) 0.00 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 12 6 Sediment Quality Monitoring Where and When? All muddy-bottom locations sampled for benthic invertebrates by RAMP ( ±16 locations); In the delta: annual fall sampling in Big Point Channel, Fletcher Channel, Goose Map Island Channel, Athabasca River upstream of Embarras River What? Particle sizes, organic content, metals, petroleum hydrocarbons & PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), toxicity testing (at some stations). PAHs = organic chemicals found in oil/coal/tar (or created through fires or organic decay) that may be harmful to human or animal health. © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 13 Sediment Quality Results (to 2008) All metals (including arsenic & mercury) below guidelines; PAHs present in delta sediments, variable over time: Athabasca River upstream of Embarras River Fletcher Channel Goose Island Channel Big Point Channel Sediment cores in Delta & Lake Athabasca (sampled in 1998) showed similar PAH concentrations to 1930s/40s; and Delta sediments show no negative effect on bottom animals. © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 14 7 Fish Population Monitoring Fish Inventories on Athabasca (May, July, September) and Clearwater (May, October) rivers: Count of each species; Length and weight measurements; Tagged jackfish and pickerel; and External health assessment. Fish tissue studies on Moose (Gardiner) and Big Island lakes and the Athabasca River (September): Mercury in jackfish, lake whitefish and pickerel from lakes; and Metals/fish tainting compounds in lake whitefish and pickerel from the Athabasca River. © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 15 Electrofishing on the Athabasca River Taking a non-lethal Tagging a walleye tissue sample © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 16 8 Athabasca River Fish Populations- Capture Success 2.5 Spring Number of fish captured 2.0 per 100 seconds of fishing All fish are released after 1.5 measuring 1.0 0.5 # fish per 100 seconds of fishing of seconds 100 per fish # 0.0 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2.5 Fall 2.0 1.5 1.0 # fish per 100 seconds of fishing of seconds 100 per fish # 0.5 0.0 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 17 Fish Tag Return Program Track pattern of fish movement over time in the RAMP regional study area Community participation: Please report tag number, fish species, capture location to ASRD (780-743-7200) – phone number on tag blue tag © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 18 9 Fish Tag Return Program 2008 tagged fish: Athabasca River: 384 (40 jackfish, 344 pickerel) Clearwater River: 228 (100 jackfish, 128 pickerel) 2008 recaptures: Anglers: 10 (1 jackfish, 9 pickerel) RAMP: 12 (5 jackfish, 7 pickerel) 1998-2008 recapture summary: 20 jackfish 74 pickerel © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 19 Angler Tag Returns Where fish was first tagged Where fish was recaptured © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 20 10 Mercury in fish muscle – Athabasca River 2008 0.6 General Consumer Guideline 0.5 (pickerel) 0.4 0.3 Subsistence Consumer Guideline Hg (mg/kg) Hg 0.2 0.1 0.0 200-300 301-400 401-500 501-600 601-700 Size class (mm) 0.6 General Consumer Guideline 0.5 (lake whitefish) 0.4 0.3 Subsistence Consumer Guideline Hg (mg/kg) Hg 0.2 0.1 0.0 251-300 301-350 351-400 401-450 451-500 Size class (mm) © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 21 Mercury in fish muscle - Big Island Lake 2008 0.6 General Consumer Guideline 0.5 0.4 0.3 Subsistence Consumer Guideline 0.2 Mean MercuryMean (mg/kg) 0.1 0.0 200-300 301-400 401-500 501-600 601-700 Size Class (mm) © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 22 11 Mercury in fish muscle – Moose (Gardiner) Lake 2008 0.6 General Consumer Guideline 0.5 0.4 0.3 Subsistence Consumer Guideline 0.2 Mean MercuryMean (mg/kg) 0.1 0.0 200-300 301-400 401-500 501-600 601-700 701-800 Size Class (mm) © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 23 Regional Results - mercury in lake whitefish muscle 0.6 General Consumer Guideline 0.5 0.4 0.3 Subsistence Consumer Guideline 0.2 0.1 Mean Mercury (mg) Per 1 kg Body Weight Body kg 1 Per (mg) Mercury Mean 0.0 Utikuma Lake - 2003 - Lake Utikuma 2003 - Lake Sturgeon 2003 - Lake Slave Lesser -2002 Lake Gregoire -2007 Lake Gregoire 2003 - Wabasca North 2003 - Athabasca Lake 1990 - River Hay -2004 Lake Winefred -1990 River Slave 2002 - River Athabasca 2003 - River Athabasca 2008 - River Athabasca 1990 - Lake Leland -2003 Lake Christina -2008 Lake Gardiner 2008 - Lake Island Big © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 24 12 13 Big Island Lake - 2008 Big Island Lake - 2008 Gardiner Lake - 2008 Gardiner Lake - 2008 Christina Lake - 2003 Christina Lake - 2003 Lake Claire - 2002 Leland Lake - 1990 Leland Lake - 1990 Clearwater River - 2004 Slave River - 1990 Peace River - 2003 Hay River - 1989 Slave River - 1990 Lake Athabasca - 2003 Athabasca River - 2008 North Wabasca - 2003 Athabasca River - 2003 Clearwater River - 2007 Athabasca River - 2002 Clearwater River - 2004 Hay River - 1989 SLIDE 26 SLIDE Sturgeon Lake - 2003 25 SLIDE Lake Athabasca - 2003 Peace River - 2003 Lake Claire - 2002 Gregoire Lake - 2007 Sturgeon Lake - 2003 8/12/2009 8/12/2009 Gregoire Lake - 2002 Winefred Lake - 2004 Lesser Slave Lake - 2003 North Wabasca - 2003 Winefred Lake - 2004 Lesser Slave Lake - 2003 Utikuma Lake - 2003 Utikuma Lake - 2003 Muskeg River - 2004 Gregoire Lake - 2007 Muskeg River - 2002 Gregoire Lake - 2002 SubsistenceConsumer Guideline GeneralConsumer Guideline GeneralConsumer Guideline SubsistenceConsumer Guideline 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 Regional Results - mercury in pickerel muscle Regional Results - mercury in jackfish muscle © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. AllRights RAMP. © © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. AllRights RAMP. © Mean Mercury (mg) Per 1 kg Body Weight Body kg 1 Per (mg) Mercury Mean Mean Mercury (mg) Per 1 kg Body Weight Body kg 1 Per (mg) Mercury Mean Benthic Invertebrate Monitoring Collect insects, snails, clams, and other animals that live on and in the sediments of rivers and lakes Good indicators of water and sediment quality Sampled delta sediments since 2002 Look at: Total number of animals Number of different types of animals Percentage of sensitive animals = mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 27 Sediment Quality Component © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 28 14 Athabasca River Delta Numbers and types of animals fluctuate a lot from year to year, particularly at Big Point channel No overall decline in animals over time at delta stations Animals sensitive to pollution continue to be present at all delta stations - in 2008 an increase of 16% at Big Point channel © RAMP. All Rights Reserved. 8/12/2009 SLIDE 29 Climate and Water Flow Monitoring Water flow monitored at 34 stations; Climate measurements at 7 stations; Climate measurements: precipitation, air temperature, amount of sunshine, snow on the ground, wind speed and direction; Snow depth and water content monitored in February, March and April.