Assessment of seven Canadian rivers in relation to stages in oil sands industrial development, 1972–2010

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 484-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.C. Alexander ◽  
P.A. Chambers
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Chemistry ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Upstream Site ◽  
Land Clearing ◽  
Oil Sands Mining ◽  
Operational Activities ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Mine Development

We compiled a 38 year dataset (1972 to 2010) to evaluate changes in water chemistry over time in relation to oil sands mining activities. We examined patterns in three focal elements (dissolved selenium, dissolved arsenic, total vanadium) at 96 sites along seven tributaries of the Athabasca and Clearwater Rivers. Concentrations of the three focal elements did not differ between sites sampled upstream versus downstream of future development, between sites upstream versus downstream of the primary bitumen-bearing geologic formation, or at an upstream site over a 33 year period on the Muskeg River (1976–2009). Hence, longitudinal patterns observed in water chemistry following mine development cannot be attributed to natural background variation. In contrast, concentrations and loads of the three focal elements were greater post-development compared to reference values (p ≤ 0.01), and were typically greatest during the early exploration and land clearing stage of mine development (p < 0.01). Positive correlations between our three focal elements and 17 other variables either associated with bitumen or considered priority pollutants (r ≥ 0.13, p ≤ 0.04) suggest that the historical impacts of oil sands development on water quality extend beyond our three focal parameters. These results indicate that erosion and subsequent runoff associated with land clearing, construction, and early operational activities have affected water quality in the oil sands region.

Reclamation of boreal forest after oil sands mining: anticipating novel challenges in novel environments

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 364-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Audet ◽  
Bradley D. Pinno ◽  
Evelyne Thiffault
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Restoration Ecology ◽  
Land Reclamation ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Novel Ecosystems ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Oil Sands Mining

Boreal forests in northern Alberta have a growing anthropogenic footprint due to a rapidly growing oil sands mining industry. Although land reclamation is a necessary aspect of responsible industrial development, these activities nearly always affect higher order landscape components such as the broader landform, and its hydrology and biogeochemistry. Recent anthropogenic impacts are then believed to result in new environmental conditions and obstacles under which the boreal forest is developing, potentially leading to irreversibly different environments that could be characterized as novel ecosystems. Reflecting an emerging trend across the field of restoration ecology, these novel ecosystems are not necessarily undesirable. Instead, they are an unavoidable consequence of pervading anthropogenic effects on natural ecosystems. It is our view that successful reclamation outcomes can still be derived so long as policy and regulatory requirements are afforded the necessary scope and economic flexibility to account for the development of hybrid and novel ecosystems among highly disturbed mine sites. Hence, this analysis seeks to situate current and anticipated challenges affecting the reclamation of boreal forest following oil sands mining by describing (i) how regulatory criteria shape reclamation practices and targeted end goals and (ii) how these approaches embody latest trends and priorities in the area of restoration ecology.

Improvements to production planning in oil sands mining through analysis and simulation of truck cycle times

CIM Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Goris Cervantes ◽  
S. P. Upadhyay ◽  
H. Askari-Nasab
Keyword(s):  
Production Planning ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Cycle Times ◽  
Oil Sands Mining

Objectives of a Water Quality Monitoring Programme for the International River Basins in a Developing Country in Southern Africa – Mozambique

1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (5-7) ◽  
pp. 33-39
Author(s):  
S J Hugman
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Water Quality Monitoring ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Water Quality Data ◽  
Maximum Benefit ◽  
Management And Development ◽  
International Obligations

Mozambique lies on the south-east coast of Africa. Its Independence, in 1975, was particularly difficult and severely disrupted the economy. All its major rivers rise in neighbouring countries and several, in particular those from South Africa and Swaziland, are already heavily used before crossing the border. Since 1977 the National Water Directorate has been responsible for management and development of water resources. The Directorate includes a hydrology department which maintains field-teams throughout the country. Virtually no water quality data are available from before 1972, when irregular sample collection began. Since Independence, sampling has continued but the Directorate has redefined the objectives of the programme to obtain maximum benefit from very limited resources. These objectives were chosen for economic, hydrological and political reasons. The long-term objectives are to provide the data required for agricultural and industrial development projects, to manage and maintain the quality of Mozambique's water resources, and to meet international obligations. In practice, the capacity of the hydrological service is insufficient to meet these objectives. The targets for the existing programme were therefore chosen to satisfy the most important objectives and to be feasible with present resources. The routine programme is being completely operated by technicians who have no more than nine years schooling.

scholarly journals Spatial Variation of Water Chemistry in Aries River Catchment Western Romania

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 6592
Author(s):  
Ana Moldovan ◽  
Maria-Alexandra Hoaghia ◽  
Anamaria Iulia Török ◽  
Marius Roman ◽  
Ionut Cornel Mirea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Chemistry ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Pollution Indices ◽  
Mining Activities ◽  
River Catchment ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
The Impact

This study aims to investigate the quality and vulnerability of surface water (Aries River catchment) in order to identify the impact of past mining activities. For this purpose, the pollution and water quality indices, Piper and Durov plots, as well vulnerability modeling maps were used. The obtained results indicate that the water samples were contaminated with As, Fe, Mn, Pb and have relatively high concentrations of SO42−, HCO3−, TDS, Ca, K, Mg and high values for the electrical conductivity. Possible sources of the high content of chemicals could be the natural processes or the inputs of the mine drainage. Generally, according to the pollution indices, which were correlated to high concentrations of heavy metals, especially with Pb, Fe and Mn, the water samples were characterized by heavy metals pollution. The water quality index classified the studied water samples into five different classes of quality, namely: unsuitable for drinking, poor, medium, good and excellent quality. Similarly, medium, high and very high vulnerability classes were observed. The Durov and Piper plots classified the waters into Mg-HCO3− and Ca-Cl− types. The past and present mining activities clearly change the water chemistry and alter the quality of the Aries River, with the water requiring specific treatments before use.

scholarly journals An evaluation of water quality at Sandhill Wetland: implications for reclaiming wetlands above soft tailings deposits in northern Alberta, Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy A. Hartsock ◽  
Jessica Piercey ◽  
Melissa K. House ◽  
Dale H. Vitt
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Chemistry ◽  
Water Quality Monitoring ◽  
Total Alkalinity ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Water Quality Guidelines ◽  
Quality Guidelines ◽  
Annual Water

AbstractThe experimental Sandhill Wetland is the first permanent reclamation of a composite tailings deposit, and annual water quality monitoring is of specific interest for evaluating and predicting long-term reclamation performance. Here, we present water chemistry monitoring data obtained from Sandhill Wetland (years 2009–2019) and compare results to twelve natural reference wetlands and to environmental quality guidelines for Alberta surface waters. By comparing water quality at Sandhill Wetland and natural sites to established guidelines, we can begin to document the natural background water quality of wetlands in the region and examine if guideline exceedances are seen in natural undisturbed environments, or appear only at active reclamation sites. At Sandhill Wetland the dominant ions in near-surface water were bicarbonate, sulfate, chloride, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Since the first growing season concentrations for these ions have increased annually, causing concurrent increases in electrical conductivity. In year 2019, water chemistry at Sandhill Wetland was most comparable to regional saline fens, systems that exhibit elevated electrical conductivity and high sodicity. Near-surface water at Sandhill Wetland exceeded water quality guidelines for three substances/properties (dissolved chloride, iron, and total alkalinity) in the most recent year of monitoring. The saline fen natural sites also exceeded water quality guidelines for the same chemical substances/properties, suggesting guideline exceedances are a norm for some natural wetland site types in the region. Of note, in each year of monitoring at Sandhill Wetland, dissolved organic compounds evaluated in sub- and near-surface water were below detection limits.

scholarly journals The influence of water–rock interactions on household well water in an area of high prevalence chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu)

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liza K. McDonough ◽  
Karina T. Meredith ◽  
Chandima Nikagolla ◽  
Richard B. Banati
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Chronic Kidney Disease ◽  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Water Chemistry ◽  
Mass Balance ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotopes ◽  
Environmental Isotopes ◽  
Well Water ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Geochemical Mass Balance

AbstractPoor drinking water quality in household wells is hypothesised as being a potential contributor to the high prevalence of chronic kidney disease of uncertain aetiology (CKDu) among the farming communities of the Medawachchiya area, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. One of the natural processes that can affect water quality is the dissolution of minerals contained within an aquifer by water–rock interactions (WRIs). Here we present a comprehensive assessment of WRIs and their influence on the water chemistry in household wells and spring waters in the Medawachchiya area by combining measurements of environmental isotopes, such as strontium, lithium and stable carbon isotopes and inorganic chemistry parameters, and modelling geochemical mass balance reactions between rainfall and groundwater samples. Our results reveal the presence of strontium, dissolved from both silicate and carbonate minerals, with high isotopic (87Sr/86Sr) ratios of up to 0.7316. Geochemical mass balance modelling and prior 87Sr/86Sr studies on the Wanni Complex bedrock suggest these strontium values may be the result of biotite dissolution. We also identify lithium and uranium contributed from the dissolution of silicates, albeit at concentrations too low to constitute a known health risk. In contrast, the levels of magnesium and calcium in our samples are high and demonstrate that, despite the felsic bedrock, well water chemistry in the Medawachchiya area is dominated by carbonate dissolution.

Impact of lime treatment on tailings dewatering and cap water quality under an oil sands end pit lake scenario

2021 ◽  
pp. 146699
Author(s):  
Nesma Eltoukhy Allam ◽  
Nikolas Romaniuk ◽  
Mike Tate ◽  
Mohamed N.A. Meshref ◽  
Bipro R. Dhar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Pit Lake ◽  
Lime Treatment

scholarly journals The Impact of Urbanization on Water Quality: Case Study on the Alto Atoyac Basin in Puebla, Mexico

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 667
Author(s):  
Andrés Estrada-Rivera ◽  
Alfonso Díaz Fonseca ◽  
Samuel Treviño Mora ◽  
Wendy Argelia García Suastegui ◽  
Edith Chávez Bravo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Pollution Index ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
The Impact

Population growth, poorly planned industrial development and uncontrolled production processes have left a significant footprint of environmental deterioration in the Alto Atoyac watershed. In this study, we propose using the integrated pollution index (PI) to characterize the temporary variations in surface water quality during the rapid urbanization process in the municipalities of San Martín Texmelucán (SMT) and Tepetitla de Lardizabal (TL), in the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala, between 1985 and 2020. We assessed the correlation between the population growth rate and the water quality parameters according to the Water Quality Index (ICA). The contribution of each polluting substance to the PI was determined. The industry database was created and the increase in population and industry, and their densities, were estimated. The results indicated that the temporal pattern of surface water quality is determined by the level of urbanization. The water integrated pollution index (WPI) increased with the passage of time in all the localities: SLG 0.0 to 25.0; SMTL 25.0 to 29.0; SRT 4.0 to 29.0; VA 6.0 to 30.0; T 3.5 to 24.0 and SMA 4.0 to 27.0 from 2010 to 2020, respectively. The correlation coefficients between the five parameters (BOD5, COD, CF, TU and TSS) in the six localities were positive with the population. The values that showed a higher correlation with the population were: SLG (FC 0.86), SMTL (BOD5 0.61, COD 0.89, TSS 0.64) and SRT (TU 0.83), corresponding to highly polluted localities, which generates complex and severe environmental implications due to the unsustainable management of water resources. Achieving the sustainability of water in the watershed is a challenge that should be shared between society and state. This type of research can be a useful tool in making environmental management decisions.

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