Abundances of Oxygen and Organics in the Red Deer River: Comparison with Marmot Basin Streams

Abstract

Comparison of water quality data for two watersheds in Alberta—the Red Deer River and Marmot Basins, showed minor differences in oxygen levels and major differences in total organic carbon, and refractory and some labile organic compounds. Dissolved oxygen in both basins was very similar—11.0 mg/L for the Marmot streams and 9.3 mg/L for the Red Deer River. Major differences occurred in the winter months when the dissolved oxygen level in the Red Deer River dropped to less than 3.0 mg/L at three downstream sampling stations, whereas in the Marmot Basin, it consistently remained near 11.0 mg/L. Biochemical and chemical oxygen demands in the Red Deer River average 2.0 mg/L and 6.3 mg/L respectively, and in the Marmot Basin they averaged 2.0 mg/L and 4.0 mg/L, respectively. The higher chemical oxygen demand in the Red Deer River suggests higher abundances of oxidizable chemical constituents. Total organic carbon in the Red Deer River averaged 7.2 mg/L, whereas in the Marmot Basin streams it averaged 4.2 mg/L Refractory organic compounds (humic-fulvic acids and tannins and lignins) in the Red Deer River average 8.2 mg/L and labile compounds 146 μg/L; in the Marmot Basin they averaged 0.9 mg/L and 054 μg/L, respectively. These differences in abundances are attributed to the larger drainage area in the Red Deer basin as compared with the Marmot Basin—24,000 km2 and 9.4 km2, respectively. Further, the Red Deer basin includes forested, agricultural and some urban areas, whereas the Marmot Basin is exclusively forested area.