Saskatchewan River System Research Articles

Cadaver transport in large river systems: winter case study in the South Saskatchewan River

An average of 518 drownings occur in Canada per year but few studies measured post-mortem submersion for cadavers and those studies are limited to warm areas of Europe and US. In our current study we deployed a pig cadaver in the South Saskatchewan River system in winter to monitor distance traveled and timing under ice conditions using radio-telemetry. We monitored accumulated degree days before bloating in the cadaver to estimate timing of emersion in winter drowning victims. Post-mortem submersion interval of the cadaver was relatively long (∼94 days) with an accumulated degree day estimate of ∼ 311 °C, and ultimately ∼189.9 km travelled. Our results suggest that winter drowning victims may remain at their point of disappearance for a substantial longer time compared to warmer regions; thereby providing adequate searching time to locate bodies shortly after disappearance.

Development of geomorphic typologies for identifying Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) habitat in the Saskatchewan River System

Development of geomorphic typologies for identifying Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) habitat in the Saskatchewan River System

The 2013 flood event in the South Saskatchewan and Elk River basins: Causes, assessment and damages

In late June 2013, heavy rainfall and rapidly melting alpine snow triggered flooding throughout much of the southern half of Alberta. Heavy rainfall commenced on 19 June and continued for 3 days. When the event was over, more than 200 mm and as much as 350 mm of precipitation had fallen over the Front Ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Tributaries to the Bow River including the Ghost, Kananaskis, Elbow, Sheep and Highwood, and many of their tributaries, all reached flood levels. The storm had a large spatial extent causing flooding to the north and south in the Red Deer and Oldman Basins, and also to the west in the Elk River in British Columbia. Convergence of the nearly synchronous floodwaters downstream in the South Saskatchewan River system caused record high releases from Lake Diefenbaker through Gardiner Dam. Dam releases in Alberta and Saskatchewan attenuated the downstream flood peak such that only moderate flooding occurred in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. More than a dozen municipalities declared local states of emergency; numerous communities were placed under evacuation order in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The media reported that more than 100,000 people needed to evacuate their homes, and five people died. At CAD$6 billion, the Province of Alberta estimated that it was the costliest natural disaster in Canadian history. At their peak, the water levels were the highest in the past 60 years, and nearing those of historic events of the late 1800s and early 1900s where records exist. There was major damage to infrastructure roads, bridges and culverts. Downtown Calgary was inundated, as were many communities such as High River and Bragg Creek. Debris flows and debris torrents affected communities such as Canmore and Exshaw, and isolated many mountain communities including closing the TransCanada Highway for several days. Environment Canada called it the “Flood of Floods.” Insured losses of CAD$2 billion included thousands of cars and homes demolished and damaged by backed-up sewers. Flood damage losses and recovery costs from the flood are projected to exceed CAD$6 billion.

Lake Sturgeon Geographic Range, Distribution, and Migration Patterns in the Saskatchewan River

AbstractWe examined geographic range, distribution, and migration patterns of Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens within the largest contiguous section of the Saskatchewan River system in Saskatchewan, Canada. Lake Sturgeon use portions of the North, South, and main‐stem Saskatchewan River during the summer months. The Forks area was observed to be an overwintering area. Lake Sturgeon were observed to migrate each year, and all Lake Sturgeon migrated at least once in the 3‐year study. Lake Sturgeon were observed to undertake significant migrations (>100 km/year) using all three rivers. Migration initiation date was consistent over the 3‐year period, whereas migration return date was more variable and may be linked to river flow rate. No significant differences in distance covered between years were identified, but Lake Sturgeon tended to migrate longer distances in years when flow rates were higher. Finally, the spatial extent of Lake Sturgeon in the Saskatchewan River System appears to be larger than that of many previously studied river and lake populations. This study provides important insights into Lake Sturgeon distribution and migration patterns within large prairie rivers, increasing our basic knowledge of this unique fish species in understudied river systems, and provides important information for conservation within their historic range.Received January 16, 2014; accepted August 5, 2014

Characterizing avulsion stratigraphy in ancient alluvial deposits

Guidelines for identifying ancient avulsion deposits were set forth by Kraus and Wells [Kraus, M.J., Wells, T.M., 1999. Recognizing avulsion deposits in the ancient stratigraphical record. In: Smith, N.D., Rogers, J. (Eds.), Fluvial Sedimentology VI, Special Publication of the International Association of Sedimentologists, vol. 28, pp. 251–268], building on the study by Smith et al. [Smith, N.D., Cross, T.A., Dufficy, J.P., Clough, S.R., 1989. Anatomy of an avulsion. Sedimentology 36, 1–23] of the modern Saskatchewan River system (Cumberland Marshes, central Canada), and serve to characterize avulsion depositional sequences in the ancient Willwood and Fort Union Formations (Paleogene, Bighorn Basin, NW Wyoming, USA). We recognize, however, that the model is not universally applicable to avulsion-dominated successions, specifically systems which lack defining “heterolithic avulsion deposits”, set forth by Kraus and Wells [Kraus, M.J., Wells, T.M., 1999. Recognizing avulsion deposits in the ancient stratigraphical record. In: Smith, N.D., Rogers, J. (Eds.), Fluvial Sedimentology VI, Special Publication of the International Association of Sedimentologists, vol. 28, pp. 251–268]. Observations in several fluvial intervals suggest that the avulsion stratigraphy outlined by Kraus and Wells [Kraus, M.J., Wells, T.M., 1999. Recognizing avulsion deposits in the ancient stratigraphical record. In: Smith, N.D., Rogers, J. (Eds.), Fluvial Sedimentology VI, Special Publication of the International Association of Sedimentologists, vol. 28, pp. 251–268] represents one category of avulsion stratigraphy found in the rock record, but does not capture the nature of avulsion deposits everywhere. Based on observations (using measured sections, outcrop photo-panels, and aerial photographs) in the Willwood Formation (Eocene, Wyoming) and Ferris Formation (Cretaceous/Paleogene, Wyoming), we present two end-member categories of avulsion stratigraphy in ancient deposits; stratigraphically abrupt, when a main paleochannel is stratigraphically juxtaposed directly atop floodplain/overbank deposits, and stratigraphically transitional, where crevasse splays and other non-floodplain/-overbank deposits stratigraphically precede a main paleochannel. This characterization provides a broader, more inclusive way to recognize and describe avulsion stratigraphy in ancient deposits and may be an important factor to consider when modeling connectivity in fluvial reservoirs. Furthermore, our observations show that one type of avulsion channel stratigraphy may prevail over another within an ancient basin, suggesting that system-wide factors such as splay-proneness or avulsion style (i.e. aggradational, incisional, etc.; [Slingerland, R., Smith, N.D., 2004. River avulsions and their deposits. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 32, 257–285]) may be primary controls on the type of avulsion stratigraphy deposited and preserved in ancient basin-fills.

The effects of simulated irrigation induced changes in salinity on metabolism of lotic biota

A series of manipulative field experiments were conducted in the Elbow River, Alberta, Canada, using a modified metabolic chamber to determine the net primary productivity of epilithic algae and community respiration and the drift of macroinvertebrates exposed to pulses of four simulated salinities (1.2, 2.4, 4.5 and 8.2 ppt). Treatment salinities represented ionic composition and ratios of irrigation effluent emptying into the South Saskatchewan River system in southern Alberta compared to ambient concentrations in the river (0.4 ppt). Net primary productivity of benthic algae and oxygen consumption of macroinvertebrates increased with increasing salinity from 1.2 to 4.5 ppt but declined in the highest salinity. A significant time dependent and time and salinity dependent (combined) variability in benthic drift occurred. However, effects of interaction and salinity were insignificant when exposed to pulses of different salinities. The drift biomasses in control chambers were always significantly greater than that of the treatment chambers except in the highest salinity.

Survival of Selected Aquatic Insects Exposed to Methoxychlor Treatment of the Saskatchewan River System

Abstract Survival of aquatic insects was compared before and after exposure to methoxychlor treatment (0.3 mg·L−1 for 15 min) of the Saskatchewan River system at three sites downstream from injection (21, 38, and 107 km). Species studied were Isoperla bilineata (Say), Isoperla longiseta Banks (Plecoptera: Perlodidae), Hydropsyche alternans (Walker), Hydropsyche occidentalis Banks (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae), Stenonema termination (Walsh), and Stenacron interpunctatum (Say) (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae). Survival of individuals exposed to treatment was species-dependent and related to distance from the methoxychlor injection point. At the km 21 site, survival of four of the six species studied declined significantly (P < 0.05) over 15 days, relative to controls. At the km 38 and 107 sites, survival was not affected significantly (P > 0.05) for any species studied.

The impact of methoxychlor treatment of the saskatchewan river system on artificial substrate populations of aquatic insects

The impact of methoxychlor exposure on aquatic insects inhabiting artificial substrates was monitored at three downstream sites relative to an upstream untreated site of the North Saskatchewan River. Treatment impact was studied for selected species of Simuliidae (Diptera), Perlodidae (Plecoptera), Hydropsychidae (Trichoptera), Baetidae and Heptageniidae (Ephemeroptera). At sites subjected to methoxychlor exposure which were 21, 38, and 107 km from injection, population changes varied depending on species and distance from the injection point. Although populations of some species were not significantly affected by treatment at any downstream site (P > 0·0.5), others were significantly reduced at one or more of the sites (P < 0·5 − P < 0·01). Nymphs of Stenonema terminatum (Walsh) and Baetis tricaudatus Dodds (Ephemeroptera) apparently recolonized after dislodgement due to methoxychlor exposure. Species are categorized on the basis of their responses to methoxychlor treatment. Factors which probably caused different treatment impacts among species are discussed.

Quality Degradation in Waters Undergoing Interbasin Transfer

Abstract The Saskatchewan River system is the main source of good quality water in the Western Interior Sedimentary Basin which forms the populated and agricultural area of the prairie region of Western Canada. Water from this river system has in the past been diverted at many points into local drainage areas where water shortages existed. It is expected that in the future more diversion schemes will be initiated to transport Saskatchewan River water to the water deficient areas of the Prairies. There is evidence that the quality of water flowing into diversion schemes utilizing existing drainage systems or glacial and proglacial drainage channels has been degraded from natural causes. Increases in mineral salts and phosphates, in some cases, has rendered the diverted water of little use for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes. More diversions are in the feasibility and planning stages - many diversions may prove to be unacceptable if the inherent degradation potential of natural channels is understood. Alternative diversion routes and schemes which exclude the use of topographical low areas will have to be devised and investigations conducted on the degradation potential of the alternative routes.

Water Quality Deterioration During Interbasin Transfer in Saskatchewan

The landforms, water resources, river channels and soil constituents on the Prairies are dictated by the glaciations to which the area was subjected.Increasing population and industrialization and changing and ever increasing use of agricultural water are placing more and new demands on the limited quantity of fresh water available on the Prairies. The Saskatchewan River system is the main source of good quality water in the southern, more populated, agricultural area of the Prairies. It is expected that more and larger diversion schemes will be initiated to transport Saskatchewan River water to the water-scarce areas of Western Canada.Two existing diversion schemes have been studied over a period of 15 years. These two schemes and one proposed diversion scheme are reviewed with a direct interest in identifying potential and actual causes of water quality deterioration which exist now or may exist in the future. Specifically the diversion schemes are: (1) the Qu’Appelle diversion with water being discharg...

Analysis of Longitudinal Zonation and the River Continuum Concept in the Oldman–South Saskatchewan River System

During the summer–fall periods, the benthic macroinvertebrate communities of the Oldman–South Saskatchewan River system demonstrated a longitudinal zonation related to the subalpine forest, fescue prairie, and mixed prairie terrestrial ecosystems through which it flows. This zonation was primarily attributable to significant downstream increases in periphyton biomass, plant nutrients, and water temperature. Zonation was reduced in the Sate winter–spring periods and absent in May, during spring runoff. Longitudinal trends in macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups generally followed the predictions of the river continuum concept, with trophic composition apparently more strongly affected by autotrophic processes in the summer, and heterotrophic processes in the winter. By combining the river continuum concept with a watershed classification system based on geology, climate, soil type, and terrestrial vegetation, we suggest that biological comparisons of longitudinal zonation are enhanced.Key words: longitudinal zonation, reciprocal average ordination, river continuum concept, functional groups

U.B.C. WATERSHED MODEL / Le modèle du bassin versant U.C.B

Abstract The U.B.C. Watershed Model is being used operationally for forecasting daily streamflows in 13 sub-basins of the Fraser River system which is subject to snowmelt floods from the mountain snow-packs of the Coast, Columbia and Rocky Mountains in British Columbia. The model has also been tested and adopted by the Prairie Provinces Water Board for mountain snowmelt forecasting in the Saskatchewan River system headwaters. The model estimates snowpack accumulation and depletion and operates entirely from meteorological inputs of daily maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation. Account is kept of soil moisture, groundwater and evapotranspiration. Facilities are available in the model for lake storages and lake routing. The model has also been used in planning studies for the Peace River system. A 30-year sequence of missing streamflow data has been generated by the model from the measured meteorological data. Snow-packs were estimated by the model from measured valley precipitation. The model was tested against a 12-year period of measured flows and correlation coefficients of 0.95 were achieved for monthly flows.

ADDITIONS TO THE TAXONOMY, ZOOGEOGRAPHY, AND BIOLOGY OFANALETRIS EXIMIA(ACANTHAMETROPODINAE: SILPHLONURIDAE: EPHEMEROPTERA)

AbstractThe previously undescribed adult male and female ofAnaletris eximiaEdmunds are treated. Additional features of nymphs are illustrated. In the Saskatchewan River system the species is found in areas unaffected by reservoirs; nymphs develop in May?, June, and July; adults emerge in late July. Nymphs are carnivorous (chironomids were the main food item in field collected specimens), live in backwaters adjacent to the main river current, and are morphologically adapted to life on an unstable silty substrate. Invasion of the Saskatchewan system was apparently via Missouri tributaries from the Colorado system. It occurred in recent times in the latter but apparently not the former. Because of habitat destruction, the species is considered endangered.

Mercury Concentrations in Tissues of Fish from the Saskatchewan River

Muscle tissue of 81 fish from several locations in the Saskatchewan River system contained an average of more than 1.0 ppm of mercury. Fish collected at two sites had much higher concentrations, with individual fish containing up to 11.2 ppm. The concentrations found were higher than those reported for fish from uncontaminated environments, and corresponded to values reported for Scandinavian fish collected in areas of industrial pollution.

Limnological Features of Cedar Lake, Manitoba

Cedar Lake, largest lake in the Saskatchewan River system, was studied from June 14 until August 31, 1962. Twenty stations, located in the main basin of the lake, were examined during six sampling periods. These stations were located along five transects, at depths of 1.5, 3, 6, and 9 m. No thermal stratification occurred and the oxygen concentration never fell below 78% of air saturation. Total alkalinity and total dissolved solids averaged above 65 and 270 ppm, respectively.The average number of bottom organisms increased with depth, with the bulk of these being made up of spheariid clams, mayflies, chironomids, and gastropods. The number of genera also increased with depth. The standing crops determined for the six sampling periods ranged from 17.7 to 33.2 lb/acre (dry weight), with a mean value of 23.4 lb/acre. Correlations between the physical and chemical factors and the distribution of bottom fauna are examined and it is felt that the bottom type is the major factor affecting the distribution and abundance of bottom organisms in Cedar Lake. On the basis of the physical and chemical criteria, Cedar Lake may be classified as eutrophic.

Effects of Grazing Intensity and Cover on the Water-Intake Rate of Fescue Grassland

The Eastern Slope of the Rocky Mountains and the adjacent foothills comprise the watershed of the Saskatchewan River System. Most of the rivers, except a few tributaries that arise in areas such as the Cypress Hills, originate along the mountain chain. These waters are of prime importance in the irrigation of 840,000 acres in southern Alberta and in the proposed irrigation of large tracts of land in southern Saskatchewan. The effects of grazing intensity on the water-intake characteristics of soils of the area have not been s t u d i e d previously. Work elsewhere has indicated that these effects may be important. D u 1 e y and Kelley (1939) found that the infiltration rate on native sod with a good cover was several times that of bare ground. In a further study, Duley and D o m in g o (1949) found that total cover including live grass and associated litter was more important than the kind of grass or the type of soil in inducing a high water-intake rate. Dyksterhuis and Schmutz (1947) noted that natural mulch was a primary factor in determining total annual infiltration of water into rangeland. Rauzi. (1960) found that the water-intake rate increased with an increase in the amount of natural mulch and standing vegetation. Alderfer and Robinson (1947) found runoff losses to vary from 0 to 2 percent on ungrazed range and from 33 to 80 percent on heavily g r a z e d range. Both Tomanek (1948) and Hopkins (1954) showed that a relationship exists between the amount of natural mulch and the moisture content of rangeland soils. The purposes of the study were to assess the effect of grazing by cattle on the water-intake rate of soils in the fescue grass1 a n d of southwestern Alberta and to determine the effect of various constituents of the vegetation cover on the water-intake rate.