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Summary of water quality at select Order Stations
Average Monthly Selenium Concentration (ug/L)
| Order Station | Limit | July | August | September |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fording River Downstream of Greenhills Creek | 63 | 31 | 46 | 51 |
| Elk River Upstream of Grave Creek | 23 | 7.4 | 10 | 11 |
| Elk River Downstream of Michel Creek | 19 | 6.4 | 9.2 | 12 |
| Koocanusa Reservoir Downstream of the Elk River | 2 | 0.74 | 0.83 | 1.0 |
Average Monthly Nitrate Concentration (mg/L)
| Order Station | Limit | July | August | September |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fording River Downstream of Greenhills Creek | 14 | 6.9 | 10 | 12 |
| Elk River Upstream of Grave Creek | 4 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 2.5 |
| Elk River Downstream of Michel Creek | 3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 2.2 |
| Koocanusa Reservoir Downstream of the Elk River | 3 | 0.18 | 0.17 | 0.15 |
Average Monthly Sulphate Concentration (mg/L)
| Order Station | Limit | July | August | September |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fording River Downstream of Greenhills Creek | 429 | 121 | 190 | 214 |
| Elk River Upstream of Grave Creek | 429 | 37 | 58 | 67 |
| Elk River Downstream of Michel Creek | 429 | 42 | 68 | 83 |
| Koocanusa Reservoir Downstream of the Elk River | 308 | 15 | 19 | 23 |
Notes:
- Cells highlighted yellow denote where the concentration exceeds the limit. Non-highlighted cells do not exceed the limit.
- Sites in the table represent a range of conditions in the Elk Valley from the Fording River downstream to the Elk River and finally Koocanusa Reservoir. Click the site name to view the entire datasets for these sites back to 2014 or visit the Water Quality Data Dashboard to view data from additional sites.
Highlights
The July through September period in the Elk River and its tributaries is typically the transition from high to low water flows. Higher snowmelt-driven streamflow in early July transitions to lower, groundwater-driven streamflow in August and September.
- This decrease in flows is accompanied by poorer water quality (higher concentrations of substances). Dilution from snowmelt runoff declines and streamflow becomes more influenced by mining activities.
- Koocanusa Reservoir follows a similar seasonal trend. Water quality in the reservoir is also heavily influenced by the flow and quality of the Kootenay River with the other main water source for the reservoir. Operations at Libby Dam in the United States further affect water levels and flows in the reservoir.
The water quality results from July – September 2022 followed the expected seasonal pattern.
- Concentrations of substances were below water quality limits.
- August and September concentrations of selenium and nitrate in the Fording River were lower than were measured in 2021, despite streamflow being very similar. This suggests the amount of selenium and nitrate discharged to the river may have declined from the same months in 2021.
- A possible explanation for these lower concentrations could be the new Fording River Operations South Active Water Treatment Facility, which began operations on July 1, 2022. The facility will increase its treatment capacity in the coming months. As a result, its influence on improving water quality should become clearer.
Visit the Water Quality Dashboard for current and historical water quality data at all Compliance Points, Order Stations and Trend Sites.
The potential for impacts resulting from water quality conditions are carefully monitored. Results of the monitoring programs are summarized each year in the Aquatic Ecosystem Health Annual Update.
