AOSERP Reports
The Alberta Oil Sands Environmental Research Program (AOSERP) ran from 1975 to 1985 and carried out surveys and research aimed at identifying the potential long-term impacts of oil sands development. The program focused on land, water, air and human systems and produced numerous reports. The program was managed by Alberta Environment.To view a list of available reports, please visit: http://www.osrin.ualberta.ca/Resources/DigitizedReports.aspx
TAKE NOTE: These reports are provided to give context and historical information. As they are old they may contain references to out-of-date legislation and policies. Readers should be cautious when using these materials and always refer to current legislation and policies.
Items in this Collection
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Heavy metal dynamics in the Athabasca River: Sediment concentrations prior to major Alberta oil sands development
Download1977
Exploitation of the bituminous sands may elevate heavy metal levels in the sediments of drainage systems of the AOSERP area via waterborne or airborne emissions. One hundred and six dredged sediments and twenty-four sediment cores were collected from the Athabasca River system from just above...
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Heavy metals in bottom sediments of the mainstem Athabasca river system in the AOSERP study area
Download1978
Dredged sediments and sediment cores were collected from sites along the Athabasca River system from between Fort McMurray and the confluence of Riviere des Rochers with the Slave River. A selected sample suite representing all of the drainage units and textural variations was analysed by...
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Interim report on a comparative study of benthic algal primary productivity in the AOSERP study area
Download1979
Hickman, M., Charlton, S. E. D., Jenkerson, C. G.
Studies concentrating upon the epilithon were conducted in five tributary rivers flowing into the Athabasca River: the Muskeg, Steepbank, Hangingstone, MacKay, and Ells rivers. The species composition of the epilithic algae was determined during June to November 1978. Diatoms and blue-green...
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Inventory of water use requirements and effluent discharge characteristics related to oil sands development
Download1980
An inventory of historical data on water use requirements and effluent discharge characteristics related to oil sands developments has been collected and tabulated. The inventory data indicate that surface water bodies are the main sources of the water supply and main recipients of effluent. ...
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Investigations of the spring spawning fish populations in the Athabasca and Clearwater Rivers upstream from Fort McMurray: Volume 1
Download1979
Fisheries investigations were undertaken in the spring of 1978 (28 April to 25 June) in the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers upstream of Fort McMurray. The major objectives of the studies were to determine what spring spawners utilized these sections of the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers; to...
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1979
Geesy, G. G., Costerton, J. W.
The direct epifluorescence method has been adapted for counting bacteria in the sometimes turbid water of the Athabasca River and this method has been used to quantify planktonic bacteria. Monthly samples over an annual cycle beginning in May 1976 showed this population ranged from 1 x 105 to 2...
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1979
This report presents the results of a comprehensive assessment of mixing characteristics of the Athabasca River below Fort McMurray under ice-covered flow conditions. A brief review of mixing processes in natural streams is followed by a description of two tracer tests conducted in February 1978...
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Physical description of selected tributary mouths and sheltered backwaters of the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers
Download1980
A survey of the physical characteristics of the aquatic habitats at 25 locations on the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers was conducted during August 1978. The parameters determined at each site were current velocity and direction, depth, Secchi disc visibility, substrate composition, and...
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Preliminary recommendations for mapping of aquatic habitat parameters for the AOSERP study area
Download1978
Brown, A., Robarts, R. D., Kent, M. J., Park, J. O.
Three aspects of aquatic habitat assessment and mapping have been considered. The first aspect was the review of the parameters which characterize aquatic habitats in the AOSERP study area. From an extensive list, ten parameters for each of lake habitats and river habitats were selected as being...
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1980
A regular program of water quality sampling has been instituted throughout the region of current oil sands development in northeastern Alberta. The goals of this program were to provide a base of background information on an extensive number of water quality parameters to enable the employment of...