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 As they are old they may contain references to out-of-date legislation and policies.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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Interim report on symptomology and threshold levels of air pollutant injury to vegetation, 1978-79
Download1979
Malhotra, S. S., Addison, P. A.
The dominant woody boreal forest plant species were fumigated with 0.34 ppm SO2 under controlled conditions in the laboratory in order to rank their physiological and visual sensitivities to the air pollutant. Deciduous trees and shrubs were much more sensitive than conifers, presumably because...
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Interim report on the acidification of Lake 223, experimental lakes area: Background data, the first year of acidification (1976), and pilot experiments
Download1979
Wagemann, R., Hesslein, R. H., Schindler, D. W.
At the outset of AOSERP there was considerable concern that significant quantities of acid precipitation and heavy metals emanating from oil sands plants might adversely affect lakes near the oil sands area. Thus, the Aquatic Fauna Technical Research Committee initiated this project with the...
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1980
Turchenek, L. W., Lindsay, J. D.
The soils inventory of the AOSERP study area using the ecological approach to land classification was continued during 1979. All field checking and soil sampling was completed during the 1979 summer field season. Samples were taken from eight mineral and eight organic soil profiles. In...
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1979
Lindsay, J. D., Turchenek, L. W.
Soil mapping of the AOSERP study area using the ecological or biophysical approach to land classification was continued in 1978. Work consisted of air photo interpretation, field checking, preparation of interim maps, and analysis of soil samples. About 150 townships were field checked during...
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Inventory of selected raptor, colonial, and sensitive bird species in the Athabasca oil sands area of Alberta
Download1980
Ealey, D., Beaver, R., Munson, B., Fyfe, R.
A three-year inventory of selected rare, endangered and sensitive bird species in the Athabasca Oil Sands area of northeastern Alberta was completed in the late summer of 1977. Aerial and ground surveys of the Alberta Oil Sands Environmental Research Program (AOSERP) study area and selected...
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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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Lake acidification potential in the Alberta oil sands environmental research program study area
Download1979
Numerous lakes in Scandinavia and eastern North America have been damaged by acidic precipitation induced by anthropogenic oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. On first approximation, lakes near present oil sands operations would not be susceptible to acidification due to buffering provided by their...
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1979
McMahon, T. A., Kramer, J. R., Denison, P. J.
An in-depth review of the literature related to deposition of gases and particulates by dry deposition and precipitation scavenging is reported. Recommendations are made on the hypotheses, algorithms or models considered to be most suitable for incorporation into a pollutant transport and...
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Longitudinal study of personal adjustment and social conditions in the Fort McMurray area Vol I: Research design
Download1978
The purpose of Phase 1 was to establish a research design for a longitudinal study to identify and explain the relationships between social and personal adjustment of people in the oil sands region. The research design was to be implemented in Fort McMurray and to be applicable to any resource...