A geochemical perspective on the impact of development at Alta Lake, British Columbia, Canada (original) (raw)

Anthropogenic activity in the Halifax region, Nova Scotia, Canada, as recorded by bulk geochemistry of lake sediments

Lake and reservoir management, 2018

Separating the timing and effects of multiple watershed disturbances is critical to a comprehensive understanding of lakes, which is required to effectively manage lacustrine systems that may be experiencing adverse water quality changes. Advances in X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology has led to the availability of high-resolution, high-quality bulk geochemical data for aquatic sediments, which in combination with carbon, nitrogen, δ 13 C, and δ 15 N have the potential to identify watershed-scale disturbance in lake sediment cores. We integrated documented anthropogenic disturbances and changes in bulk geochemical parameters at 8 lakes within the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), Nova Scotia, Canada, 6 of which serve as drinking water sources. These data reflect more than 2 centuries of anthropogenic disturbance in the HRM that included deforestation, urbanization and related development, and water-level change. Deforestation activity was documented at Lake Major and Pockwock Lake by large increases in Ti, Zr, K, and Rb (50-300%), and moderate increases in C/N (>10%). Urbanization was resolved at Lake Fletcher, Lake Lemont, and First Lake by increases in Ti, Zr, K, and Rb (10-300%), decreases in C/N (>10%), and increases in δ 15 N (>2.0‰). These data broadly agree with previous paleolimnological bioproxy data, in some cases identifying disturbances that were not previously identified. Collectively these data suggest that bulk geochemical parameters and lake sediment archives are a useful method for lake managers to identify causal mechanisms for possible water quality changes resulting from watershed-scale disturbance. Separating the timing and effects of multiple disturbances is critical to a comprehensive understanding of lakes, which is required to effectively manage these systems (Smol 2010, Ginn et al. 2015). Recently, advances in X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology have led to the availability of high-resolution, high-quality bulk geochemical data for aquatic sediments, particularly for typically minerogenic elements such as titanium (Ti), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), zirconium (Zr), and calcium (Ca) (Croudace et al. 2006, Dunnington et al. 2016, Rouillon and Taylor 2016). XRF allows for rapid, nondestructive measurement of these elements at relatively low cost, allowing a large volume

The Historical Record of Metals in Sediments from Six Lakes in the Fraser River Basin, British Columbia

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 2000

Sediment cores were collected from six lakes (Moose, Stuart, Chilko, Kamloops, Nicola and Harrison Lakes) distributed throughout the Fraser River Basin, British Columbia. The cores were dated primarily from 210 Pb profiles and dating was corroborated by counting laminae and by using 137 Cs as a discrete time marker. The cores were analyzed for a suite of metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Mn, Pb and Zn) and organic carbon. The data were evaluated in the context of post-1900 contamination by metals in the Fraser River basin. Overall, lake sediments from the Fraser Basin remain relatively pristine in terms of metal contamination, exhibiting only minor metal enrichments in layers dating from industrial times (post-1900). Stuart Lake, which received Hg contamination from a mine on Pinchi Lake, shows a clear contaminant Hg signal. Pb exhibits ubiquitous contamination in five of the six lakes studied. The Pb enrichments are minor (ranging from 8.4 to 30.9 µg g −1) and consistent with local automotive emissions from the use of leaded gasoline possibly augmented by long-range transport from industrial and municipal centers along the west coast. The largest Pb fluxes were observed in Kamloops, Moose and Harrison Lakes, each of which has either a highway or a large urban centre as a local source of Pb. This watershed-scale evaluation offers a unique opportunity to compare the relative importance of local and regional sources of contamination.

Acidification and metal contamination in Whitepine Canada): a paleolimnological perspective Lake (Sudbury

J Paleolimnol, 1993

Diatom and chrysophyte assemblages from a sediment core from Whitepine Lake were examined to infer changes in lakewater pH, nickel and aluminum concentrations since pre-industrial times, and to help determine the cause of the virtual extirpation of the lake trout population from the lake during the 1960s and 1970s. Our study indicates that acidification started in the 1920s, and that the maximum inferred pH decline (from 6.2 to 5.8) occurred between 1960 and 1970, coincident with the peak in metal mining and smelting activity in the Sudbury basin. Lakewater [A1] and [Ni], as inferred from our diatom transfer functions, increased. It appears that in addition to the pH decline, elevated [A1] may have played an important role in the decline of lake trout from Whitepine Lake in the 1960s and 1970s. Diatominferred lakewater pH and [Ni] have recovered slightly in the recent sediments, which coincides with reductions in emissions that have occurred since the mid-1970s.

Paleolimnological assessment of riverine and atmospheric pathways and sources of metal deposition at a floodplain lake (Slave River Delta, Northwest Territories, Canada)

The Science of the total environment, 2015

Growth of natural resource development in northern Canada has raised concerns about the effects on downstream aquatic ecosystems, but insufficient knowledge of pre-industrial baseline conditions continues to undermine ability of monitoring programs to distinguish industrial-derived contaminants from those supplied by natural processes. Here, we apply a novel paleolimnological approach to define pre-industrial baseline concentrations of 13 priority pollutant metals and vanadium and assess temporal changes, pathways and sources of these metals at a flood-prone lake (SD2) in the Slave River Delta (NWT, Canada) located ~500km north of Alberta's oil sands development and ~140km south of a former gold mine at Yellowknife, NWT. Results identify that metal concentrations, normalized to lithium concentration, are not elevated in sediments deposited during intervals of high flood influence or low flood influence since onset of oil sands development (post-1967) relative to the 1920-1967 ba...

Acidification and metal contamination in Whitepine Lake (Sudbury, Canada): a paleolimnological perspective

Journal of Paleolimnology, 1993

Diatom and chrysophyte assemblages from a sediment core from Whitepine Lake were examined to infer changes in lakewater pH, nickel and aluminum concentrations since pre-industrial times, and to help determine the cause of the virtual extirpation of the lake trout population from the lake during the 1960s and 1970s. Our study indicates that acidification started in the 1920s, and that the maximum inferred pH decline (from 6.2 to 5.8) occurred between 1960 and 1970, coincident with the peak in metal mining and smelting activity in the Sudbury basin. Lakewater [A1] and [Ni], as inferred from our diatom transfer functions, increased. It appears that in addition to the pH decline, elevated [A1] may have played an important role in the decline of lake trout from Whitepine Lake in the 1960s and 1970s. Diatominferred lakewater pH and [Ni] have recovered slightly in the recent sediments, which coincides with reductions in emissions that have occurred since the mid-1970s.

Sediment trace metal profiles in lakes of Killarney Park, Canada

Environmental Pollution, 2004

The lakes in Killarney Provincial Park (KPP) located 40e60 km southwest of Sudbury, Ontario are beginning to recover after decades of being severely affected by acidification and atmospheric pollutants. Detailed profiles of acid-recoverable trace elements (As. Cd, Cu, Co. Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were obtained after aqua regia digestion and ICP-OES analysis of sediment cores taken from six Park lakes. Results permitted the identification of two types of profiles. The first type applies to elements such as Fe, Mn, As and Co for which historical deposition and recent recovery are strongly masked by diagenetic remobilization. The second type of profile applies to elements such as Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn on which the history of industrialisation in North America and mining activities in Sudbury can be superimposed. Based on sediment data of trace elements less affected by diagenetic remobilization (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn), chemical recovery indices can be estimated from depth profiles. Indices of maximum (C p ) and surface (C s ) contamination were calculated by dividing the concentration of a given metal by the pre-industrial level. The ratio of the two indices provided a simple estimation of the chemical recovery of lakes that does not consider the influence of the watershed or the lake pH. Profiles of metals in sediment of KPP complement the water quality monitoring data and tend to indicate that this area is in transition from dominant influence of regional pollution sources to becoming controlled by continental atmospheric deposition.

Use of pre-industrial baselines to monitor anthropogenic enrichment of metals concentrations in recently deposited sediment of floodplain lakes in the Peace-Athabasca Delta (Alberta, Canada)

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2020

Well-designed monitoring approaches are needed to assess effects of industrial development on downstream aquatic environments and guide environmental stewardship. Here, we develop and apply a monitoring approach to detect potential enrichment of metals concentrations in surficial lake sediments of the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD), northern Alberta, Canada. Since the ecological integrity of the PAD is strongly tied to river floodwaters that replenish lakes in the delta, and the PAD is located downstream of the Alberta oil sands, concerns have been raised over the potential transport of industry-supplied metals to the PAD via the Athabasca River. Surface sediment samples were collected in September 2017 from 61 lakes across the delta, and again in July 2018 from 20 of the same lakes that had received river floodwaters 2 months earlier, to provide snapshots of metals concentrations (Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) that have recently accumulated in these lakes. To assess for anthropog...

Characterizing the Recent Sediments from Pigeon Lake, Alberta as Related to Anthropogenic and Natural Fluxes

Environmental Geosciences, 2000

The geochemistry of Recent sediments from Pigeon Lake, Alberta was studied using Rock-Eval-6 in conjunction with Instrumental Neutron Activation Analyses 137 Cs isotope. The results of this study indicate that the variations in Rock-Eval parameters within the sedimentary column are correlated with the concentration of lithophile elements. These variations appear to be controlled by a balance between a number of interrelated processes concerned with both the nature of the deposited biomass and the depositional conditions. Two marker horizons were identified showing an abrupt decrease in Rock-Eval parameters (TOC, S2, and HI) and an increase in concentration of lithophile elements, indicating the clastic nature of the sediments with low autochthonous organic contents. This is attributed to significant natural events such as a storm or flood, which result in a rapid increase in the rate of erosion and subsequently in a high clastic input to the lake. Two cycles showing high organic content were also identified. The first cycle (productivity cycle) corresponds to the increase in algal productivity of the lake due to agricultural activities in the lake's catchment. In the second cycle (diagenetic cycle), the downward decrease of organic matter is interpreted as the result of selective degradation of organic matter during early diagenesis. The estimated sedimentation rates based on the established marker horizons and 137 Cs isotope indicate higher sedimentation in the deeper part of the lake prior to the productivity cycle. However, the sedimentation rates increased towards the littoral zone coinciding with an increase in productivity and subsequently the rise in growth of macrophytes in the nearshore area.

Temporal and spatial trends in metal loads to sediments of Lake Simcoe, Ontario

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 1988

Metal loads to sediments of Lake Simcoe were partitioned into three components, which were attributable to natural background, accelerated erosion, and point + atmospheric sources. These loads were calculated over time using metal concentration profiles together with pre-setttement sedimentation rates based on sonar and time-variable sedimentation rates based on 21°Po profiles in cores. Concentrations of metals significantly higher than pre-settlement concentrations were observed in all cores in the case of Pb, back to 80 yr BP on average, and in at least 75 % of cores, back to 60 yr BP for Cd and Zn and 30 to 45 yr BP for Cu, Ni, and Cr. Total metal loads increased 3 x for Cu and Ni, 4 x for Zn and Cr, 11 x for Cd and nearly 20 x for Pb from pre-1800 to 0 to 10 yr BP. At present about 90% of the anthropogenic loads of Pb and Cd, and 60 to 70}0 of the anthropogenic Cu, Ni, Zn, and Cr, are from point + atmospheric sources, the balance being from increased erosion. The direct atmospheric input of Cd is relatively high, approximately 77% of point + atmospheric inputs, while inputs of Cr and Ni are low at 1% and 9%, and inputs of Cu, Zn, and Pb are intermediate at 20 to 40% of point + atmospheric inputs. Two significant findings on spatial distribution of metals were the large increases in metal loads to Cook Bay following the drainage of 33 km 2 of marshes for agricultural use and the widespread dispersal of Cr from point source(s) in Kempenfelt Bay.

Production, sedimentation, and isotopic composition of organic matter in Lake Ontario

Limnology and Oceanography, 1998

Organic matter and its carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition were measured in sequential sediment trap and core samples from the Rochester Basin of Lake Ontario to evaluate their usefulness in reconstructing historic changes in lake productivity. The greatest flux of organic matter from the epilimnion occurred during late summer and coincided with whiting events, indicating that calcite precipitation is an effective mechanism for sedimenting organic matter. Carbon isotopes of organic matter were low prior to the onset of stratification, increased to maximum values in late summer, and then decreased following fall overturn. This pattern is controlled mainly by the timing of stratification and primary productivity, which preferentially removes "COZ from the epilimnion. The physiological effect of decreased carbon isotopic fractionation with decreasing supplies of [CO,],,, may have also contributed to increased PC orgc' Nitrogen isotopes showed a seasonal pattern opposite to that of carbon, whereby S"N values were low during the summer stratified period and high for the remainder of the year. Seasonal variability in S'INorgN probably reflects changes in the source of sedimented organic particles, which is dominated by isotopically depleted phytodetritus during the stratified period and isotopically enriched organic matter from heterotrophic or detrital sources during the mixed period. A comparison of organic carbon accumulation rates and 6'&, between sediment cores collected in 1987 and 1993-1994 confirms earlier predictions that diagenetic processes reduce the mass accumulation of organic carbon in the zone of oxic pore waters, but will not change the S"C,,,,,. values. All cores analyzed for PC,,,, display the reproducible pattern of a progressive increase in the 19OOs, peaking in the early to mid-1970s, and then decreasing to the present. This pattern matches the historical trends of phosphorus loading to the basin, suggesting that 613C of organic carbon is a reliable proxy for paleoproductivity and responds to spring phosphorus supplies in the water column. The 6"N of sedimentary organic matter increased linearly from 1840 to 1960 at a rate of 0.3%0 per decade, and remained relatively constant thereafter except for an increase in the upper few centimeters of sediment. The increase in @N,,,,, reflects a combination of factors, including early forest clearance by Europeans, increased sewering by municipalities after 1940, and increased nitrate utilization as productivity increased in the lower Great Lakes. Increased rates of denitrification in the central basin of upstream Lake Erie from the 1930s to the early 1970s may have also contributed to the rise in P5N,,,, values.