Water Stewardship Information Sources
| Citation | Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission. 2012. Monitoring stream water quality: Upper Skagit River watershed, 2011 Field Season Report. Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission. |
|---|---|
| Organization | Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission |
| URL | http://skagiteec.org/skagit-research-library/monitoring-stream-water-quality-upper-skagit-river-watershed-2011-field-season-report-1/at_download/file |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | The Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission (SEEC) was established by a 1984 Treaty between Canada and the United States and is mandated to support environmental quality upstream of the Ross Lake Dam. The monitoring of stream water quality is one of the many important initiatives supported by the organization. In 2007 and 2008, SEEC contracted with Limnotek, a Vancouver-based environmental company, to develop a model for water quality monitoring in the Upper Skagit watershed. Forty-nine reference sites where set up in pristine waters for the establishment of a Reference Condition Model based on Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) protocol. Ten test sites where also set up in areas influenced by human activities. SEEC contracted with Hope Mountain Centre for Outdoor Learning (HMCOL) for continued stream water monitoring of the watershed in 2010. CABIN protocol training was acquired through Environment Canada, supplies and equipment purchased or rented, laboratories researched for water chemistry testing and taxonomists sought for benthic invertebrate enumeration. A volunteer pool was also established for field sampling. 2010 Fieldwork was completed for seven sites and results reported to the Commission. HMCOL was retained again in 2011 to complete fieldwork on ten sample sites on which this documents reports. Sites were identified and successfully surveyed. Field sampling, which is usually carried out in August, was postponed until mid-September due to unusually high stream flows as a result of high snowpack from the previous winter and cool spring weather. Water and invertebrate samples were sent to laboratories and data results returned. Data were compiled and entered into the CABIN database. Site characterization and assessment was accomplished using CABIN reporting. The results from CABIN analysis are described in this report. Scott Denkers, Hope Mountain Centre, was the project manager. Out of the ten sites surveyed, three were resurveys of reference sites originally set up in 2007 and 2008. Four test sites were selected as resurveys to identify trends in water quality. Three new test sites were identified and surveyed to follow up on specific water quality questions. The ten sites on seven watercourses are widely distributed throughout the Skagit watershed. Rivers and creeks represented included the Skagit River, Sumallo River, Skaist River, Snass Creek, Silverdaisy Creek, Ferguson Creek and Silvertipped Creek. Results generated from CABIN analysis indicate seven “unstressed” sites. Sampling results pointed out two “potentially stressed” sites on Sumallo River (upstream of Sunshine Valley development) and Silvertipped Creek. One “severely stressed” site was identified on Silverdaisy Creek just below the old abandoned Siverdaisy Mine. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Lower Fraser |
| Sub-watershed if known | Skagit River |
| Aquifer # | |
| Comments | |
| Project status | complete |
| Contact Name | |
| Contact Email |