| Table 1. Big Hill Springs and Bighill Creek water quality data, monthly Jan-July, 2022 (by the Bighill Creek Preservation Society) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Site # | Location | Sample number | Date | Time | Temp | Dissolved Oxygen | pH | EC, Elect Conduct1 | HCO3 | F | Cl | Br | NH3-N | NO3-N | PO4 | SO4 | Na | K | Mg | Ca | TDS | E. coli | |
| From upstream to downstrean | (hrs) | (˚C) | (mg/L) | (µS/cm) | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | mg/L | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | (mg/L) | (MPN/100 mL) | |||||
| BH Springs sites | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Big Hill Springs, u/s near source | 1 | 2022-03-31 | 10,30 | 5,1 | 10,13 | 7,68 | 593,5 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2022-05-17 | 12,40 | 5,4 | 10,24 | 7,87 | 524,4 | 0,14 | 15,34 | <0.1 | <0.5 | 3,0 | <0.1 | 9,17 | 7,31 | <0.5 | 34,8 | 65,38 | <1 | |||||
| 3 | 2022-06-21 | 10,00 | 6,0 | 10,47 | 7,75 | 570,4 | 9,7 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 2022-07-13 | 11,00 | 6,1 | 10,08 | 7,75 | 565,6 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | BH Spring in BH Springs Prov. Pk, lower site | 1 | 2022-01-29 | 15,45 | 4,4 | 10,92 | 7,94 | 571,4 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2022-02-13 | 14,00 | 4,6 | 11,73 | 8,18 | 569,4 | 311,18 | 0,14 | 14,71 | 2,87 | 8,94 | 7,34 | 3,38 | 63,48 | 34,16 | 455,9 | 127,4 | ||||||
| 3 | 2022-03-31 | 9,00 | 4,0 | 12,14 | 8,45 | 567,3 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 2022-04-20 | 10,30 | 4,4 | 12,00 | 8,39 | 570,2 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 2022-05-17 | 11,40 | 7,1 | 11,36 | 8,52 | 544,0 | 0,13 | 15,1 | <0.1 | <0.5 | 2,86 | <0.1 | 8,97 | 7,25 | <0.5 | 34,1 | 59,81 | 2 | |||||
| 6 | 2022-06-21 | 8,30 | 6,1 | 11,83 | 8,41 | 554,3 | 5,2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 2022-07-13 | 10,00 | 7,2 | 11,38 | 8,35 | 551,4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Bh Creek sites | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Bighill Cr, u/s Hwy 567, and d/s of NC lake | 1 | 2022-03-31 | 9,30 | 3,3 | 11,12 | 8,12 | 432,1 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2022-04-20 | 11,25 | 1,1 | 11,81 | nd | nd | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 2022-05-17 | 12,10 | 13,1 | 9,76 | 8,51 | 450,4 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 2022-06-21 | 8,50 | 15,5 | 9,58 | 9,11 | 389,4 | 230 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 2022-06-21 | 14,00 | 18,7 | 12,92 | 9,01 | 344,7 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 2022-07-13 | 11,30 | 19,6 | 10,48 | 9,70 | 230,8 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Bighill Cr above culvert under Hwy 567 | 1 | 2022-03-31 | 9,50 | 2,8 | 10,7 | 7,80 | 440,4 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2022-06-21 | 9,30 | 13,2 | 8,84 | 8,48 | 564,4 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 2022-07-13 | 12,00 | 17,1 | 10,24 | 8,48 | 575,1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Bighill Cr at upper bridge on Ranche Rd | 1 | 2022-03-31 | 11,45 | 1,4 | 12,72 | 8,35 | 509,9 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2022-06-21 | 11,15 | 12,9 | 9,77 | 8,42 | 595,0 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 2022-07-13 | 12,30 | 17,8 | 9,08 | 8,40 | 557,6 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Bighill Cr at pedestrian bridge on Ranche Road | 1 | 2022-01-29 | 16,45 | 0,1 | 12,00 | 8,05 | 601,7 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2022-02-13 | 15,30 | 0,2 | 12,71 | 8,07 | 619,6 | 353,9 | 0,15 | 16,0 | 2,17 | 19,31 | 13,73 | 3,68 | 70,75 | 37,09 | 524,0 | 4,1 | ||||||
| 3 | 2022-03-31 | 11,30 | 1,7 | 12,67 | 8,49 | 479,5 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 2022-04-20 | 12,45 | 1,5 | 13,32 | 8,67 | 870,2 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 2022-05-17 | 14,00 | 11,4 | 10,61 | 8,68 | 576,2 | 0,16 | 17,3 | <0.1 | <0.5 | 0,92 | <0.1 | 23,28 | 17,01 | <0.5 | 36,79 | 57,55 | 11 | |||||
| 6 | 2022-06-21 | 10,45 | 13,2 | 9,94 | 8,52 | 604,6 | 99 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 2022-07-13 | 12,45 | 17,9 | 9,68 | 8,56 | 568,6 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Bighill Creek near confluence w Bow R | 1 | 2022-01-29 | 17,15 | 0,1 | 12,17 | 8,12 | 667,4 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2022-02-13 | 15,50 | 0,1 | 13,19 | 8,31 | 673,8 | 356,3 | 0,15 | 24,3 | 2,13 | 33,82 | 20,40 | 3,89 | 69,02 | 39,52 | 556,7 | 193,5 | ||||||
| 3 | 2022-03-31 | 12,10 | 2,0 | 12,97 | 8,54 | 547,6 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 2022-04-20 | 13,30 | 3,5 | 12,97 | 8,71 | 2204,0 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 2022-05-17 | 14,30 | 9,9 | 10,54 | 8,66 | 609,6 | 0,20 | 61,5 | <0.1 | <0.5 | 1,21 | <0.1 | 42,36 | 42,40 | 6,05 | 27,49 | 53,86 | 549,3 | |||||
| 6 | 2022-06-21 | 11,30 | 13,9 | 10,21 | 8,50 | 645,0 | 68 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 2022-07-13 | 13,00 | 17,7 | 10,49 | 8,55 | 651,0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Millenium Cr | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Millennium Creek near confl. BH Creek | 1 | 2022-01-29 | 17,30 | 4,2 | 10,84 | nd | nd | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2022-01-30 | 14,45 | 4,6 | 12,59 | 8,15 | 849,0 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 2022-02-13 | 16,00 | 5,0 | 12,90 | 8,53 | 1061,0 | 392,3 | 0,16 | 85,7 | 5,20 | 112,02 | 69,62 | 5,00 | 69,66 | 54,24 | 811,6 | 4,1 | ||||||
| 4 | 2022-03-31 | 12,25 | 5,9 | 14,53 | 8,54 | 1046,0 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 2022-04-20 | 13,50 | 7,0 | 14,25 | 8,64 | 1136,0 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 2022-05-17 | 14,45 | 9,9 | 11,57 | 8,57 | 984,0 | 0,17 | 82,0 | <0.1 | <0.5 | 4,10 | <0.1 | 106,83 | 62,61 | 5,49 | 52,08 | 57,55 | <1 | |||||
| 7 | 2022-06-21 | 11,45 | 10,4 | 11,61 | 8,26 | 913,0 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 2022-07-13 | 13,15 | 11,8 | 11,23 | 8,20 | 993,0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Bow River | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Bow R, 10 meters u/s of Bh Cr confluence | 1 | 2022-05-17 | 15,15 | 9,8 | 11,18 | 8,68 | 329,3 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2022-06-21 | 12,00 | 10,2 | 11,45 | 8,45 | 255,3 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 2022-07-13 | 13,30 | 13,6 | 10,52 | 8,48 | 253,1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sites (from upstream to downstream) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| BH Spr 1 | Big Hill Springs u/s, near source (approx 700 m upstream of the public use area) (upper site) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| BH Spr 2 | Big Hill Spring in Big Hill Spring Provincial Park, at the second foot bridge, upstream of the parking lot in the Park (lower site) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bh Cr 1 | Bighill Cr, north of Hwy 567, at road bridge d/s of NCC lake (the lake owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bh Cr 2 | Bighill Cr at u/s end of culvert under Hwy 567 (contains the combined flow from NCC lake and the unknamed coulee to the east and north of NCC lake) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bh Cr 3 | Bighill Cr at the most upstream vehicle bridge on Ranche Rd (acessed from within the Town of Cochrane) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bh Cr 4 | Bighill Cr at pedestrian bridge on Ranche Road (acessed from within the Town of Cochrane) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bh Cr 5 | Bighill Creek near confluence with the Bow River (still upstream of the confluence of Bighill Creek with Millenium Creek) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Millenium Cr 1 | Millennium Creek near confluence with Bighill Creek (the confluence with Bighill Cr is 10 m u/s of Bighill Cr confluence with the Bow River) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bow R 1 | Bow R, 10 meters u/s of Bh Cr confluence (for comparison to water quality in Bighill Creek) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes | – Millennium Cr is spring-fed, note warmer temperatures in winter and cooler in summer, compared to Bighill Cr sites. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1EC, Electrical conductivity is recorded as “Specific Conductance”; a measure of the dissolved salts in the water at a specific water temperature; 2nd: no data since not sampled; | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mill’ium Cr = Millenium Cr; temp = water temperature; NH3-N = ammonia as nitrogen; NO3-N = nitrate as nitrogen; TDS = Total Dissolved Solids; u/s = upstream; d/s = downstream | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other abbreviations: HCO3 = hardness; PO4 = phosphate; SO4 = sulfate; MPN/100 mL = Most Probable number per 100 mL of spring or creek water sample | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| – 20 Apr 2022 – deep snow had fallen the day before, vehicle access to upper Big Hill Springs site was not possible. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| – 20 Apr 2022 – Bighill Cr near mouth – u/s urban snow melt occurring, very turbid, and much foam | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| – For all field condition notes, for each sample date, refer to separate field sheets on file, available on request | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| – Microbial source tracking results (Feb 13, and May 17): see results in separate file, analyses identifies whether microbial sources are mainly from humans, or ruminants (deer, cattle), dogs, geese, etc | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| – Water temperatures, data loggers have been installed 2020 to present (ongoing) in 12 locations in Big Hill Springs and Bighill Creek, with measurements taken every 30 minutes, 24/7. This data (data on file) is critical for understanding – | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| the critical role of temperature on the resident trout fish community in the watershed. Any remove of up to 20 m (6 stories) of overburden, gravel and sand (for gravel mining) would very likely have a negative impact – | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| on trout survival in the watershed. Work conducted by the Bighill Cr Preservation Society (BCPS) in association with Trout Unlimited Canada. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Submitted by Wendell Koning, for the Bighill Creek Preservation Society, July 22, 2022. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wendell Koning-Water Quality Monitoring July 2022
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