Water Conditions We Monitor
Safe Baselines for the Conditions We Monitor
We monitor the oxygen level, temperature pH, electrical conductivity, salinity, and total dissolved solids at nearly two dozen locations in the Athabasca River watershed.
Water Oxygen Levels - 10 ppm (or mg/L) in water or above is a healthy oxygen level for fish and other organisms. Healthy dissolved oxygen levels vary for each organism, but levels around 8-9 mg/L will support all life.
Water Temperature - Water temperature is a critical indicator of water health in a river or lake. Warm water will cause oxygen levels to drop, which will stress fish. Cooler water temperatures usually indicate healthier water.
pH - pH refers to water's acid or alkaline quality. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 indicating neutrality. Water with a pH less than 7 is considered acidic, while water with a pH greater than 7 is alkaline. Northern lakes and rivers are often at a pH of 8 or slightly above. This is a healthy normal for aquatic life.
Electrical Conductivity - Normal levels are between 0 -200 uS/cm(milliSiemens per centimetre) and will be higher when water temperatures are high. Conductivity is a measure of how well a substance in water conducts electricity. It is a key indicator of mineral or metal pollution in water. This sensor measures the dissolved ions of these pollutants and naturally occurring ions. The conductivity of water increases with the increased concentration of dissolved salts, minerals, and metal ions.
Salinity - Salinity is the dissolved salt content of a body of water. Normal salinity levels for northern rivers are less than 300 ppm for most of the year.
TDS: Total Dissolved Solids - 200 ppm suggests high-quality water. Most drinking water standards allow up to 500 ppm TDS. Measured is the dissolved combined content of all mineral and organic substances present in a river in molecular, ionized, or micro-granular suspended form.