A two-day workshop on water quality modelling in the Peace and Athabasca Rivers was held at Environment Canada's National Hydrology Research Institute in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on March 22-23, 1993. This workshop was part of the Northern River Basins Study (NRBS) and brought together experts in riverine ecology and water quality modelling from government, industry, and university communities. The goal of the workshop was to review and assess available modelling approaches for estimating the impact of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and nutrient loadings on the water quality of the Peace and Athabasca River systems. Primarily, this workshop dealt with Questions Five and Seven of the Study which, in part, fall under the responsibility of the Nutrients Component Group. These questions deal with the effect of nutrient loading on water quality and with the concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) required to protect riverine biota.
The goal of the workshop was achieved by a two-part process: formal presentations by invited speakers, and group discussions on modelling approaches. The series of presentations on available approaches to water quality modelling outlined the structure of model components and reviewed the key rate coefficients necessary for model application. Additionally, these presentations indicated any need for further development to the model structure or better measurement of critical rate coefficients. These presentations were a catalyst for important discussions, particularly on day two when workshop participants engaged in a lively discussion of potential recommendations to the NRBS for future work on water quality modelling.
Chapters 1.0 and 2.0 provide background information for the workshop context. Chapter 1.0 lists the overall objective of the workshop as well as five specific goals: (i) identify
NRBS needs in terms of water quality models, (ii) discuss and assess existing water quality models in terms of short- and long-term needs for basin management, (iii) review and assess model structure, examine rate coefficients, and discuss sensitivity analyses, (iv) examine the limitations of available data bases, and (v) identify areas and issues requiring further research. Chapter 2.0 provides a broad overview of NRBS objectives and summarizes the specific needs from, or input to, water quality models as identified by several of the NRBS working groups (i.e., Hydrology, Nutrient Impacts, Contaminants, and Other River Uses). In addition, representatives from the pulp and paper industry provided a summary of their needs for water quality modelling in terms of future planning and operation.
Chapter 3.0 provides a brief overview of the hydrology and development in the basin in order to illustrate the template underlying the water quality monitoring program. The review also summarizes the water quality modelling efforts undertaken within the basin and concludes with several specific issues that must be addressed by NRBS modelling strategies.