Water Quality Monitoring

A water quality monitoring program was initiated in 2006 in partnership with the Milk River Watershed Council Canada, Alberta Environment, Cardston County, County of Warner, County of Forty Mile, Cypress County and Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park.  The program forms the baseline for long-term water quality monitoring in the Milk River watershed. 

Water samples are collected from the headwaters of the Milk River (the entry point of the North and South forks into Canada) and from 8 other locations (Water Monitoring Sites map, 351 KB JPG) downstream every two weeks from April through October. Tributary sites include are Miner's Coulee and Red Creek when they are flowing.  These tributaries often dry up by mid to late June. (Water Quality Monitoring map, 275 KB JPG)
Water samples are analyzed for fecal coliforms, E.coli bacteria, nutrients, salts and sediment.  The results of the 2007 water quality monitoring program are available here.  

Acknowledgements: 

We would like to thank Wendell Koning (AENV), Ray Walker (AENV), Tim Romanow (Cardston County), Roberta Lindeman (County of Warner), Bob Kaufman (County of Forty Mile and Cypress County), and Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park for their assistance.