Water quality monitoring of Henderson Lake by Lethbridge Polytechnic not only assists the City of Lethbridge make informed decisions about its long-term management, it also provides students with valuable hands-on experience.
The polytechnic collects samples from the lake every two weeks from April through September, analyzes them and provides the City with an in-depth report of its findings, as part of a fee-for-service arrangement in place since 2009.
The institution’s assistance was noted in a recent City of Lethbridge advisory warning of the presence of cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, on the lake. The expertise provided through the Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (ACE) does allow for emergent matters to be brought to the City’s attention, such as dangerously low oxygen levels in the lake which might lead to a significant fish kill. The intent of the monitoring, however, is to paint a larger picture of the overall health of the lake and the effectiveness of preventive measures taken by the City, so decisions aren’t made in isolation.
“Our part is providing a complete picture of how the lake is doing, to help the City of Lethbridge make better informed decisions,” says Daria Ladighina, a research assistant with ACE and field leader in the monitoring work. Each action taken has an impact on the natural ecosystem of the lake, so a long-term strategy for its management is crucial. Certain treatments intended to reduce the presence of algae, for example, may have a negative effect on mollusk and fish populations in the lake. “You may kill more things than you intended. It’s like (the now-banned insecticide) DDT. It not only killed your pests, but it could also kill your birds and affect the ecosystem long-term,” she says.
Algae blooms are a natural occurrence, but become problematic when the location is so visible to the public and attracts so many visitors. In the case of blue-green algae, not only can the blooms be unsightly and smelly, they can also release potentially dangerous toxins.
Monitoring of the lake is done by not only ACE staff, but also students from programs like Environmental Science and Agriculture, who are hired for the summer. The field work provides them with practical experience collecting samples, preserving their integrity, and analyzing them, as well as navigating the lake, and honing observation skills. Ladighina says it can bring to life material introduced in the classroom, and recalls having a ‘light bulb moment’ of her own back when she was a student monitoring Henderson Lake. The experience can help students decide whether such work interests them career-wise, and can provide them with an advantage when looking to enter the workplace, she adds.
“We have a student who hasn’t graduated yet, but already has a lot of experience with boats through our work and was able to get a position this past summer with the government monitoring for invasive mussels,” says Ladighina.
Lethbridge Polytechnic’s water quality monitoring involves recording parameters such as oxygen levels, water temperature and clarity, as well as analyzing nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous, which can impact vegetation. Those sampling sessions, which include profiling the types and abundance of microscopic plant-related organisms called phytoplankton, are also an opportunity for the team to engage with the public and help educate them about the lake’s ecosystem, she adds.
The polytechnic was hired by the City of Lethbridge to monitor and report activity on the lake to allow for an “objective assessment from a qualified and reliable source” within the city, says Jackie Cardinal, natural resources coordinator, Parks and Cemeteries. “We also do not have the staff or equipment to complete the sampling activity at the frequency we require as well as the expertise to gather and discern what is happening in the lake. We rely on the expert knowledge from the team at ACE to provide this for us.” The information gathered also fulfils requirements of Alberta Environment and Protected Areas treatment permits the City holds for Henderson Lake, and Cardinal says it’s an added bonus the work provides students with real-world experience while attending a local post-secondary institute.
Do you have a business or innovation challenge you're eager to solve? By submitting a client intake form, you'll allow Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CARIE) teams and technical experts to recommend a tailored approach through a fee-for-service or grant funded project arrangement. They’ll collaborate with you to define your project and devise a customized strategy that could involve in-house research or technical services such as feasibility studies, training, and on-demand consultation to boost your productivity, competitiveness, and innovation.