Monitoring Water Quality
As surrounding land use, water use and industrial activity evolve, maintaining a clear understanding of our water quality is essential. The Bird River Cottage Owners Association (BRCOA) supports transparent, science-based monitoring to help ensure the long-term health of the Bird River system.
Why This Matters
Water quality monitoring helps answer key questions about the health of the river over time, including whether conditions are changing upstream or downstream and how factors such as the upstream Tanco mining operation may have an impact. It also helps assess whether existing protections and controls are working as intended, while identifying trends that may emerge over multiple years.
Monitoring is most valuable when it is consistent, transparent and reviewed within the proper context over time. BROCA supports transparent, science-based monitoring to help ensure the long-term health of the Bird River system.
History of Water Testing
The Beginning
As part of the Tanco mining operation, environmental monitoring has taken place in the Bird River watershed for many years, including Tulabi Lake, Bernic Lake, Bernic Creek and Bird River stations.
Who Is Involved?
How Monitoring Works
01
Sampling at designated locations throughout the year
02
Laboratory testing of water samples
03
Analysis of pH, nutrients, metals, suspended solids and dissolved vs. total concentrations
04
Comparison to recognized environmental guidelines
05
Annual reporting and review
06
Follow-up where trends or unusual results are identified
Tanco has also recently developed a shared water-quality database prototype with BRCOA access, allowing more timely review of Bird River watershed results.
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