For many years, questions have been percolating in regards to tailing ponds in Northern Alberta and their potential for interaction with groundwater and surface water. Last year, an official complaint was made to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (Canada, US, Mexico) regarding the potential for leaking tailings, and Environment and Climate Change Canada continues to investigate.
Keepers of the Athabasca is connecting a team of hydrogeologists, some working in the Fort McMurray area for over a decade, with Traditional Knowledge holders, First Nations technical experts, and those closest to the land in order to develop tools toward watershed literacy, citizen science, and water monitoring programs. We are now also inviting industry and government representatives, other environmental organizations and the interested public to provide input and help develop the 'data visualization tool'. Together we will develop a prioritized groundwater/surface water quality and interaction database and digital visualization tool to be freely and publicly shared with communities, industry groups, and others who may be interested.
Developing a new data visualization tool for water monitoring programs: - questions we hope to answer:
How does contaminated surface water get into groundwater and then into the Athabasca River?
Which areas are communities and industries most concerned about?
Who: Communities (Leadership, Water Monitoring staff, Elders and Youth groups), Government and Industry representatives, interested Public
(lunch is provided) bus tour to study area
After our first meeting collecting community input, Keepers invites the public, communities, ENGOs, and representatives from governments and industries to participate.
A final roll out meeting will be held in Spring 2020
