| Research was undertaken on the Bow River in Calgary, Canada to improve and assess the understanding of river processes, current approaches to river water quality, and loading management. This contributes to the scientific understanding of river processes, demonstrating that methods and techniques employed can be instrumental in determining suggestions for total maximum daily loading (TMDL), providing a framework for policy making, management, and regulations for major rivers. It aids understanding of principles that are currently poorly understood, overlooked, or unknown.;Continuous, real-time monitoring was conducted upgradient and downgradient of Calgary. Significant changes in temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO), with pronounced diurnal cycling due to biogeochemical processes and physical loading, were evident.;A mass balance approach was used to separate changes in river water quality caused by biogeochemical processes and physical loading. Conservative and non-conservative parameter comparisons were made by comparing estimated and measured loadings. River processing of nutrients was not consistent throughout the year, as importance of nitrogen and phosphorus in river productivity was apparently variable.;Empirical relationships between EC, total dissolved solids (TDS), and ion composition were identified and used with an on-line auto-analyzer to predict major ion and nutrient concentrations. Estimating concentrations with low predicted error allows for a cost-effective method of concentration and loading estimation.;Controls on diurnal cycling in fecal coliform were investigated in the field and laboratory. Diurnal pH cycling resulted in values above 8.0 to 8.5, being detrimental to the survivability of fecal coliform, suggesting time-of-day sampling could be important for water quality and pathogen indicators. A monitoring program for pathogen and pathogen indicators showed no significant concentration differences between river sampling points up- and downstream from wastewater inputs, suggesting significant non-point sources of pathogens. Relationships between fecal coliform and E. coli were observed, but not between pathogens and pathogen indicators.;Recommendations are made with respect to TMDLs to the Bow River from Calgary. Lower nutrient loadings for all time periods are suggested. Increased investigation into non-point sources of pathogen indicators, continued monitoring with additional stations, storm monitoring, additional gauging stations, and investigation into groundwater contributions are also recommended. |
