1.
Does Edmonton Need a
River Monitoring Program?
(Yes, yes we do)
North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper, a Swim Drink Fish Initiative

2.
In 2017, the North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper ran a community-based
water quality monitoring program in Edmonton at four different sites
along the river. The locations tested were Fort Edmonton Footbridge
Beach, Sir Wilfred Laurier Park Boat Launch, Cloverdale Beach
(Accidental Beach), and Gold Bar Park Boat Launch. The data obtained
from the water quality monitoring program demonstrated differences
in water quality in these locations along the North Saskatchewan River.
Riverkeeper tested for E. coli as a bacterial indicator for fecal
contamination since the discharge of untreated sewage and
stormwater into the river and its tributaries poses a major threat to
Edmonton’s water quality.

3.
The river was not actively tested in 2018, so the data available for this
year’s water quality are much more limited. The sites selected for
testing in 2017 are all popular locations for recreational water use,
including activities such as canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and swimming.
Statistics from the Swim Guide, a comprehensive beach information
website and mobile application, demonstrate that there is an increase
in online interest of these beach locations. There is a greater
population seeking information about places across Edmonton to
access the North Saskatchewan River.

4.
The North Saskatchewan River is a popular location for recreational
water users. The city of Edmonton offers year-round activities on the
river, including canoeing, kayaking, jet skiing, jet boating, fishing, gold
panning, and more. Many clubs and organizations encourage
recreational water use on the river, such as dragon boat racing, stand
up paddleboarding, and rowing. Additionally, there are hundreds of
people visiting Edmonton’s beaches every year for swimming. With this
great interest in the river comes interest in water quality. People
recreating on the water are seeking information regarding the
cleanliness and swimmability of the North Saskatchewan River. While
we were able to deliver this information in 2017, there was still great
demand in 2018. We recommend further testing in 2019 to deliver
water quality information to the public.

5.
The construction of the Tawatinâ LRT bridge over the North Saskatchewan River in
2017 caused a sandy beach to appear in the Cloverdale community, which is locally
known as Accidental Beach. Hundreds of people visited the beach during the
summer of 2017. The following year, the sandy beach returned, but with different
conditions. The river level fluctuated significantly in 2018, causing the sand to be
submerged for much of the summer. When the beach resurfaced in late August, the
city had been affected by very poor air quality from forest fires, followed by a
period of low temperatures and high precipitation. Due to the weather and beach
conditions, Accidental Beach had fewer visitors in 2018. The attendance of
Accidental Beach did not surpass 50 people in a day in 2018. Because of this poor
attendance, the city of Edmonton decided not to pursue constructing permanent
beaches, as they had been previously debating. The city of Edmonton has
proceeded with improving amenities at the site. In 2018 there were more garbage
cans, bike racks, and portable toilets, more patrolling by peace officers, and set
beach hours of 5AM-11PM. As the North Saskatchewan River continues to change,
so will Accidental Beach. Once the construction of the LRT bridge finishes, it is likely
that the beach will disappear.

6.
Accidental Beach is not the only beach in Edmonton, there are other
locations to access the river across the city. While exploring different
potential locations for a permanent beach in Edmonton, the municipal
government considered 6 different sites along the North Saskatchewan
River. These sites included Rundle Park Beach, Wayne Gretzky Bridge
Beach, Accidental Beach, Fort Edmonton Footbridge Beach, Terwillegar
Park Beach, and Big Island Archipelago. Ultimately, there will not be any
permanent beaches constructed; however, these beaches are still open
to the public as they develop along the river.

7.
Photo Credit: Kurt Bauschardt - Flickr

8.
North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper’s water quality monitoring data
provided a good overview of water quality for the summer of 2017. The
Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality advise caution
when E. coli levels exceed 200 colony forming units per 100 millilitres
of water (CFU/100mL). The tests exceeding 200 CFU/100mL failed, and
tests lower than 200 CFU/100mL passed. Using these metrics, the Fort
Edmonton Footbridge beach passed 100% of the time, Sir Wilfred
Laurier Park Boat Launch passed 57% of the time, Accidental Beach
passed 50% of the time, and Gold Bar Park passed 43% of the time.

9.
As the water flows through Edmonton, the E. coli levels increase,
posing a risk to the health of recreational water users. As the North
Saskatchewan River flows towards Edmonton, it is relatively clean, but
as it travels through the city the water quality diminishes. People
recreating on the river could be exposed to urban and sewage
pollution, but without testing we are unable to quantify water quality
data and share it with the public.

10.
To understand the public interest in urban beaches and water quality,
we can look to online search statistics. Statistics from the Swim Guide
show the amount of clicks per beach on the website and mobile
application. In 2017, Accidental Beach had the most clicks of any beach
in Edmonton at 3042. In 2018, the Fort Edmonton Footbridge Beach
had the most clicks at 3473, over double the 1538 from the previous
year. Overall, the clicks for beaches across Edmonton increased by
2660. This demonstrates that people are seeking out information
regarding the beaches in Edmonton.

11.
Due to the high silt and sediment deposits that accumulate along the North
Saskatchewan River, sand bars and sandy beaches form. While Accidental
Beach may be a temporary accident that disappears following the
construction of the bridge, other beaches along the North Saskatchewan
River, like the Fort Edmonton Footbridge Beach, provide other locations for
beachgoers to visit. Further water quality monitoring programs will provide
information on impacts of water runoff and combined sewer overflows on
the North Saskatchewan River. This data would be available to inform the
public of the quality of their waters, providing them with options of where
and when to access the river. We recommend further testing of the North
Saskatchewan River at the six sites that the city of Edmonton considered for
permanent beaches. These sites are popular beach locations in the summer
and require adequate water quality monitoring information for the many
recreational water users that currently utilize the river, and the future water
users who have yet to discover the opportunities on the river.