Lacombe Stormwater Pond Contaminant Measurements

Contaminant measurements from water, sediment, and fish samples collected from two municipal stormwater ponds in Lacombe, Alberta. The dataset includes 40 water samples, 12 sediment samples, and 18 fish samples analyzed for PAHs, trace metals, pesticides, VOCs, and mercury. Data was collected by Alberta Health during the fall 2010 and spring 2011 seasons.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial and temporal trends in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations across water, sediment, and fish tissue samples.
• Assess correlations between contaminant levels in water (e.g., trace metals, pesticides) and corresponding sediment samples from three sites per pond.
• Model total mercury bioaccumulation in rainbow trout muscle tissue relative to pond location and season.
• Compare contaminant profiles (e.g., volatile organic compounds, routine chemicals) between the East Pond and Len Thompson Pond.

Strengths

• Multi-media sampling includes 40 water, 12 sediment, and 18 fish samples.
• Contaminant analysis covers PAHs, trace metals, pesticides, VOCs, and mercury.
• Samples collected over two distinct seasons (fall 2010 and spring 2011).

Limitations

• Limited sample size for fish tissue (n=18) from a single season.
• Geographic scope is restricted to two ponds in one Alberta municipality.
• Data is over a decade old, potentially limiting relevance to current conditions.

Provenance

Source

Government of Alberta | Gouvernement de l'Alberta

Collection Method

Field collection of water, sediment, and fish samples followed by laboratory contaminant analysis.

Time Range

Fall 2010 and spring 2011

Freshness

Data collection concluded in spring 2011; metadata was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

City of Lacombe, Alberta, Canada (specifically East Pond and Len Thompson Pond)