Clean Water Lakers

Kenzky · #1 08-09-2007, 09:54 AM

Living in the Rockies,23 yrs, this is the first year a report revealed mecury in Lake Minnewanka, Bow ,and Hector Lakes,with warnings on cosumption...better just fish Spray Lakes,they taste very fine.....

#2 08-09-2007, 10:07 AM

LOL...I don't think taste has much to do with it but it really is amazing what lakes are being affected by mercury. There are lakes in the high arctic that have very high mercury levels as well, even though they are thousands of miles from civilization. That's the trouble with airbourne polutants...they know no boundaries.

Chet · #3 08-09-2007, 10:22 AM

Is mercury contamination in lakes primarily due to airbourne pollutants? I always thought that higher mecury levels in lakes were a result of a high level of naturally ocurring mercury in the surrounding soil.

#4 08-09-2007, 11:06 AM

I could be mistaken but I thought there was a pretty good case for acid rain and mercury levels in some areas.

Chet · #5 08-09-2007, 11:24 AM

That could be. I've never actually looked in to it much. Sounds like a good science project.... thank goodness I don't have to do them anymore!

Penner · #6 08-09-2007, 12:36 PM

I'm pretty certain that mercury contamination in Alberta lakes is mainly due to natural occuring mercury in the soils not from pollutants/air. I'm also certain that all lakes in Alberta have some trace of mercury contamination in them. Some have higher levels than others. When those levels exceed government regulation standards warnings are issued.

Eating the fish from lakes with higher than normall mercury level's is still relatively safe as long as you limit the amount you eat over a period of time.

#7 08-09-2007, 12:56 PM

Quote:

That could be. I've never actually looked in to it much. Sounds like a good science project.... thank goodness I don't have to do them anymore!

How about studying the effect of mercury on bighorn sheep during September and October in the Alberta Rockies. That's a science project I could get involved in!

Chet · #8 08-09-2007, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheephunter

How about studying the effect of mercury on bighorn sheep during September and October in the Alberta Rockies. That's a science project I could get involved in!

Sign me up... I have done some experimenting with lead and copper on Bighorns and the results appear to be devastating. Rumour has it than sharpened stainless steel will have a similar effect but I haven't proven it myself.

Chet · #9 08-09-2007, 01:45 PM

I know its another hijack and I should probably stay on topic but this thread reminds me of my grade 8 science fair project which was on 22 LR ballistics / trajectory. I look back on it now and realize all the errors I made but it didn't matter too much because the teachers knew less than I did about the topic. You gotta love Rural schools though. I even brought my BRNO 22 in for part of my display in the gynmasium and no one batted an eye (of course I didn't shoot it in there - I left the bolt at home). I'm pretty sure that wouldn't happen now.

7 REM MAG · #10 08-09-2007, 09:47 PM

wow that sounds like a great science project, if you brought a gun into a school they would have SWAT there in a matter of minutes

Pikebreath · #11 08-11-2007, 08:49 AM

Speaking of school science projects, while in high school, I collected (with my trusty single shot coey) 10 snowshoe hares (we called 'em bush rabbits!), sexed them (can't remember how you would do that anymore!!), weighed them and then measured their foot pads to determine a weight to foot size ratio. I got an "A" for the project,,,, the year was 1971. Can't imagine any teacher approving that kind of project now!!!

Regarding mercury contamination, my understanding is that mercury is naturally present in many soil profiles and that can be the source of much of the contamination found in many different lakes.