Exploratory study of suspended sediment concentrations downstream of harvested peat bogs |
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Authors: | Bronwyn Pavey André Saint-Hilaire Simon Courtenay Taha Ouarda Bernard Bobée |
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Institution: | (1) Chair in Statistical Hydrology, INRS-ETE, 490 rue de la Couronne, Quebec City, QC, Canada, G1K 9A9;(2) Present address: Jacques Whitford Ltd., 115 Harrisville Boulevard, Moncton, NB, Canada, E1H 3T3;(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Bag Service #45111, 10 Bailey Drive, Fredericton, NB, Canada, E3B 6E1 |
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Abstract: | Peat bog harvesting is an important industry in many countries, including Canada. To harvest peat, bogs are drained and drainage
water is evacuated towards neighboring rivers, estuaries or coastal waters. High suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) were
found in the drainage water at one particular site during the 2001–2002 spring seasons in New Brunswick (Canada). The main
objective of this study was to verify this observation at other sites, compare SSC levels leaving harvested peat bogs with
those leaving an unharvested bog, and to determine if high SSC events happen only in Spring or all year round. Suspended sediment
concentrations were monitored downstream of three harvested peat bogs and an unharvested reference bog located in New Brunswick
during the ice free seasons of 2003–2004. On average, SSC at the harvested sites exceeded 25 mg/l, which is the recommended
daily maximum concentration, 72% of the time, while the same concentration was exceeded 30% of the time at the unharvested
sites. SSC were found to be significantly higher at harvested sites than at the reference sites for all seasons. The highest
SSC medians were recorded in the Fall but SSC was elevated in all seasons. High SSC levels in receiving waters may be caused
by field ditching activities and insufficient sediment controls. Findings suggest the NB Peat Harvesting 25 mg/l SSC guideline
should be reviewed. |
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Keywords: | Drainage Harvesting Peat bogs Sedimentation ponds Suspended sediment |
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