Rainfall runoff and water quality notes, 2005, Alberta. dan.johnson@uleth.ca

Heavy rainfall can create unexpected problems for water quality.

Example 1: photos of runoff from feedlots, near Nanton, AB, June 28, 2005.

Example 2: runoff fromlandfill, Lethbridge, AB

All photos by Dan L. Johnson

Rainfall runoff ponded along roads in southern Alberta in June, 2005.
(Highway 3 between Fort Macleod and Lethbridge)

Near Claresholm and Nanton, AB

Near Nanton, AB, June 28, 05

Water ponds in feedlots

Culverts transmit runoff to roadsides, which passes water to creeks

Feedlot runoff enters Mosquito Creek (near Willow Creek), AB, June 28, 05

Water sample from Mosquito Creek (normally clearer but with some suspended sediment), AB, June 28, 05
The dark colour comes from the direct feedlot runoff.

Manure also occurs right up to the creeks, and runoff can carry this into the streams in a pulse (photo May, 2004)

Land along the Oldman River floods, June, 2005

Article on predicting runoff and ponding along roadsides:

Duke, G.D., Kienzle, S.W., Johnson, D.L., and Byrne, J.M. 2003. Improving overland flow routing by incorporating ancillary road data into Digital Elevation Models. Journal of Spatial Hydrology 3: 23-49

Duke, G.D., Kienzle, S.W., Johnson, D.L., Byrne, J.M. (in press) Incorporating ancillary data to refine anthropogenically modified overland flow paths. Hydrological Processes

Gannon V.P.J., Duke, G.D., Thomas, J.E., VanLeeuwen, J., Byrne, J., Johnson, D., Kienzle, S.W., Little, J., Graham, T. and Selinger, B. 2005, Identifying bacterial loading irrigation and river segments in an agricultural watershed. Science of the Total Environment 348: 19-31

Canadian Water Network Proposal, Dec, 2004 (rejected)

More photographs from the Oldman River (not during flooding) near Lethbridge, AB

Heavy rainfall can create unexpected problems for water quality. Example 1: photos of runoff from feedlots, near Nanton, AB, June 28, 2005. Example 2: runoff fromlandfill, Lethbridge, AB All photos by Dan L. Johnson

Rainfall runoff ponded along roads in southern Alberta in June, 2005. (Highway 3 between Fort Macleod and Lethbridge)


Near Claresholm and Nanton, AB


Near Nanton, AB, June 28, 05


Water ponds in feedlots


Culverts transmit runoff to roadsides, which passes water to creeks


Feedlot runoff enters Mosquito Creek (near Willow Creek), AB, June 28, 05


Water sample from Mosquito Creek (normally clearer but with some suspended sediment), AB, June 28, 05 The dark colour comes from the direct feedlot runoff.


Manure also occurs right up to the creeks, and runoff can carry this into the streams in a pulse (photo May, 2004)


Land along the Oldman River floods, June, 2005


Article on predicting runoff and ponding along roadsides: Duke, G.D., Kienzle, S.W., Johnson, D.L., and Byrne, J.M. 2003. Improving overland flow routing by incorporating ancillary road data into Digital Elevation Models. Journal of Spatial Hydrology 3: 23-49 Duke, G.D., Kienzle, S.W., Johnson, D.L., Byrne, J.M. (in press) Incorporating ancillary data to refine anthropogenically modified overland flow paths. Hydrological Processes Gannon V.P.J., Duke, G.D., Thomas, J.E., VanLeeuwen, J., Byrne, J., Johnson, D., Kienzle, S.W., Little, J., Graham, T. and Selinger, B. 2005, Identifying bacterial loading irrigation and river segments in an agricultural watershed. Science of the Total Environment 348: 19-31 Canadian Water Network Proposal, Dec, 2004 (rejected)
More photographs from the Oldman River (not during flooding) near Lethbridge, AB