As part of a survey of residents of northern Alberta river basins, respondents were asked to choose the best and worst examples of various sets of threats to water quality/quantity in the basins as well as best and worst examples of possible management actions. This report analyses the responses to the two sets of best/worst questions, using logistic regression. The analysis produced the following estimates: the probability that each of 11 possible threats to water quantity/quality will be selected as the area of most concern; and the probability of each of 11 possible management actions will be selected as the most effective response to such concerns. The probabilities produced by this analysis are ranked to determine the preferences of northern households and various stakeholder groups within the basin.

Synthesises results from research and monitoring studies undertaken to characterise nutrient loading from all point and diffuse sources in northern Alberta river basins. Also evaluates the impacts of nutrient loading on river chemistry, assesses the response of riverine biota to nutrient loading from pulp mill and municipal effluents, quantifies nutrient responses of benthic biota, and investigates interactions between nutrients and contaminants in pulp mill effluents on food webs. The findings are used to assess the state of aquatic ecosystem health and to develop scientific and management recommendations for the northern river basins.

Assesses the utilization and quality of the different non- conventional sources of drinking water used by people in the Northern River Basins Study area. Such sources include rain water, melted snow or ice, untreated surface water, dugout water, groundwater, bottled water, and water treated by various point-of-use technologies. The assessment included a literature review on non-conventional drinking water sources, drinking water quality, and the correlation between drinking water and health; interviews with area residents on their non-conventional drinking water practices; collection of field samples of non-conventional drinking water and analysis of samples for various physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters; and research on the effectiveness of some of the portable point-of-use drinking water treatment filters on the market.

The purpose of this review was to identify incidence of, or the potential for off-flavour tainting of fish and water by components discharged into the Peace, Athabasca and Slave rivers.

The Northern River Basins Study Board will be formulating recommendations covering many areas likely of consequence or interest to basin residents. To assist the Board in this task, a series of projects was initiated to survey the residents on their use of northern river basins waters. Existing information was either not available or as extensive as required. This report details the background work undertaken to devise a survey instrument and strategy to capture for households a representative cross-section of information on water use and resident attitudes toward the water resource. The report also assesses the most effective means for approaching and obtaining information from stakeholder groups. The appendix includes the project terms of reference, a description of how the population stratification method could be applied for the survey, and a draft questionnaire.

The Northern River Basins Study was established to examine the relationship between industrial, municipal, agricultural and other developments and the Peace, Athabasca and Slave River basins. Over 4 1/2 years about 150 projects or 'mini studies' were contracted by the Study under eight component categories including contaminats, drinking water, nutrients, traditional knowledge, hydrology / hydraulics, synthesis and modelling, food chain and other river uses.