Presents a study that collected and prepared fish from 23 sites along the Peace, Athabasca, and Slave river drainages in order to conduct physical, physiological, contaminant, and biophysical analyses. The primary fish species targeted for collection and analysis was burbot, used as a sentinel species for monitoring contaminants in northern waters because of its wide distribution, ease of catching, place at the top of the aquatic food chain, and large liver which can bioaccumulate organic compounds. Other species collected were northern pike, longnose sucker, and flathead chub. Specific analyses included gross pathology, metals, liver mixed function oxygenase induction, sex steroids and gonad morphology, retinols, metallothioneins, and basic life history information. Fish were also examined externally and internally for gross pathological abnormalities and deformities. Appendices contain descriptions of fish collection and handling protocols, as well as detailed data.

Metallothioneins are a family of proteins whose synthesis in animal organs and tissues can be induced by exposure to heavy metals. This report describes metallothionein concentrations in fish collected from northern Alberta rivers and tributaries. The analyses incorporate results from examination of kidney, liver, intestine, and gill tissues of burbot, longnose sucker, northern pike, and flathead chub. Results are organised into reference (upstream locations and tributaries receiving no inputs from pulp mills), near-field (within 100 kilometres downstream from a pulp mill), and far-field (over 100 kilometres downstream).

Report to the federal ministers of Environment and Indian & Northern Affairs, Alberta's Minister of Environmental Protection, and NWT's Minister of Renewable Resources. Summarises the main scientific findings of the Northern River Basins Study, which was established to examine the relationship between industrial, municipal, agricultural, and other development and the Peace, Athabasca, and Slave River basins. Reviews the characteristics of the northern river basins and their peoples, the organisation of the Study, and major findings in the areas of environmental overview, use of aquatic resources, traditional knowledge, flow regulation, fish distribution and habitat, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, contaminants, drinking water, ecosystem health, modelling, human health, and cumulative effects. Recommendations by the Study Board, First Nations, and scientific advisors regarding such issues as basin management, monitoring, research, public participation, and a successor organisation are then presented. Also includes a summary of opinions, suggestions, and recommendations expressed at 17 community workshops held throughout the northern river basins area.

An important component of the Northern River Basins Study was the original data resulting from the collection and analysis of environmental samples. Samples were collected, stored, and analysed by a number of different agencies, and an inventory of samples obtained by the Study and results data were compiled into a single electronic database to ensure future ease of access to the original data. This report describes the data contained in the database, the methods used to compile the database, the media and the nature of the samples, the collection site, and the data collected. Information is provided on which analyses were conducted on samples as well as the values of various parameters measured for the samples. All the files and the data fields that comprise the database are described in the users' guide in the report appendix.

Lists Northern River Basins Study technical reports by issue number, subject, and geographic area studied. Subject areas used to classify the reports are: hydrology/hydraulics, nutrients/dissolved oxygen, contaminants, food chain, drinking water, other uses, traditional knowledge, and synthesis and modelling. Ten geographic divisions are used: three each for the Athabasca and Peace Rivers, and one each of the Wapiti/Smoky rivers, Peace-Athabasca Delta, Lake Athabasca, and Rivière des Rochers/Slave River.

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.