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Water Quality Modeling of Phytoplankton and Nutrient Cycles of a Complex Cold-Region River-Lake System

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Abstract

Linking elemental processes in integrated modeling provides a means of handling emerging issues related to aquatic system management. In this study, an integral modeling strategy was used to develop a water quality model of the Qu’Appelle River, particularly for under-ice conditions, which is a topic that has not received much attention in the literature. Phytoplankton and nutrient cycles of the river and lake were coupled using the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP) 7.52. Model calibration and validation were based on samples taken from six water quality stations during the period 2013 to 2016. The calibration and validation results show good agreement between model predictions and observed data for oxygen, organic nitrogen, and ammonium. This study demonstrates the development and use of a model connecting riverine and lake sections to study under-ice conditions and can be applied to similar systems in cold regions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank those that shared data with us including Saskatchewan Environment, Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, Environment Canada and Meteoblue, Switzerland.

Funding

This study received funding by the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan and through Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund under the project “A water quality modeling system of the Qu’Appelle River catchment for long-term water management policy development”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 3H5, Canada

    Eric Akomeah & Karl-Erich Lindenschmidt

  2. Water Security Agency, 101-108 Research Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 3R3, Canada

    John-Mark Davies

Authors
  1. Eric Akomeah
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  3. Karl-Erich Lindenschmidt
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Contributions

K.E.L designed the research; E.A performed the research, analyzed the data and wrote the paper; J.M.D. contributed to the writing and in-house review of the paper.

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Correspondence to Eric Akomeah.

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Akomeah, E., Davies, JM. & Lindenschmidt, KE. Water Quality Modeling of Phytoplankton and Nutrient Cycles of a Complex Cold-Region River-Lake System. Environ Model Assess 25, 293–306 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-019-09681-x

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