Development of an aquatic biomonitoring model for the northern Great Plains region of Saskatchewan

As in many other jurisdictions of the Northern Great Plains, a robust aquatic biomonitoring program has not previously been developed for Saskatchewan’s prairie agricultural zone.  Streams in this zone are often soft-bottomed with high sediment loads, and the majority of annual flow volume results from snow melt, with very low flow conditions frequently occurring by late-summer.  Using the reference condition approach and test site analysis, we developed a first-generation aquatic biomonitoring model that focuses on impacts of agricultural and urban development in Saskatchewan.  The model incorporated benthic macroinvertebrate samples from over 200 sites collected in 2006 and 2007, with reach and watershed characteristics, to assess aquatic health.  Preliminary health criteria found statistically significant biotic differences among sites that likely reflect impacts of human activity on the aquatic environment of this highly developed landscape.  Collection of additional data is required to refine the preliminary health criteria, increase the ability of the model to detect impairment, and determine the magnitude of temporal variation.  This model contributes to the development of an aquatic biomonitoring program in Saskatchewan and other agriculturally developed jurisdictions elsewhere in the Northern Great Plains.