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Power Generation / Transmission
Hydrological, Chemical, and Biological Investigations of the Churchill River Estuary
Interdisciplinary studies were designed and conducted to collect baseline data regarding the biological communities of the Churchill River estuary. Studies were conducted in both summer and winter to provide an understanding of the aquatic biota of the estuary during open water and under ice conditions. Primary objectives of the summer study were to describe the physical and chemical oceanography of the estuary and to relate estuarine zones with associated phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, and fish communities. Two dimensional salinity profiles were determined at high and low tides and the extent of the freshwater plume from the Churchill River was mapped. The relative importance of inputs of organic and inorganic nutrients to the estuary from riverine and marine sources was determined. The winter survey concentrated on quantitatively collecting ice algae, identifying important ice algae areas within the estuary, and determining the physical and chemical parameters associated with ice algae abundance.
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