Community Water Quality Monitoring Program
ELSI has established a long-term community contaminants monitoring program in Esquimalt Lagoon. The aim of this program is to monitor the long-term health of Esquimalt Lagoon and its associated wildlife habitat by observing water quality parameters and events leading up to and following turnover events (periods of water column inversion where the water becomes anoxic, or very low in oxygen). In 2007, the fifth year of water quality monitoring, ELSI partnered with Camosun College’s Environmental Technology Department. Students in that program now collect and analyze the data and propose recommendations to the monitoring program.
A decline in fecal coliform bacteria levels at many sampling locations was noted in 2006, shortly after sewers were brought to the area. In the summer and autumn of 2007, however, an dense algal bloom developed in the lagoon, causing a strong discolouration of the water that persisted over a long period of time.
As a response to this concern, ELSI has increased the stormwater outfall testing in the area to try and pinpoint the source of the high nutrients causing the algal blooms. Read the 2008 report below.
2008 Water Quality Investigations
ELSI is continuing this investigation and works with Camosun College staff and students to monitor water quality in and around the lagoon and its tributaries.