08/19/2026
⚠️ New analysis shows 1/3 of fish in the exceeded Alberta’s selenium threshold for the protection of aquatic life ⚠️
This summer, 38 fish from five species representative of the fish assemblage of the Oldman River downstream of the Oldman Dam — rainbow trout, brown trout, mountain whitefish, white sucker, and longnose sucker — were analyzed for selenium concentrations in muscle tissue by our Board Chair Jon Mee, a Mount Royal Professor, and biologist Lorne Fitch.
Alarmingly, of the sportfish species — rainbow trout, brown trout, and mountain whitefish — 33% exceeded the Government of Alberta's threshold for the protection of aquatic species 🐟🧪🔬
Of course, this finding also has implications for those individuals, families, and communities who consume fish found in the Oldman River.
While the sample size was small — this was a 'reconnaisance-level' study, providing preliminary evidence to justify further evidence-gathering — the results provide warning signals of selenium impacts extending further down in the watershed from legacy coal mines 🪨
Beyond a moratorium on coal — how many times do we have to ask?! — what's urgently needed is a comprehensive examination of selenium to connect the dots between legacy coal mines and contamination of fish and aquatic invertebrates for the larger watershed.
Full study can be found on our websitehttps://cpaws-southernalberta.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/UpdatedFormatting_SeleniumAnalysis_OldmanRiver.pdf 🎣
Thank you to Crowsnest Headwaters, who supported this important study!
