CASTLE - The REAL science

whoDEANie

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OK, so a member of Snow and Mud stated that water quality has actually been improving along the Oldman river since 1984 and even posted a link to the Alberta Parks And Rec water quality data - sorry dude, I can't find the post, nor can I remember who you are, but thank you. A greenie called me out when I suggested that water quality was actually improving in the Oldman despite soaring levels of OHV use in the area, forcing me to actually analyze the data a little.

What I found was that the data actually shows an upward trend in Oldman water quality in terms of temperature, oxygenation, and turbidity. They are the three key indicators that are being used to suggest that OHV use here is unacceptable. However, the numbers don't lie and suggest that OHV use actually has a negligible effect on the Oldman River.

O2.jpg temp.jpg Turbidity.jpg

I will warn you that I did remove one data point off the turbidity chart. That data point was ridiculously high due to a basin overflow and made the chart scale so poorly that you couldn't tell the direction of the trend line.
 
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morerpmfred

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Have been accessing the upper oldman watershed since the mid 80,s. First time I was at ceasers flats on dutch creek, there was about 200 jeeps all camped out there. This was before there was quads. There was no room to camp there, as full up.
Now go there on a long weekend. Lucky if there is 20 quaders camped out there. Lots of trails in there lost forever cause they are overgrown from lack of use. Out on the trails back then you would always see multiple groups everyday. Now you see no one on the trails in there.
Trying to explain this to aep at the pluz meetings with aep. They are %100 convinced that am wrong.
Had a meeting with staff from owc a month ago. They did mot want to hear what I was saying and that i was wrong. They believe atv use in the area is rising substantially.
 

morerpmfred

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OK, so a member of Snow and Mud stated that water quality has actually been improving along the Oldman river since 1984 and even posted a link to the Alberta Parks And Rec water quality data - sorry dude, I can't find the post, nor can I remember who you are, but thank you. A greenie called me out when I suggested that water quality was actually improving in the Oldman despite soaring levels of OHV use in the area, forcing me to actually analyze the data a little.

What I found was that the data actually shows an upward trend in Oldman water quality in terms of temperature, oxygenation, and turbidity. They are the three key indicators that are being used to suggest that OHV use here is unacceptable. However, the numbers don't lie and suggest that OHV use actually has a negligible effect on the Oldman River.

View attachment 204159View attachment 204160View attachment 204161

I will warn you that I did remove one data point off the turbidity chart. That data point was ridiculously high due to a basin overflow and made the chart scale so poorly that you couldn't tell the direction of the trend line.

Let me guess. That data over load was from 1995 when during a flood, water flows where roughly 4 times larger in volume compared to 2013 flood on the oldman river.
 

whoDEANie

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Let me guess. That data over load was from 1995 when during a flood, water flows where roughly 4 times larger in volume compared to 2013 flood on the oldman river.

Nope it was within the last couple years. There was some sort of basin overflow.
 

Sledderglen

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Have been accessing the upper oldman watershed since the mid 80,s. First time I was at ceasers flats on dutch creek, there was about 200 jeeps all camped out there. This was before there was quads. There was no room to camp there, as full up.
Now go there on a long weekend. Lucky if there is 20 quaders camped out there. Lots of trails in there lost forever cause they are overgrown from lack of use. Out on the trails back then you would always see multiple groups everyday. Now you see no one on the trails in there.
Trying to explain this to aep at the pluz meetings with aep. They are %100 convinced that am wrong.
Had a meeting with staff from owc a month ago. They did mot want to hear what I was saying and that i was wrong. They believe atv use in the area is rising substantially.

I agree. We went there last fall to check things out. Was looking for all the damage. I was impressed. Like you said only a couple of trails out there being used. Some Side by Sides were ahead of us and when it got to wet they turned around. I was looking for abuse of trails and I didn't see anything. OWC doesn't want to believe anything we say. They are all brainwashed to believe in what has been told to them by their people. I have seen much worse. I did see 5 fisherman cross the river a few times and raise up some amount of silt. Guess that doesn't matter
 

retiredpop

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OK, so a member of Snow and Mud stated that water quality has actually been improving along the Oldman river since 1984 and even posted a link to the Alberta Parks And Rec water quality data - sorry dude, I can't find the post, nor can I remember who you are, but thank you. A greenie called me out when I suggested that water quality was actually improving in the Oldman despite soaring levels of OHV use in the area, forcing me to actually analyze the data a little.

What I found was that the data actually shows an upward trend in Oldman water quality in terms of temperature, oxygenation, and turbidity. They are the three key indicators that are being used to suggest that OHV use here is unacceptable. However, the numbers don't lie and suggest that OHV use actually has a negligible effect on the Oldman River.
The government and wilderness associations have no interest in the real truth. They would sooner make up their own to push their agenda.
Thank you for the post. Have you sent your findings to the media just in case they want to report it?
 

whoDEANie

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The government and wilderness associations have no interest in the real truth. They would sooner make up their own to push their agenda.
Thank you for the post. Have you sent your findings to the media just in case they want to report it?

I have not. I will first have to find a way of including the missing data point while somehow keeping the turbidity chart legible. I was also told that the AOHVA has a science team that is working on presenting the facts as well.
 
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