Land Use
The Oldman River Basin Water Quality Initiative has developed comprehensive maps that represent land use assessment in the Oldman River Basin. Five maps were produced, each with a different focus: Point Source Inventory, Vegetation Cover, Digital Elevation Model, Groundwater Vulnerability, and Surface Water Vulnerability.
The Point Source map illustrates the distribution of data points representing point sources for water contamination. Source types include livestock feeding operations, oil and gas wells, recreation areas, waterfowl staging areas, effluent treatment facilities and water wells. Water quality sampling sites are also illustrated.
The Vegetation Cover map illustrates the distribution of agricultural, native prairie and forested vegetation cover (the latter is sub-classified into deciduous, coniferous mixed wood and shrub land).
The Digital Elevation Model represents the raw data used for deriving subbasin boundaries, but also illustrates the actual shape (or lay) of the land with respect to channelling and collection of water within the Oldman River Basin. The boundaries derived for these subbasins are illustrated on this map.
The Groundwater Vulnerability map provides an indication of relative groundwater vulnerability on a regional scale. Four levels of vulnerability are portrayed, with the highest vulnerability being in areas with shallow aquifers.
The Surface Water Vulnerability map represents the culmination of the land use assessment efforts of the Oldman River Basin Water Quality Initiative to date. The map integrates Agricultural Regions of Alberta Soil Inventory Database derived elements of the Hog Environmental Management Strategy process (including soil erodability, transport or mobility of materials over the surface, and leaching) with the physical characteristics of the Basin (such as slope and distance to water) as well as groundwater vulnerability data. The surface water classification was merged with the hill-shaded relief to further enhance comparative visualization of the Basin's landscape.
View example Map Sheets: 82G08 (3,312 KB PDF) 82H04 (3,252 KB PDF) 82H15 (2,956 KB PDF)
The complete series of detailed maps and more information can be found on our Oldman River Basin Water Quality and Land Use Interactive Map and Data CD.
The Point Source map illustrates the distribution of data points representing point sources for water contamination. Source types include livestock feeding operations, oil and gas wells, recreation areas, waterfowl staging areas, effluent treatment facilities and water wells. Water quality sampling sites are also illustrated.
The Vegetation Cover map illustrates the distribution of agricultural, native prairie and forested vegetation cover (the latter is sub-classified into deciduous, coniferous mixed wood and shrub land).
The Digital Elevation Model represents the raw data used for deriving subbasin boundaries, but also illustrates the actual shape (or lay) of the land with respect to channelling and collection of water within the Oldman River Basin. The boundaries derived for these subbasins are illustrated on this map.
The Groundwater Vulnerability map provides an indication of relative groundwater vulnerability on a regional scale. Four levels of vulnerability are portrayed, with the highest vulnerability being in areas with shallow aquifers.
The Surface Water Vulnerability map represents the culmination of the land use assessment efforts of the Oldman River Basin Water Quality Initiative to date. The map integrates Agricultural Regions of Alberta Soil Inventory Database derived elements of the Hog Environmental Management Strategy process (including soil erodability, transport or mobility of materials over the surface, and leaching) with the physical characteristics of the Basin (such as slope and distance to water) as well as groundwater vulnerability data. The surface water classification was merged with the hill-shaded relief to further enhance comparative visualization of the Basin's landscape.
View example Map Sheets: 82G08 (3,312 KB PDF) 82H04 (3,252 KB PDF) 82H15 (2,956 KB PDF)
The complete series of detailed maps and more information can be found on our Oldman River Basin Water Quality and Land Use Interactive Map and Data CD.
