Applied Geochemistry Group August 6-9

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August 6: After arriving at Celia’s house in Cochrane in the ridiculously early hour of 5am. We left for Sucker Creek Nation located SW of Slave Lake. Took us about 5-6 hours in total with bathroom breaks included. Trip up there was more or less uneventful except for a bit of heavy rain shortly before Rocky Mountain House. Shortly after arriving there we were greeted by Chief Badger and some area counsel members, and went over a brief plan for both water testing and our meet and greet with local high school students the next day.

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After our meet and greet with counsel members we had a brief tour of Sucker Creek’s water treatment plant, and had a brief discussion with operator Ryan Badger on treating techniques. We then went on a bit of a tour of the area with Paulette Campiou, and obtained samples from the treatment lagoon and from Grouard bridge a little NE of Sucker creek. After a long day we then retired for the night at the Peavine Inn in High Prairie.

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August 7: We started the day with a meet and greet breakfast with Sucker Creek high school students. We introduced ourselves and gave brief background stories on our lives and education. They in return shared a bit about there future educational plans and interest in what we were doing there.

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After our meet and greet we then took a group of students to various sample sites, and gave them a crash course on field sample taking. We then let them do most of the sample taking, hopefully this was engaging for them as well as giving them some insight to what a education in science maybe like.

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After spending most of the afternoon taking samples with the help of our little group of students we then headed back to Calgary. Trip home was mostly uneventful, got home around 11pm.

August 8: Began the day by filtering out solids out of gathered water samples taken from Slave Lake. If the samples are not filtered could give false readings and damage lab equipment. Then took both pH and EC readings of samples. We then prepared samples for inorganic and organic analysis in the Total Organic Carbon analyzer or TIC TOC which is what i was told it was referred to. This type of analyzing takes some time to do and wouldn’t have results till the following day.

August 9: Began a spread sheet for my water sample results, with TIC TOC, pH, and temperature readings. Began researching through Canadian standards for drinking water, so that I would have a slight reference for what sample results may or not be showing as far as if the results show any possible signs of contamination.