Cumulative Effects Modelling in the South Athabasca Oil Sands Area
Authors: Sarah Depoe and Judy May-McDonald
The Government of Alberta is currently conducting a Regional Strategic Assessment (RSA) in the South Athabasca Oil Sands (SAOS) Area. In situ oil sands development is expected to account for a significant amount of development in the SAOS area in the Lower Athabasca region over the next several decades. The RSA project aims to develop an understanding of the cumulative effects of a growing energy sector and use this knowledge to inform the development of high-level management strategies, including a sub-regional plan under the Land Use Framework. To support this assessment, empirical models will be used to examine the environmental (air, land, surface and ground water, biodiversity) over a 50 year time horizon. The purpose of this presentation will be to introduce the various environmental models used in the assessment (CALPUFF/CMAQ, FEFlow, Mike SHE/Mike11 and ALCES), cross-media integration efforts and the challenges and opportunities of linking environmental, economic and social outcomes.
The Government of Alberta is currently conducting a Regional Strategic Assessment (RSA) in the South Athabasca Oil Sands (SAOS) Area. In situ oil sands development is expected to account for a significant amount of development in the SAOS area in the Lower Athabasca region over the next several decades. The RSA project aims to develop an understanding of the cumulative effects of a growing energy sector and use this knowledge to inform the development of high-level management strategies, including a sub-regional plan under the Land Use Framework. To support this assessment, empirical models will be used to examine the environmental (air, land, surface and ground water, biodiversity) over a 50 year time horizon. The purpose of this presentation will be to introduce the various environmental models used in the assessment (CALPUFF/CMAQ, FEFlow, Mike SHE/Mike11 and ALCES), cross-media integration efforts and the challenges and opportunities of linking environmental, economic and social outcomes.
