Water source identification of Big Quill Lake, SK, for evaluation of solute extraction under a changing climate

位于萨斯喀彻温省温亚德的指南针矿业公司是大奎尔湖最大的工业抽水机。最近在整个奎尔湖复杂的水位上升引起了经济，政治和环境的争论，围绕在集水区的水资源管理。具体而言，利益攸关方对被淹土地以及非法排水可能导致湖泊水位上升感到关切。由于目标盐的浓度降低，在高水位期间天然盐水沃茨的稀释对康帕思矿业公司是一种损害。Compass Minerals生产高纯度硫酸钾，用于制药，食品和农业工业。这项拟议的参与赠款将在申请人和指南针矿产公司之间建立合作研究伙伴关系，以确定大奎尔湖输入沃茨的水平衡和季节性变化。该项目将澄清奎尔湖综合体目前的水位控制，并提供一种新的方法，用于确定独立于传统河规的源沃茨的可变性。完成后，该项目的结果将使Compass Minerals能够更好地预测未来水位的变化并做出反应。

The Compass Minerals facility in Wynyard Saskatchewan is the largest industrial extractor of water from Big Quill Lake. Recent increases in water levels throughout the Quill Lakes complex has caused economic, political, and environmental debate surrounding the management of water resources in the catchment. Specifically, stakeholders are concerned about flooded lands and the possibility that illegal drainage is contributing to increases in lake levels. The dilution of the naturally saline waters during this high-water stand is a detriment to Compass Minerals due to the reduced concentration of their target salts. Compass Minerals produces high purity potassium sulfate, for use in pharmaceutical, food, and agricultural industries. This proposed ENGAGE grant will establish a collaborative research partnership between the applicant and Compass Minerals to determine the water balance and seasonal variability in inputs waters to Big Quill Lake. This project will provide clarification on the current controls of water level in the Quill Lake complex and provide a new method for identifying the variability viability in source waters independent of conventional river gauges. Upon completion, the results of this project will better position Compass Minerals to anticipate and react to changes in water level in the future.