The Kakwa received an overall score of 59.1 out of a possible 100 for this section.
NATURAL HERITAGE |
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CATEGORY |
COMPONENT |
SUBCOMPONENT |
ELEMENTS |
| Geology | Physiologic Sections-8 |
- variety of physiography (Pettapiece 1986) | |
| Bedrock Geology-7 | - geologic time interval exposed - including eras of material which the river traverses and through river incises - precambrian, palasozoic, mesozoic, cenozoic |
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| Palaeontology-2 | - concentration of fossils in the river environment
- variety of species in the river environment - rarity of fossils in the river environment |
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| Surficial Geology-9 | Parent Material-8 | - diversity of originating sediments over
which river flows and through which river incises - Glacio-lacustine, Till, Glacio-fluvial, Fluvial, Eolian, Colluvial |
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| Surface Expression-10 | - variety of land forms over which river flows - Delta, Fan, Level, Inclined, Undulating, Rolling, Hummocky, Ridged, Steeply Inclined, Terraced, Blanket, Veneer |
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| River Processes | Hydrology-7 | - presence and variability of natural hydrologic characteristics, conditions and features of river - variability in natural flow (i.e., slow and fast moving water) - includes deltas, wetlands, rapids, waterfalls - degree of disturbance or alteration to river environment impacting flow |
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| Water Quality-NA | - based on water quality standards of Alberta
Surface Water Branch - properties include: color, alkalinity, TDS, DO, pH, turbidity, temperature and various minerals (i.e., salts, sulphates, heavy metals) - water quality relative to dominant water quality of drainage basin - diversity of natural water quality along river |
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| River Morphology-5 |
- uniqueness of morphological features - distinct representation of general morphological features - diversity of land forms - includes forms such as: subaqueous dunes, point bars, pools, riffles, cutbanks, single vs. braided channels, meanders, floodplains, oxbows and terraces |
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| Wildlife and Plants | Vegetation-8 | Natural Subregions | - variety of ecological environments through which river flows |
| Wildlife Habitat-5 | - wildlife habitat diversity associated with
river environment - critical habitat for river dependent species as determined by CLI |
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| Endangered / Threatened / Vulnerable Species-3 | - COSEWIC standing - Provincial and Regional Standing |
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| Species Concentration-5 | - species concentration – seasonal use
(i.e. staging or spawning area) - species diversity - as determined in Poston et al (1990) and Patriquin (1993) |
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