CO₂ AND CH₄ FLUXES AT EASTMAIN 1 RESERVOIR (QUEBEC, CANADA) USING THREE DIFFERENT METHODS (O) (SCL)

Tremblay, A.  Hydro-Québec Production, J. Bastien  Environnement Illimité, I. Strachan and M.-C. Bonneville McGill University  (email:tremblay.alain@hydro.qc.ca)

The growing concern regarding the long-term contribution of freshwater reservoirs to atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHG) led Hydro-Québec to study net GHG emissions from Eastmain 1 reservoir. The net emissions are those related to the creation of a reservoir minus those that would have been emitted or absorbed by the natural systems over a 100-year period in the absence of the reservoir. This large study is realized in collaboration with the University of Quebec in Montreal, McGill University and Environnement IIlimité Inc. The measurement of GHG fluxes were conducted by 1) measuring gas partial pressures with gas chromatography and infrared instruments during field campaigns (punctual monitoring) and with automated systems (continuous monitoring), 2) measuring direct fluxes with floating chambers, and 3) measuring CO₂ concentration in the air originating from a large upwind area using the eddy covariance technique. Follow up of the CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes at the Eastmain 1 reservoir showed a rapid increase in both CO₂ and CH₄ emissions the first year after flooding and a rapid return to natural aquatic ecosystem values within two and three years for CH₄ and CO₂, respectively. All three measurement techniques showed comparable results during the summer season indicating that the net GHG evaluation that will be done in 2010-2011 will be based on highly representative results of the Eastmain 1 reservoir emissions. Overall GHG emissions from Eastmain 1 reservoir are very low in comparison to thermal power plants of the same capacity.


 
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