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Rivers of Weeneebeg and Washayebeyoh: Summary of data collected through river monitoring studies in the Moose, Albany, Attawapiskat, Ekwan, and Winisk Watersheds 2013-2024

Matte, JM., Litvinov, A. & O’Connor CM.

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Key points

• WCS Canada worked with Mushkegowuk Council and GeoProcess to do synthetic analyses of a decades-worth of ecological data that Mushkegowuk Council collected from rivers within the territories of Mushkegowuk Council member First Nations
• The data collection focused on the rivers within the Moose, Albany, Attawapiskat, Ewkan, and Winisk watersheds in northern Ontario between 2013-2024
• The synthetic data analyses revealed that rivers within all five watersheds are ecologically healthy
• However, elevated concentrations of some metals in some sediment and fish samples emphasize that these rivers are sensitive to future perturbations, and a precautionary approach is warranted for any new future development that might further increase these metals and other constituents of concern
• Overall, the studies show that the rivers have good water quality, particularly the most northern rivers have abundant sensitive benthic invertebrate communities, and there are stable contaminant conditions over time
• The elevated levels of some metals in some sediments and fish underscore the need for continued and consistent monitoring to identify early signs of change and support informed decision-making about any future developments that might exacerbate the existing issues

Recommended citation

Matte, JM., Litvinov, A. & O’Connor CM. (2026). Rivers of Weeneebeg and Washayebeyoh: Summary of data collected through river monitoring studies in the Moose, Albany, Attawapiskat, Ekwan, and Winisk Watersheds 2013-2024. Mushkegowuk Council. https://mushkegowuk.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Mushkegowuk-Rivers-Report-Final_2026-08-25-2.pdf