| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
This report assesses the 2000-01 attainments of ambient water quality objectives for fresh and marine surface waters of British Columbia. The setting of water quality objectives in priority basins in British Columbia began in 1982. By the end of 2001, the Ministry of Water, Land and Air protection had set water quality objectives in 48 bodies of water, both fresh and marine, throughout the Province. Annual monitoring to check the attainment of objectives started in 1987. This report presents the results of monitoring done to check the attainment of objectives in 16 basins in 2000 and 15 basins in 2001. Due to budgetary restraints, the program has been considerably reduced as compared to previous years. This trend was reversed in 2002 and those data will be reported in a future report. The results are summarized in a series of tables. For all Ministry Regions the objectives were met 82 percent of the time in 2000 and 89 percent of the time in 2001. The findings in 2000 and 2001 are slightly higher than the 1998 and 1999 figures (81% and 77%, respectively), and similar to previous years when attainment ranged from 94 percent in 1987 to 83 percent in 1995. There was not 100 percent attainment because objectives are set in areas where water quality problems may occur. Monitoring results therefore reflect the state of water quality in areas affected by human activity rather than in the Province as a whole. Variables for which objectives were sometimes not met in three or more basins in each of the 2000 and 2001 sampling programs included fecal coliforms, E. coli, suspended solids, chlorophyll-a (a measure of algal growth in lakes and streams), total phosphorus in lakes, and dissolved oxygen. ( Cowichan - Koksilah Rivers, Middle Quinsam Lake, Tsolum River, Nechako River, Fraser River (From the Source to Hope), Williams Lake, Okanagan Valley Lakes, Similkameen River, Hedley Creek, Cahill Creek, Christina Lake, Thompson River, Columbia River (From Keenleyside to Birchbank), Columbia River (From Birchbank to the International Border), Fraser River (Kanaka Creek to the Mouth), Burrard Inlet, Boundary Bay, and Oyster River). |
