| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
This report assesses the 2003 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 2003, the Ministry of Environment (formerly the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection) had set water quality objectives in 51 areas or basins and updated them in two, 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 23 basins in 2003. The results are summarized in a series of tables. For all Ministry Regions the objectives were met 92.7 percent of the time in 2003. The findings in 2003 are slightly higher than the 2002 results (89.3%), and similar to previous years when attainment ranged from 95 percent in 1998 to 77 percent in 1997. 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 the 2003 sampling program included fecal coliforms, turbidity, suspended solids, total phosphorus and total copper. ( Cowichan - Koksilah Rivers, Quinsam River, Middle Quinsam Lake, Oyster River Basin, Tsolum River, Holland Creek and Stocking Lake, Kathlyn, Seymour, Round and Tyhee Lakes, Lakelse Lake, Nechako River, Peace River, Upper Fraser River, Williams Lake, Okanagan Valley Lakes, Similkameen River, Cahill Creek, Christina Lake, Thompson River, Keremeos Creek, Columbia and Windermere Lakes, Toby Creek and Upper Columbia River, Columbia River from Birchbank to the International Border, Fraser River - Kanaka Creek to the Mouth, and Burrard Inlet) |
