Water Stewardship Information Sources
| Citation | Phippen, B. 2005. Water Quality in British Columbia: Objectives Attainment in 2004. Prepared for BC Ministry of Environment. |
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| Organization | Ministry of Environment |
| URL | http://www.neef.ca/uploads/library/7920_Phippen2005_WQAttainment.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | The setting of water quality objectives in priority basins in British Columbia began in 1982. By the end of 2004, 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 20 basins in 2004. The results are summarized in a series of tables. For all Ministry Regions the objectives were met 90.8 percent of the time in 2004. The findings in 2004 are slightly lower than the 2003 results (92.7%), 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 2004 sampling program included fecal coliforms, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and total copper. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Province |
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| Project status | complete |
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