Fresh Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance
The Fresh Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance Division focuses on regular monitoring, surveillance and reporting on fresh water quality, and aquatic ecosystem status and trends. These activities help to:
- Assess threats to fresh water quality and aquatic ecosystems in areas of national and international interest, including the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin, the Lake Winnipeg Basin, and the Lower Athabasca River (oil sands area)
- Meet federal commitments related to transboundary watersheds (rivers and lakes crossing international, inter-provincial and territorial borders)
- Support the development , implementation, and assessment of federal regulations including the Chemical Management Plan, the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda, and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.
By conducting regular, systematic measurements of the physical, chemical and biological conditions of Canadian water bodies, the Fresh Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Division is able to:
- Measure the natural changes and conditions of water quality
- Determine changes over time, at various locations, of water contaminants and/or threats
- Establish science-based guidelines for water, fish, and sediment
- Identify emerging issues and threats
- Track the results of remedial measures and regulatory decisions
- Date Modified:
In focus
The Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) assesses and reports on the status of freshwaters in Canada using biological indicators of ecosystem health.