Environment Environnement Canada Rob Kent National Water Quality Monitoring Office National Water Research Institute Environment Canada Rob Kent National Water Quality Monitoring Office National Water Research Institute Environment Canada National Water Quality Indicator for Canada National Water Quality Indicator for Canada UN International Work Session on Water Statistics Vienna, Austria June 20-22, 2005

Environment Environnement Canada Outline: Background, context Data generation - monitoring Canadian Water Quality Index and Reporting out Benefits and challenges Conclusions Background, context Data generation - monitoring Canadian Water Quality Index and Reporting out Benefits and challenges Conclusions

Environment Environnement Canada Background Consistent a top priority for Canadians Increased public concern and decreased confidence in water safety External criticism of current status Commitment to better inform Canadians on national water quality Respond to Canadian values on water: drinkable, swimmable, fishable, available Consistent a top priority for Canadians Increased public concern and decreased confidence in water safety External criticism of current status Commitment to better inform Canadians on national water quality Respond to Canadian values on water: drinkable, swimmable, fishable, available

1.Program Design - objectives 2.Methods development, Lab support 3.Research support 4.Data management 5.Interpretive tools/guidance 6.Reporting, indicators and information systems 7.Partnerships / Outreach 8.National co-ordination 1.Program Design - objectives 2.Methods development, Lab support 3.Research support 4.Data management 5.Interpretive tools/guidance 6.Reporting, indicators and information systems 7.Partnerships / Outreach 8.National co-ordination A modern integrated approach …moving beyond taking the sample A modern integrated approach …moving beyond taking the sample Functional Elements: Environment Environnement Canada

Environment Environnement Canada Water Quantity Monitoring

Water Quality Monitoring

Understandable indicators to track whether Canada's current economic activities threaten the way of life for future generations Track natural assets - including the ecosystem services that are crucial to sustaining the economy in the long term Water Quality: Canadian WQI as the Freshwater Quality Indicator Understandable indicators to track whether Canada's current economic activities threaten the way of life for future generations Track natural assets - including the ecosystem services that are crucial to sustaining the economy in the long term Water Quality: Canadian WQI as the Freshwater Quality Indicator National Roundtable on the Environment and Economy Environment and Sustainable Development Indicators Environment Environnement Canada

Environment Environnement Canada The CWQI and Reporting Out The CWQI and Reporting Out

Environment Environnement Canada

Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersen and Chris Lochner Water Quality Monitoring Branch National Water Research Institute Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource Management Ottawa, February 6, 2004 Vision: Canadians will recognize and use the WQ Indicator as a trusted source of information on national water quality Sustainability of major water uses: National Water Quality Indicator Initiative 1.Source water for drinking 2.Water for recreation 3.Water for agriculture (livestock, irrigation) 4.Water for aquatic life 5.Water for industrial uses 1.Source water for drinking 2.Water for recreation 3.Water for agriculture (livestock, irrigation) 4.Water for aquatic life 5.Water for industrial uses Environment Environnement Canada

Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersen and Chris Lochner Water Quality Monitoring Branch National Water Research Institute Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource Management Ottawa, February 6, 2004 Human Health Natural Environment CompetitivenessCompetitiveness a. Protected areas (e.g., National Parks) b. Areas impacted by human activity a. Protected areas (e.g., National Parks) b. Areas impacted by human activity Water Quality and Aquatic Ecosystems Water Quality and Human Exposure Water Use and Availability a. Consumption - Source waters for drinking b. Recreation - beach closures, aesthetics a. Consumption - Source waters for drinking b. Recreation - beach closures, aesthetics a. Industrial uses b. Agriculture uses a. Industrial uses b. Agriculture uses National Water Quality Indicator Framework Environment Environnement Canada

Canadian WQI Scope (F1) - number of variables not meeting water quality objectives Frequency (F2) - the number of times the objectives are not met Amplitude (F3) - the extent to which objectives exceeded. Scope (F1) - number of variables not meeting water quality objectives Frequency (F2) - the number of times the objectives are not met Amplitude (F3) - the extent to which objectives exceeded. Environment Environnement Canada

CWQI rating system Environment Environnement Canada

F 1 Scope Scope assesses the extent of compliance with water quality guidelines over the time period of interest. F 1 indicates the percentage of parameters, whose guidelines are not met. F 1 = Number of Failed Variables Total Number of Variables Scope assesses the extent of compliance with water quality guidelines over the time period of interest. F 1 indicates the percentage of parameters, whose guidelines are not met. F 1 = Number of Failed Variables Total Number of Variables X 100 Environment Environnement Canada More Statistics…

F 2 Frequency Assesses the frequency with which guidelines are not met. F 2 indicates the percentage of individual tests which do not meet guidelines (i.e. failed tests) F 2 = Number of Failed Tests Total Number of Tests Assesses the frequency with which guidelines are not met. F 2 indicates the percentage of individual tests which do not meet guidelines (i.e. failed tests) F 2 = Number of Failed Tests Total Number of Tests X 100 Environment Environnement Canada More Statistics…

- 1 { } excursion i = When the test value must not fall below the guideline: Guidelinej Failed Test Valuei { - 1 } excursion i = Failed Test Valuei Guidelinej When the test value must not exceed the guideline: F3 Amplitude Amplitude assesses the amount by which guidelines are not met. F 3 indicates the amount by which failed test values do not meet their guidelines, and is calculated in 3 steps. The number of times an individual concentration exceeds a guideline is termed an excursion. Amplitude assesses the amount by which guidelines are not met. F 3 indicates the amount by which failed test values do not meet their guidelines, and is calculated in 3 steps. The number of times an individual concentration exceeds a guideline is termed an excursion. Environment Environnement Canada More Statistics…

F 3 Amplitude (cont.) The collective amount by which individual tests are out of compliance with guidelines is calculated by summing the excursions of individual tests, and dividing by the total number of tests which failed guidelines. This variable is referred to as the normalized sum of excursions, or nse. The collective amount by which individual tests are out of compliance with guidelines is calculated by summing the excursions of individual tests, and dividing by the total number of tests which failed guidelines. This variable is referred to as the normalized sum of excursions, or nse. excursions i n i=1 # of tests nse = nse 0.01 nse { } F 3 = F3 is then calculated to yield a value between 0 and 100 Environment Environnement Canada More Statistics…

Typical Applications Selected parameters (~10) related to water use at monitoring site Most appropriate ambient WQ guidelines or objectives (site-specific) 3yr average values from at least 9 periods; or stratified use of CWQI over specific periods (freshet, recession and base flow) Selected parameters (~10) related to water use at monitoring site Most appropriate ambient WQ guidelines or objectives (site-specific) 3yr average values from at least 9 periods; or stratified use of CWQI over specific periods (freshet, recession and base flow) Environment Environnement Canada

Environment Environnement Canada Benefits and Challenges Benefits and Challenges

CWQI – What does it do? Communication tool – transforms complex water quality data into understandable descriptions (e.g., good, fair, poor) Scientific rigor - maximum use of monitoring data Consistent use and interpretation across distributed jurisdictions Applies to all beneficial water uses i.e., socio- economically relevant Amenable to multiple reporting scales - local, regional and national scales of reporting Communication tool – transforms complex water quality data into understandable descriptions (e.g., good, fair, poor) Scientific rigor - maximum use of monitoring data Consistent use and interpretation across distributed jurisdictions Applies to all beneficial water uses i.e., socio- economically relevant Amenable to multiple reporting scales - local, regional and national scales of reporting Environment Environnement Canada

CWQI – From data to knowledge SampleCuHgNO3PNH4DOCClCdZn Environment Environnement Canada

22 6 Environmental Sustainability Index 2005 Environmental Systems 4 / 146 Environmental Stresses 104/ 146 Human Vulnerability 2/ 146 Social and Institutional Capacity 14 / 146 Global Stewardship 133/ 146 Air Quality Water Quantity Water Quality Biodiversity Terrestrial Systems Reducing Air Pollution Reducing Water Stress Reducing Ecosystem Stresses Reducing Waste and Consumption Pressures Reducing Population Pressure Natural Resource Management Basic Human Sustenance Environment-related Natural Disaster Exposure Environmental Health Science/Technology Private Sector Responsiveness Environmental Governance Eco-Efficiency Participation in International Collaborative Efforts Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reducing Trans- boundary Environmental Pressures Canada- Overall rank 6th out of 146 countries (World Economic Forum; Yale/Columbia University research)

Environment Environnement Canada

Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersen and Chris Lochner Water Quality Monitoring Branch National Water Research Institute Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource Management Ottawa, February 6, 2004 Expressing Results Nationally (NRTEE Report 2003) Environment Environnement Canada

Environment Environnement Canada Spatial Framework

Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersen and Chris Lochner Water Quality Monitoring Branch National Water Research Institute Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource Management Ottawa, February 6, 2004 Environment Environnement Canada Other Challenges Integrating physical, chemical and biological measurements and processes Spatial scale; aggregating results Weighting of F 1,2,3 Natural phenomena vs human impacts Best scientific judgement Integrating physical, chemical and biological measurements and processes Spatial scale; aggregating results Weighting of F 1,2,3 Natural phenomena vs human impacts Best scientific judgement

Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersen and Chris Lochner Water Quality Monitoring Branch National Water Research Institute Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource Management Ottawa, February 6, 2004 Environment Environnement Canada Conclusion Water quality indicator integrating all data into socially relevant report card – within distributed multijurisdictional model Continuous improvement Credibility through expert judgement Start at integrating water quality and quantity measures into natural capital accounting Key to behavioural change, strengthened measurement capacity and enhanced resource management performance Water quality indicator integrating all data into socially relevant report card – within distributed multijurisdictional model Continuous improvement Credibility through expert judgement Start at integrating water quality and quantity measures into natural capital accounting Key to behavioural change, strengthened measurement capacity and enhanced resource management performance