Managing Water Quality Managing Water Quality in the Columbia Basin: in the Columbia Basin: “ “ the Lower Columbia the Lower Columbia River” River” Canadian Columbia River Forum Cranbrook, BC May 30, 2007
Dec 28, 2015
Managing Water Quality in Managing Water Quality in the Columbia Basin: the Columbia Basin:
““the Lower Columbia River”the Lower Columbia River”
Canadian Columbia River ForumCranbrook, BC
May 30, 2007
Columbia Columbia River BasinRiver Basin
• B.C. Environmental Management Act – Regulations: Municipal Sewage,
Contaminated Sites, Waste Discharge, Hazardous Waste, etc…
• B.C. Water Protection Act• Federal Fisheries Act• B.C. Environmental Assessment Act• Others…
Regulatory Framework Regulatory Framework
• Federal-Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Program
• Site specific water quality objectives
Environmental Monitoring Environmental Monitoring
• Partnerships and shared stewardship • Columbia River Integrated
Environmental Monitoring Program (CRIEMP)
• www.criemp.org
Shared Stewardship Shared Stewardship
Columbia Columbia River Basin: River Basin: “the Lower “the Lower Columbia Columbia
River”River”
Lower Columbia River:Lower Columbia River:Diverse Water UsesDiverse Water Uses
Water QualityWater Quality• Flow regulation • Industrial operations • Municipal wastewater• NPS• Climate change• Emerging issues
Water Quality: Water Quality: Flow Flow
RegulationRegulation
Water Quality: Water Quality: Flow RegulationFlow Regulation
Recent improvements: • TGP reduction
– verified by CRIEMP monitoring
• Water Use Planning (BC Hydro) –Required under Water Act
Water Quality: Water Quality: Zellstoff CelgarZellstoff Celgar
Water Quality: Water Quality: Zellstoff CelgarZellstoff Celgar
• Modernization project in early 90’s– significant decrease dioxins, furans and other chlorinated substances
• Environmental Effects Monitoring– Required under federal Fisheries Act
Water Quality:Water Quality: Teck Cominco Teck Cominco
MetalsMetals
• Upgrades: →phosphate plant closed
→slag discharge eliminated
→improvements to Stoney Creek
→KIVCET smelter
• Human health and ecological risk assessment
Water Quality:Water Quality:Teck Cominco Teck Cominco
Water Quality:Water Quality:Municipal Municipal
WastewaterWastewater
Water Quality:Water Quality:Municipal WastewaterMunicipal Wastewater
• City of Castlegar
–CRIEMP partnership
• Regional District of Kootenay Boundary
–Liquid Waste Management Planning
Transboundary Water QualityTransboundary Water Quality
• Lake Roosevelt Forum• Lake Roosevelt Water Quality Council• Transboundary Gas Group• Upper Columbia White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative
• Columbia River: a valuable resource• Protecting water quality:
– Regulatory tools
– Environmental monitoring
– Shared stewardship
• Significant improvements in water quality
• Emerging issues
SummarySummary