Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Rob KentNational Water Quality Monitoring OfficeNational Water Research InstituteEnvironment Canada
Rob KentNational Water Quality Monitoring OfficeNational Water Research InstituteEnvironment Canada
National Water Quality
Indicator for Canada
National Water Quality
Indicator for Canada
UN International Work Session on Water StatisticsVienna, Austria
June 20-22, 2005
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Outline: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 EnvironnementCanada Canada
BackgroundBackground 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 - objectives2. Methods development, Lab support3. Research support4. Data management5. Interpretive tools/guidance6. Reporting, indicators and information systems7. Partnerships / Outreach8. National co-ordination
1. Program Design - objectives2. Methods development, Lab support3. Research support4. Data management5. Interpretive tools/guidance6. Reporting, indicators and information systems7. Partnerships / Outreach8. National co-ordination
A modern integrated approach …moving beyond “taking the sample”A modern integrated approach …moving beyond “taking the sample”
Functional Elements:Functional Elements:
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Water Quantity MonitoringWater Quantity Monitoring
Water Quality MonitoringWater 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
National Roundtable on the Environment and Economy Environment and Sustainable
Development Indicators
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
The CWQI and
Reporting Out
The CWQI and
Reporting Out
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
CCME WQI: An overviewCCME WQI: An overview
Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersenand Chris Lochner
Water Quality Monitoring BranchNational Water Research Institute
Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource
ManagementOttawa, February 6, 2004
Vision: Canadians will recognize and use the WQ Indicator as a trusted source of information on national water quality
Vision: Canadians will recognize and use the WQ Indicator as a trusted source of information on national water quality Sustainability of major water uses: Sustainability of major water uses:
National Water Quality Indicator Initiative
National Water Quality Indicator Initiative
1.Source water for drinking2.Water for recreation3.Water for agriculture (livestock, irrigation)4.Water for aquatic life 5.Water for industrial uses
1.Source water for drinking2.Water for recreation3.Water for agriculture (livestock, irrigation)4.Water for aquatic life 5.Water for industrial uses
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
CCME WQI: An overviewCCME WQI: An overview
Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersenand Chris Lochner
Water Quality Monitoring BranchNational Water Research Institute
Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource
ManagementOttawa, February 6, 2004
Human HealthHuman Health
Natural EnvironmentNatural Environment
CompetitivenessCompetitivenessCompetitivenessCompetitiveness
a. Protected areas (e.g., National Parks)b. Areas impacted by human activitya. Protected areas (e.g., National Parks)b. Areas impacted by human activity
Water Quality and Aquatic EcosystemsWater Quality and Aquatic Ecosystems
Water Quality and Human ExposureWater Quality and Human Exposure
Water Use and AvailabilityWater Use and Availability
a. Consumption - Source waters for drinkingb. Recreation - beach closures, aestheticsa. Consumption - Source waters for drinkingb. Recreation - beach closures, aesthetics
a. Industrial usesb. Agriculture usesa. Industrial usesb. Agriculture uses
National Water Quality Indicator FrameworkNational Water Quality Indicator Framework
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Canadian WQICanadian WQICanadian WQICanadian 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.
732.1100
2
3
2
2
2
1 FFFWQI
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
CWQI rating systemCWQI rating system
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
F1 ScopeF1 Scope• Scope assesses the extent of
compliance with water quality guidelines over the time period of interest.
• F1 indicates the percentage of parameters, whose guidelines are not met.
F1 = Number of Failed Variables
Total Number of Variables
• Scope assesses the extent of compliance with water quality guidelines over the time period of interest.
• F1 indicates the percentage of parameters, whose guidelines are not met.
F1 = Number of Failed Variables
Total Number of Variables
X 100
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
More Sta
tistic
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F2 FrequencyF2 Frequency
• Assesses the frequency with which guidelines are not met.
• F2 indicates the percentage of individual tests which do not meet guidelines (i.e. “failed tests”)
F2 = Number of Failed Tests
Total Number of Tests
• Assesses the frequency with which guidelines are not met.
• F2 indicates the percentage of individual tests which do not meet guidelines (i.e. “failed tests”)
F2 = Number of Failed Tests
Total Number of TestsX 100
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
More Sta
tistic
s…
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- 1{ }excursioni =
When the test value must not fall below the guideline:
Guidelinej
Failed Test Valuei{ - 1 }excursioni =
Failed Test Valuei
Guidelinej
When the test value must not exceed the guideline:
F3 AmplitudeF3 Amplitude• Amplitude assesses the amount by which guidelines are
not met.
• F3 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.
• F3 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 EnvironnementCanada Canada
More Sta
tistic
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F3 Amplitude (cont.)F3 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.
∑ excursionsi
n
i=1
# of testsnse =
nse
0.01 nse + 0.01{ }F3 =
F3 is then calculated to yield a value between 0 and 100
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
More Sta
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Typical ApplicationsTypical ApplicationsTypical ApplicationsTypical 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 EnvironnementCanada Canada
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Benefits and
Challenges
Benefits and
Challenges
CWQI – What does it do?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 EnvironnementCanada Canada
CWQI – From data to knowledgeCWQI – From data to knowledge
SampleSample CuCu HgHg NO3NO3 PP NH4NH4 DOCDOC ClCl CdCd ZnZn
11 0.30.3 0.40.4 3.23.2 6.36.3 0.30.3 0.40.4 8.58.5 6.36.3 5.35.3
22 0.50.5 5.25.2 0.70.7 8.58.5 0.50.5 5.25.2 0.70.7 8.58.5 8.48.4
33 0.90.9 4.64.6 4.54.5 4.64.6 0.90.9 4.64.6 4.54.5 4.64.6 6.36.3
44 1.21.2 2.32.3 0.30.3 1.31.3 1.21.2 2.32.3 0.30.3 1.31.3 9.49.4
55 4.54.5 5.65.6 8.58.5 2.52.5 4.54.5 5.65.6 8.58.5 2.52.5 1.51.5
66 0.80.8 4.84.8 0.60.6 7.47.4 0.80.8 4.84.8 0.60.6 7.47.4 4.34.3
77 0.60.6 3.13.1 0.40.4 9.19.1 0.60.6 3.13.1 0.40.4 9.19.1 7.67.6
88 0.80.8 8.78.7 0.10.1 7.57.5 0.80.8 8.78.7 0.10.1 7.47.4 3.53.5
Status of freshwater quality in Canada
020406080
100120
Excell
ent
Good
Fair
Mar
ginal
PoorN
um
be
r o
f sta
tion
s
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
22226
Environmental Sustainability Index 2005Environmental 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)
CCME WQI: An overviewCCME WQI: An overviewEnvironment EnvironnementCanada Canada
CCME WQI: An overviewCCME WQI: An overview
Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersenand Chris Lochner
Water Quality Monitoring BranchNational Water Research Institute
Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource
ManagementOttawa, February 6, 2004
Expressing Results Nationally
(NRTEE Report 2003)
Expressing Results Nationally
(NRTEE Report 2003)
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Spatial FrameworkSpatial Framework
CCME WQI: An overviewCCME WQI: An overview
Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersenand Chris Lochner
Water Quality Monitoring BranchNational Water Research Institute
Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource
ManagementOttawa, February 6, 2004
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
Other ChallengesOther Challenges Integrating physical, chemical and
biological measurements and processes
Spatial scale; aggregating results
Weighting of F1,2,3
Natural phenomena vs human impacts
Best scientific judgement
Integrating physical, chemical and biological measurements and processes
Spatial scale; aggregating results
Weighting of F1,2,3
Natural phenomena vs human impacts
Best scientific judgement
CCME WQI: An overviewCCME WQI: An overview
Rob Kent, Janine Murray, Don Andersenand Chris Lochner
Water Quality Monitoring BranchNational Water Research Institute
Joint CWRA - Government of Canada Workshop: Building Relationships for Integrated Water Resource
ManagementOttawa, February 6, 2004
Environment EnvironnementCanada Canada
ConclusionConclusion 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
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