Department of the Environment and Local Government
A Tool for Managing Watersheds
Under New Brunswick’s Clean Water Act, the Water Classification Program has been developed to help watershed and other community groups plan and set goals for surface water quality, and to help them achieve water quality goals through the establishment of water quality standards, action planning and watershed management.
This information sheet tells about the New Brunswick
Water Classification Program and explains how watershed and other community groups can be involved in the process of setting water quality goals for their watersheds.Water Classification - A Tool for Water Quality Management
Water Classification is a simple, step by step process for setting water quality goals, on a watershed basis. Water Classification places rivers or segments of rivers (including estuaries), tributaries and lakes into one of six possible categories. Each of these categories or classes has its own set of water quality standards, designed to protect various uses of the water. Once waters are classified, they can be managed according to these standards.
Classification - A Step by Step Process
The Process of Water Classification has several important steps.
First, stakeholders are identified and involved early in the process, so that groups can build understanding and work to make decisions together.
Another important early step is measurement and interpretation of existing water quality. Historical information and newly-collected data on water quality are used to build a picture of how the water quality may have changed in a watershed. Knowing the existing water quality helps a group make realistic decisions about the future of the watershed.
The next step is mapping of land and water information. Understanding the topography, geology, soils and vegetation cover in an area helps to explain water quality characteristics. Often ecological land classification can help to integrate the interpretation of these features. Land use and geology mapping helps to explain water quality changes from the natural system, and shows where sources of pollutants occur.
Once information is assembled, stakeholders are involved in setting water quality goals for waters in the watershed. The various stakeholders who have an interest in a watershed and its water are encouraged to work together to build consensus on water quality issues and goals for water quality.
Stakeholders include various landowners, residents and those who come from outside the watershed to use or enjoy the water. Stakeholders also include various groups of land users: farmers, foresters, industry (including those in the mining, pulp and paper, and aquaculture industries), anglers, canoeists, residential and recreational users, and others. Other stakeholders are the various levels of government: aboriginal, federal, provincial and municipal. Each of these groups has an interest in the water and, potentially, an influence on water quality.
By involving stakeholders early in the Water Classification process, everyone can understand why the water quality is the way it is, and what will result from actions to maintain, protect or restore that quality. This includes the economic, social and environmental consequences of decisions that are made and goals that are set.
The Classes
The Outstanding Natural Waters Class
The Outstanding Natural Waters Class is a special class for protecting the water of unique or representative lakes or rivers which have essentially natural water quality and have had little disturbance from human activities. Groups or individuals are able to nominate lakes or rivers to this class, as long as the waters meet specific objective criteria. A Review Panel will be established to consider nominations for inclusion in the Outstanding Natural Waters Class.
The AP Class
The AP Class is designed to further protect the surface watersheds which are designated as municipal drinking water supplies under the Clean Water Act. There are 30 of these watersheds in the province.
The AL Class
Lakes are known to be very sensitive systems which must be managed differently from rivers and streams. For this reason, all lakes not classified in the Outstanding or AP Classes will automatically be placed into the AL Class. Lakes will be managed on the basis of their trophic level, which is a measure of their productivity as related to nitrate and phosphate concentrations. Some impoundments will not be included in the AL Class.
The A, B and C Classes
Rivers and other watercourses not included in the above classes will be classified into one of three Classes, A, B or C. Each of these Classes will have their own water quality standards and management features.
Setting Goals for Water Quality
The six Classes represent goals for water quality. In most cases, the water will already meet the goal and actions taken will be to maintain the existing water quality. Sometimes, stakeholders will agree that a higher Class should be the goal and actions will be geared towards gradually improving water quality.
Implementation
Once the classification of a particular river system is accomplished, an implementation phase begins. One role of watershed groups, including stakeholders, will be to assist with action planning. An action plan lists and prioritizes achievable activities that will help to protect or restore a river system according to the goals set through Water Classification.
Other aspects of implementation will involve the design and promotion of voluntary Best Management Practices. Regulatory tools will include the standards under the Water Classification Regulation, as well as the existing approvals and permitting system which focuses on pollution sources and watercourse alterations.
Water Classification is both a regulatory tool and a watershed management mechanism. The step by step achievement of water quality goals, accomplished first by understanding the water and its watershed, and then involving stakeholders in establishing a vision for the water quality, makes Water Classification a means by which a watershed group can be focused, empowered and made action-ready.
The involvement of various stakeholders in the process of Classification helps to build stronger, more broadly based watershed management groups which will benefit from new ideas and the understanding of various points of view long after the classification exercise is complete. Water Classification leaves a legacy of knowledge as well as concrete tools such as land and water mapping and water quality data. Action plans completed as a result of Classification can be used to prioritize activities and set objectives for maintenance or restoration initiatives. This provides the watershed group with focus and direction in the future.
Working with Watershed Groups
Water Classification is already a feature of watershed-based activities in New Brunswick. The Department of the Environment and Local Government is presently working in various parts of the province with groups that have, or can develop, a watershed focus to begin the classification process in their area.
Examples of this partnership include the Eastern Charlotte Waterways ACAP (Atlantic Coastal Action Program) group which has undertaken the first steps of a Classification for the West Fundy Composite Watershed (the Magaguadavic and adjacent rivers). Working towards the eventual goal of classification, they have monitored the water quality, mapped the watershed, and begun the process of discussing a preliminary classification with stakeholders throughout the watershed. Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc. has also produced a Guidebook on Water Classification, including six modules and a toolkit to take a watershed group step by step through the process of classification and watershed management.
The Department of the Environment and Local Government has also begun to work toward classification with established groups in other watersheds in the province. These groups are: Comité de gestion intégrée de la baie de Caraquet, Hammond River Angling Association, St. Croix International Waterway Commission, Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee, Petitcodiac Watershed Monitoring Group, Kent Watersheds Coalition, Tabusintac Watershed Association, Bay of Chaleur Watersheds Sustainable Development, and Société d’aménagement de la rivière Madawaska et du lac Témiscouata.
As Water Classification progresses, watershed by watershed, groups like these will provide the focal point for community involvement, collection of new information, and determination of public vision in the goal setting process. Watershed groups will also be involved in implementing Water Classification through action planning and follow-up.
Watershed groups provide community-level input to water quality and water use management in New Brunswick. The Department of the Environment and Local Government applauds the hard work of these groups to facilitate the protection and improvement of New Brunswick’s lakes and rivers. With their help, and with the help of all stakeholders, we look forward to achieving the classification and long-term management of the province’s lake and river systems.
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