PWQMN Parameter PWQO 1 CWQG 2 EPA Criteria Notes

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1 APPENDIX A. Provincial Water Quality Objectives (PWQO) for selected PWQMN parameters. Other sources of information are provided where appropriate (e.g. Canadian Water Quality Guidelines, US EPA Water Quality Criteria). - Denotes recommended indicator parameters. PWQMN Parameter PWQO 1 CWQG 2 EPA Criteria Notes Alkalinity, total (ALKT) narrative Toxicity of metals can vary as a function of alkalinity (CaCO 3 ). Alkalinity buffers aquatic ecosystems from fluctuations in ph and serves as a reservoir of carbon for photosynthesis. Aluminum, unfiltered total (ALUT) N/A µg/l µg/l (acute). 4 Total aluminum concentration, as measured in the PWQMN, should not be evaluated against the PWQO for clay-free samples. Sources include weathering of rocks and clays, industrial wastes, treatment plants that use alum as a flocculent. Ammonia (un-ionized) Calculated from Ammonium, total unfiltered reactive (NNHTUR) using Field (FWPH) or Laboratory ph and Water Temperature (FWTEMP). 20 µg/l NH 3 19 µg/l NH 3 5, approximately equaling 15 µg/l ammonia-n See also EPA Unfiltered ammonia nitrogen (NNHTUR) includes ammonia (1999). 6 (NH 3 ) and ammonium (NH + 4 ). Un-ionized ammonia refers to all forms of ammonia with the exception of the ammonium ion. Un-ionized ammonia (NH 3 ) concentration varies with ph and water temperature. See OMOE (1994) 1 for a helpful summary table and equations. PWQMN ammonia concentrations are expressed as mg/l total ammonia-n. Others report as mg/l NH 3. To convert mg/l NH 3 to mg/l total ammonia-n multiply by 0.8. Ammonia is highly soluble in water. Sources include sewage treatment plants, steel mills, fertilizer plants, petroleum industries, intensive farming, natural decomposition of organic wastes, gas exchange with the atmosphere. Ammonia in surface water is naturally converted to nitrate. This conversion, in addition to increasing nitrate concentration, removes oxygen from the water, which also can adversely affect fish and invertebrates.

2 Barium, unfiltered total (BAUT) Common element in earth s crust. Trace amounts usually found in surface water. Beryllium, unfiltered total (BEUT) 11 µg/l (< 75 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 1100 µg/l (> 75 mg/l CaCO 3 ) Sources include combustion of fossil fuels, manufacture of alloys and organic chemicals. Some beryllium compounds are readily soluble in water (e.g. chloride and nitrate salts). Biochemical Oxygen Demand, 5-day (BOD 5 ) BOD is the amount of oxygen that is consumed by bacteria and other microorganisms while they decompose organic matter under aerobic conditions at a specified temperature. Five-day BOD (BOD 5 ) is a measure of the amount of oxygen consumed in a sample incubated for five days at 20 C. Cadmium, unfiltered total (CDUT) 0.1 µg/l (< 100 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 0.5 µg/l (> 100 mg/l CaCO 3 ) Guideline varies with hardness, see equation. 7 See also EPA Present in trace amounts as a result of natural weathering (2002). 4 processes. Anthropogenic sources include mining (particularly zinc processing), agriculture, burning of fossil fuels, nickel cadmium batteries. Calcium, unfiltered total (CAUT) Calcium is a cation dissolved from rocks and soils. The highest concentrations are usually found in waters that have been in contact with limestone, dolomite, or gypsum. Chloride, unfiltered reactive (CLIDUR) 860 mg/l acute (one hour) mg/l chronic (4 day average). 8 Road salts have been designated a toxic substance under the Canadian Environment Protection Act. Assessment report documents toxicity for sensitive species at 210 mg/l (Environment Canada/Health Canada, 2001). 9 Chromium, unfiltered total (CRUT) N/A N/A Total chromium concentration, as measured in the PWQMN, should not be evaluated against the PWQO or CWQG for hexavalent or trivalent chromium. Different forms of chromium have different degrees of toxicity.

3 Cobalt, unfiltered total (COUT) Sources include weathering of cobalt-rich ores and from anthropogenic sources such as emission from coal burning industries. Conductivity, 25 C Field (CONDAM) or Laboratory (COND25) Conductivity varies with water temperature and is corrected to a standard temperature of 25 C. Indicates water's ability to conduct an electrical current and provides an indication of the amount of dissolved ions. Copper, unfiltered total (CUUT) 1 µg/l (< 20 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 5 µg/l (> 20 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 2 µg/l (< 120 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 3 µg/l ( mg/l CaCO 3 ) See also EPA Sources include the weathering of copper minerals and numerous (2002). 4 sources from human activities (e.g. copper pipe, metal alloys, wiring, fungicides and insecticides). 4 µg/l (> 180 mg/l CaCO 3 ) Dissolved Solids or Residue, Filtered (RSF) Refers to minerals, salts, metals, cations or anions dissolved in water. In many streams there is a direct linear relationship between dissolved solids concentration and conductivity. Dissolved Oxygen (DO) >5-8 (warm water biota) > 4-7 (cold water biota) > (warm water biota) > (cold water biota) Guidelines are designed to protect cold water biota (e.g. salmonid fish communities) and warm water biota (e.g. centrarchid fish communities). Decomposition of organic matter may deplete dissolved oxygen below concentrations required by aquatic life. Hardness, total (HARDT) A measure of cations in water, primarily calcium and magnesium. Influences the form and toxicity of metals. Iron, unfiltered total (FEUT) 300 µg/l 300 µg/l µg/l 4 Sources include weathering of rocks and soils, mining and processing of iron ores, steel making and metal fabricating, burning of fossil fuels, corrosion of iron or steel products.

4 Kjeldahl Nitrogen, unfiltered reactive total (NNKTUR) Total Kjeldahl nitrogen is a measure of the total nitrogenous matter present, excluding nitrate and nitrite. The total Kjeldahl nitrogen concentration less the ammonia nitrogen concentration gives a measure of the organic nitrogen present. Lead, - unfiltered total (PBUT) Magnesium, unfiltered total (MGUT) Manganese, unfiltered total (MNUT) 1 µg/l (< 30 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 3 µg/l (30-80 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 5 µg/l (> 80 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 1 µg/l (< 60 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 2 µg/l ( mg/l CaCO 3 ) 4 µg/l ( mg/l CaCO 3 ) 7 µg/l (> 180 mg/l CaCO 3 ) Molybdenum, unfiltered total (MOUT) Nickel, unfiltered total (NIUT) 40 µg/l 73 µg/l 25 µg/l 25 µg/l (< 60 mg/l CaCO 3 ) 65 µg/l ( mg/l CaCO 3 ) 110 µg/l ( mg/l CaCO 3 ) 150 µg/l (> 180 mg/l CaCO 3 ) Sources include weathering of rocks and soils, the burning of fossil fuels, processing of nickel ores, smelting and electroplating industries.

5 Nitrate Calculated by subtracting Nitrite, unfiltered reactive (NNO2UR) from Nitrates, total unfiltered reactive (NNOTUR) 13 mg/l NO 3-10 mg/l NO N PWQMN nitrate concentrations are expressed as mg/l NO 3 - -N. Others report concentration as nitrate ion (i.e. mg/l NO 3 - ). To convert mg NO 3 - -N/L to mg/l NO 3 - multiply by The EPA (1996) maximum contaminant level (MCL) for nitrate (as nitrogen) is 10 mg NO 3 - -N/L. Nitrite, unfiltered reactive (NNO2UR) 60 µg/l ph, Field (FWPH) or Laboratory (ph) Acceptable range of Acceptable range of ph is reported as the logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentration. ph represents a measure of the acidity (ph less than 7) or alkalinity (ph greater than 7) of a solution; a ph of 7 is neutral. Phosphate, filtered reactive (PPO4FR) Phosphorus, unfiltered total (PPUT) 30 µg/l (streams) 20 µg/l (lakes) Phosphorus is associated with eutrophication the enrichment of a body of water with nutrients resulting in accelerated algal or plant production. PWQO for TP is intended to prevent the nuisance growth of algae. TP is not toxic to aquatic life but excess concentrations can lead to undesirable changes in aquatic ecosystems (e.g. reduced biodiversity, reduced oxygen conditions, toxic algae blooms, impaired aesthetics and recreational opportunities). The EPA recommends that total phosphorus concentration (as phosphorus) not exceed 0.10 milligram per liter in streams not discharging directly into reservoirs and not exceed 0.05 milligram per liter in streams discharging directly into reservoirs.

6 milligram per liter in streams discharging directly into reservoirs. Potassium, unfiltered total (KKUT) Suspended Solids or Residue, particulate (RSP) Sodium, unfiltered total (NAUT) Strontium, unfiltered total (SRUT) narrative narrative Temperature, Field (FWTEMP) narrative narrative Water temperature data are sensitive to time of measurement. Temperature is influenced by season, weather conditions, time of day and streamflow velocity. Typically, peak daily temperatures occur in late afternoon, and daily minima occur just before dawn. Temperature should be measured continuously to examine daily fluctuations. Thermal pollution is the result of using water for cooling purposes. Temperature controls the rate of many chemical reactions (e.g. the equilibrium between unionized ammonia and ammonium is temperature-dependent). Titanium, unfiltered total (TIUT) Turbidity (TURB) narrative Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of water resulting from suspended particles such as clay, silt, organic matter and microorganisms. Turbidity is measured by quantifying the degree to which light traveling through a water column is scattered by the suspended particles.

7 High turbidity may reduce light transmission and therefore reduce photosynthesis of aquatic plants. High turbidity may also interfere with disinfection. Vanadium, unfiltered total (VNUT) Zinc, unfiltered total (ZNUT) 6 µg/l 20 µg/l 30 µg/l 1 Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Water management: policies, guidelines, provincial water quality objectives of the Ministry of the Environment. This document is available on the OMOE Internet site ( and is commonly referred to as the Blue Book. Also see: Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Rationale for the establishment of Ontario s provincial water quality objectives. 2 Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Canadian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. This document is available on the CCME Internet site ( 3 CWQG for aluminum: 5 µg/l where ph > 6.5; [Ca 2+ ] < 4mg/L; DOC < 2mg/L 100µg/L where ph 6.5; [Ca 2+ ] 4mg/L; DOC 2mg/L. 4 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National recommended water quality criteria. This document is available on the EPA Internet site ( 5 See ammonia fact sheet in Canadian environmental quality guidelines (CCME, 1999) for more information. 6 EPA, Update of ambient water quality criteria for ammonia ( Acute criterion for ammonia is dependent on fish species and ph. 7 {0.86[log(hardness)] - 3.2) CWQG for cadmium: 10 where the WQG is in µg/l and hardness is mg/l CaCO 3. See cadmium fact sheet in Canadian environmental quality guidelines (CCME, 1999) for more information. 8 EPA, Ambient aquatic life water quality criteria for chloride (

8 9 Environment Canada and Health Canada, Canadian Environment Protection Act priority substances list assessment report: road salts (