Water Quality Monitoring Prepared by: Brittany Cormier (Project Leader) and Nattayada Thongboonmee (Project Technician) This page was intentionally left blank. DISCLAIMER The Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance (PWA) is a non-profit environmental charity that works to improve and maintain the ecological systems within the Petitcodiac River Watershed. We use local science to educate community members within the watershed about the ecology within the Petitcodiac River’s watershed boundary, and the importance of protecting this unique river system. Laboratorial Disclaimer The PWA has been working on monitoring water quality within the Petitcodiac Watershed with the help of government organisations and volunteers since 1997, and we have been collecting our own monthly water quality data since 1999. The PWA has our own in-house, non-accredited water microbiology lab (PWAML) where we can conduct bacterial and nutrient testing. Although the PWAML is not fully accredited (due to financial constraints), we work to ensure our testing has the same scientific merit as at a fully accredited lab: we follow all necessary protocols, standard operating procedures, training and quality management systems as per ISO 17025 certification standards. Our Laboratory Quality Management System (LQMS) can be made available upon request. Photographic Credits Unless otherwise indicated, photographs, charts, and maps in this publication are courtesy of the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance. All other photograph or map credits appear following the image caption. General Disclaimer While every effort has been made to present accurate maps and data, the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance does not guarantee that the maps and data are correct. Users of facts presented in this report, as well as the data herein must take care to ensure that applications envisaged for these data are appropriate uses. The opinions expressed in this document are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the other employees and board members of the organisation, or of the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance. The Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance 236 St. George St., Suite 405 Moncton, N.B., E1C 1W1 (506) 384-3369 Table of Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... 10 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 12 Résumé Général ........................................................................................................................... 13 Remerciements ............................................................................................................................. 15 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 16 1.1 Context ...................................................................................................................................... 16 1.2 Watershed Geography ............................................................................................................. 17 1.3 Watershed Geology and Geomorphology .............................................................................. 18 1.3.1 Sub-watersheds of the Petitcodiac ....................................................................................................... 20 1.3.1.1 The Upper Petitcodiac River System ......................................................................................... 21 1.3.1.1.1 Pollett River ........................................................................................................................... 21 1.3.1.1.2 Little River ............................................................................................................................. 22 1.3.1.1.3 North River ............................................................................................................................ 22 1.3.1.1.4 Anagance River ..................................................................................................................... 23 1.3.1.2 The Lower Petitcodiac River System ......................................................................................... 24 1.3.1.2.1 Hall’s Creek ........................................................................................................................... 24 1.3.1.2.2 Mill Creek .............................................................................................................................. 27 1.3.1.2.3 Jonathan Creek....................................................................................................................... 28 1.3.1.2.4 Humphrey’s Brook ................................................................................................................ 30 1.3.1.2.5 Rabbit Brook .......................................................................................................................... 31 1.3.1.2.6 Fox Creek............................................................................................................................... 33 1.3.1.2.7 Michael’s Brook .................................................................................................................... 34 1.3.1.3 The Memramcook River System ................................................................................................ 34 1.3.1.3.1 Breau Creek ........................................................................................................................... 36 1.3.1.3.2 Meadow Brook ...................................................................................................................... 36 1.3.1.3.3 Stony Creek ........................................................................................................................... 37 1.3.1.3.4 Smith Creek ........................................................................................................................... 38 1.3.1.3.5 South Branch of the Memramcook River .............................................................................. 39 1.3.1.3.6 Upper Branch of the Memramcook River ............................................................................. 39 1.3.1.3.7 Lower Memramcook River.................................................................................................... 40 1.4 WATER QUALITY SAMPLING SITES .............................................................................. 41 1.5 PARAMETERS & HISTORICAL TRENDS IN PARAMETER VALUES ...................... 44 1.5.1 Water Temperature............................................................................................................................... 44 1.5.1.1 Historical Trends in Water Temperature in the Petitcodiac Watershed ..................................... 45 1.5.2 Dissolved Oxygen ................................................................................................................................ 45 1.5.2.1 Historical Trends in Dissolved Oxygen in the Memramcook River Watershed ........................ 46 1.5.3 pH ......................................................................................................................................................... 46 1.5.4 Specific Conductivity ........................................................................................................................... 47 1.5.5 Salinity ................................................................................................................................................. 47 1.5.6 Total Dissolved Solids ......................................................................................................................... 48 1.5.7 Turbidity ............................................................................................................................................... 48 1.5.8 Nitrates ................................................................................................................................................. 49 1.5.9 Phosphates ............................................................................................................................................ 50 1.5.10 Total Coliforms ............................................................................................................................... 50 1.5.11 Escherichia coli ............................................................................................................................... 51 1.5.11.1 Historical Trends in E. coli levels in the Memramcook Watershed ........................................... 51 1.5.12 Guidelines for Assessing Water Quality Parameter Data ............................................................... 52 2 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................... 53 2.1 FIELD SAMPLING ................................................................................................................. 53 2.1.1 Field Observations ............................................................................................................................... 54 2.1.2 Field Sampling: Physical Parameters ................................................................................................... 54 2.1.3 Field Sampling: Bacteria and Nutrients ..............................................................................................