Did you know that there are over 30 groups in the province Restigouche Watershed of New Brunswick working to protect our waters? Management Council Campbellton NBers Love Chaleur Bay U Here we profile just a small sample of them in different p s a lq corners of the province. We hope that this inspires you to ui tch Caraquet Their Watersheds Riv Bathurst e r r get involved with your local watershed group. e By Tracy Glynn, v i R Kaleigh Holder and k ic w Emily McPhee g d Esgenoôpetitj Watershed Association e K Esgenoôpetitj Watershed iguit ipis River Association The Esgenoôpetitj Watershed Association was established just this Edmundston N past November. Samantha Robichaud and Lorraine Savoie, both environmental monitoring technicians with the group, are more What is water classification, anyway? than excited to be a part of an association that’s creating jobs and Water classification systems, in place worldwide, informing the public on water issues. use science to set transparent goals for water quality. Jurisdictions “classify” their rivers, lakes, and tributaries, using certain scientific-based parameters Restigouche Watershed Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance (for example, dissolved oxygen, nutrient status and Management Council Grand Falls aquatic life), and then work with groups in each In 2016, the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance celebrated watershed, including business, community and The Restigouche River Watershed Northumberland the announcement of the removal of the causeway environmental organizations, to either protect those Management Council works to ensure Miramichi Straight affecting the Petitcodiac River and its replacement with a values or to improve on them. That ensures river conservation and restoration of the bridge. “We stand on the shoulders of giants, and I am health is maintained or improved over time. Atlantic salmon and its habitat in the forever grateful for those who came before us. Today, Restigouche River. Members of the the Petitcodiac River will be formally resurrected in the Used all over Europe, in New Zealand and in council include local First Nations, Richibucto eyes of our government and community. To those who ver most parts of the United States, this system of i Ri walked across the causeway holding a casket which read municipalities, recreational groups Miramich protecting watersheds has led to sustainable and industry. Doaktown “Petitcodiac RIP,” I hope that we have made you proud,” water management plans and restoration projects said Christine McLauchlan, the Petitcodiac Watershed that connect the upstream and downstream Alliance’s Executive Director. communities. Nashwaak Watershed New Brunswick started work on this science- Nashwaak Watershed Association r Association ive based system over 15 years ago with the passing Woodstock on R The Nashwaak River is a popular alm of the Water Classification Regulation of our Clean S New Brunswick Watersheds destination for canoeing, salmon r e Water Act with the intent to “eventually classify all fishing and tubing. The Nashwaak iv Petitcodiac Watershed Fredericton Area R Alliance waters in the Province, watershed by watershed.” Watershed Association works to protect an Chaleur Bay Composite Watersheds Association Canaan-Washademoak na Nineteen watershed groups conducted extensive healthy natural areas in the Nashwaak Watershed Association Ca data collection to submit their river systems for Watershed through acquiring and East Fundy Composite classification, none of the proposals have been restoring land. The organization also Sussex Moncton approved. strives to ensure that the Nashwaak Fredericton Northumberland Straight Composite Among the groups to submit proposals was the River and its tributaries are green Oromocto corridors that connect to forested Belleisle Watershed Nashwaak Watershed Association who have been Coalition Oromocto proactive in seeking classification. A complaint filed upland, that pollution sources are R Inner Bay of Fundy Composite iv addressed and reduced, and that native e by the association and many other environmental r groups led to an investigation by to the Office of fish species thrive and salmon return in McAdam greater numbers to the Nashwaak River. Miramichi River the Ombudsman, into the government’s delay in M Belleisle Watershed Coalition ag a enacting the Water Classification Regulation. g u The Belleisle Watershed covers the 37,000 ha of a d Nepisiquit River The Ombudsman’s report was released in 2014 a forests and farmlands that surround Belleisle Bay. vi c R and found that the classification system provides iv Fredericton Area Watersheds Association e The Belleisle Watershed Coalition conducts water no protection because the Water Classification r quality sampling and monitoring and recently The Fredericton Area Watersheds Saint John Acadian Peninsula Composite Regulation has never been enforced. The celebrated the development of the Belleisle Creek Association works to protect water quality Ombudsman stated that the government has all of St. Andrews Trail that stretches 5 km. in streams that meet the St. John River the information available to approve the Nashwaak Fundy Isles Composite within the city’s boundaries. Activities Watershed Association but have been dragging include in-depth monitoring of water quality, their feet. Petitcodiac Composite land use, and socioeconomic conditions. In March 2016 the Department of Environment and FAWA now works intensively with students Canaan-Washademoak Watershed Association Local Government announced that they would begin at Fredericton’s high schools, and UNB Bay of Fundy The Canaan-Washademoak Watershed Association Restigouche River Basin work on developing a new comprehensive water on stewardship activities such as tree works with landowners, public agencies, the protection strategy. This opportunity gives First plantings, stream and wetland clean-ups, academic community, and the private sector to Saint John River Basin Nations, scientists, business and local watershed and community gardening. protect and improve water quality in the Canaan groups and the environmental community hope that River and Washademoak Lake. Activities include the neglected Water Classification Regulation will be monthly meetings with expert speakers, workshops, St. Croix River Basin enacted as the strategy’s key component. community events, and research and monitoring. West Fundy Composite 10 ecoalert SPRING 2017 9 - Petitcodiac Composite11 www.conservationcouncil.ca11 - Saint John River Basin.