| #Q001 | administrative | unknown | mandatory | International River Improvements Act Licensing | other | It requires a license for dams, reservoirs, or other works on rivers that may alter the flow of rivers flowing into the United States (US). | Applies to dams, reservoirs, or other works on rivers that may alter the flow of rivers flowing into the United States | high |
| #Q002 | prohibition | unknown | mandatory | Fisheries Act and Migratory Birds Convention Act Pollution Prohibitions | other | Section 36(3) of the Fisheries Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 both have strong general prohibitions against pollution. | | medium |
| #Q003 | operational | operational | mandatory | Environmental Emergency Planning and Response | other | The Environmental Emergency Regulations, 1999 require facilities to prevent, plan, respond, and recover from environmental emergencies, including those with significant risks to fresh water. | Facilities with significant risks to fresh water | high |
| #Q004 | prohibition | unknown | mandatory | Pulp and Paper Effluent Deposit Prohibition | wastewater, aquatic life | The Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations limit the deposit of harmful substances by pulp and paper mills into fish-bearing waters and prohibit deposits that are acutely lethal to fish. | Applies to pulp and paper mills depositing into fish-bearing waters | high |
| #Q005 | monitoring | operational | recommended | EHSS Frequency | recreational water | An EHSS should be conducted on an annual basis, just before the start of the swimming season. | Conducted annually before swimming season | high |
| #Q006 | monitoring | operational | recommended | Monitoring Plan Development | recreational water | Using the data from the EHSS, a well-structured and documented monitoring plan should be developed. | Based on EHSS data | high |
| #Q007 | monitoring | health | recommended | Routine Fecal Indicator Monitoring | recreational water | In general, recreational areas used for primary contact activities are monitored for fecal indicators (such as E. coli or enterococci) at a minimum frequency of one sampling event per week during the swimming season. | Primary contact recreational areas during swimming season | high |
| #Q008 | corrective_action | health | recommended | BAV Exceedance Actions | recreational water | If E. coli or enterococci concentrations exceed the established BAVs, this should trigger actions. | Concentrations exceed established beach action values (BAV) | high |
| #Q009 | reporting | health | recommended | Cyanobacteria Advisory Protocol | recreational water | Primary contact activities in recreational waters should be avoided where a planktonic bloom has developed, or the guideline value for total microcystins is exceeded. A swimming/contact advisory should be issued as a precaution. | Planktonic bloom presence or microcystin guideline exceedance | high |
| #Q010 | reporting | health | recommended | Swimmer's Itch Notification | recreational water | Warning signs should be posted in recreational water areas where cases of swimmer's itch have been reported. | Reported cases of swimmer's itch (cercarial dermatitis) | high |
| #Q011 | operational | operational | recommended | Laboratory Analysis Compliance | recreational water | All collection procedures and laboratory analyses should be carried out as directed by the responsible authority. | | high |
| #Q012 | monitoring | unknown | guidance | Fecal Source Identification | recreational water | Responsible authorities are encouraged to identify the sources of fecal contamination impacting a recreational water area to aid in public health decisions and to inform remediation prioritization to improve water quality. | Presence of fecal contamination in recreational water areas | high |
| #Q013 | monitoring | operational | recommended | Geometric Mean Trend Analysis | recreational water | Summarizing fecal indicator data using geometric means is recommended for looking at water quality trends. | Assessing overall suitability for recreation based on monitoring data | high |
| #Q014 | monitoring | unknown | guidance | Cyanobacteria Risk Prioritization | recreational water | responsible authorities can use criteria to identify the areas that are at greater risk for bloom formation. | Identifying areas to prioritize for cyanobacteria monitoring | high |
| #Q015 | monitoring | operational | recommended | Cyanobacteria Monitoring Integration | recreational water | This monitoring should be included as part of the overall risk management plan for a recreational water area. | Applicable to monitoring for cyanobacteria blooms and toxins | high |
| #Q016 | reporting | health | recommended | Cyanobacteria Advisory Duration | recreational water | Once issued, an advisory should remain in place until the associated health risk has returned to an acceptable level. | Following the issuance of a swimming/contact advisory due to a bloom or microcystin exceedance | high |
| #Q017 | reporting | health | recommended | Benthic Mat Exposure Advisory | recreational water | In areas where benthic mats can be reached, individuals should be advised to avoid these areas, including keeping pets away from the impacted areas. | Presence of benthic cyanobacteria mats in clear shallow areas | high |
| #Q018 | operational | operational | recommended | Qualified Laboratory Testing | recreational water | If testing is necessary, it should be conducted by qualified staff in laboratories with proper biosafety level, design, equipment, and procedures. | When testing for pathogenic microorganisms is required | high |
| #Q019 | corrective_action | operational | recommended | Physical Hazard Remediation and Warning | recreational water | Check for hazards in the water and on the beach, remove hazards or post warnings, when required. | Presence of hazards such as litter, shells, sharp rocks, or dangerous currents | high |
| #Q020 | monitoring | unknown | recommended | Chemical Hazard Case-by-Case Assessment | recreational water | Assess on a case-by-case basis, taking local factors into account. | Assessment of organic and inorganic chemical characteristics in recreational waters | high |
| #Q021 | prohibition | unknown | recommended | Aquatic Plant and Algae Treatment Restriction | recreational water, aquatic life | Actions that involve trying to remove these organisms from natural waters or to treat them using pesticides may be harmful to the aquatic environment and are discouraged. | Management of aquatic vascular plants and algae in natural waters | high |
| #Q022 | administrative | operational | guidance | Cyanobacteria Management Plan Implementation | recreational water | Areas that are at greater risk for cyanobacteria impacts may need a cyanobacteria management plan in place. | Applies to recreational areas identified as having greater risk for cyanobacteria impacts | high |
| #Q023 | administrative | reporting | guidance | Secondary Contact Guideline Development | recreational water | For recreational water areas that are used solely for secondary contact activities, responsible authorities may choose to develop secondary contact guidelines. | Recreational water areas used solely for secondary contact activities | high |
| #Q024 | monitoring | health | recommended | Benthic Mat Visual Assessment | recreational water | In clear shallow areas, the presence of benthic mats should be visually assessed. | Applicable in clear shallow recreational water areas | high |
| #Q025 | operational | health | recommended | Implementation of Preventive Risk Management Approach for Pathogens | recreational water | To reduce the risk of human exposure to both enteric and non-enteric pathogens, a preventive risk management approach should be implemented. | General requirement for recreational water safety regarding biological hazards | high |
| #Q026 | administrative | operational | recommended | Technical Document Consultation | recreational water | the individual guideline technical documents should be consulted for the most current and complete information. | | high |
| #Q027 | administrative | health | recommended | Health Risk Balancing | recreational water | Public health decisions should balance health risks with the enjoyment and exercise that comes from these activities. | | high |
| #Q028 | reporting | health | guidance | Seasonal Advisory Option | recreational water | In areas with a history of reoccurring blooms, advisories may be left in place for the season once a bloom occurs, particularly if the water conditions change quickly or there are limited resources to conduct frequent inspections. | Areas with a history of reoccurring blooms | high |
| #Q029 | administrative | health | recommended | Biological Hazard Guidance | recreational water | The responsible authority should be contacted for further guidance on these subjects where necessary. | Applicable to hazards such as jellyfish, leech bites, sea urchins, and mussel shells | high |
| #Q030 | administrative | health | recommended | Beach User Compliance and Hygiene | recreational water | Beach users can also do their part by properly disposing of litter, using available facilities for hygiene practices, and complying with beach regulations or codes of conduct. | Applicable to beach users in recreational areas | high |
| #Q031 | reporting | health | guidance | High-Risk Advisory Issuance | recreational water | If the level of risk is too high, the authorities may issue an advisory. | When the level of health risk is determined to be too high | high |
| #Q032 | operational | operational | mandatory | Analytical Method Selection Factors | recreational water | The analytical method employed will depend on factors such as monitoring program requirements, laboratory capability and capacity, beach-specific considerations (for example, source water characteristics) and jurisdictional requirements. | | high |