| #Q001 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Standardized Sample Collection | aquatic life | Each monitoring program follows standardized methods for sample collection in the field. | | medium |
| #Q002 | monitoring | reporting | mandatory | Laboratory Accreditation | aquatic life | Chemical analyses are performed in Canadian laboratories accredited by the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation or the Standards Council of Canada. | | high |
| #Q003 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Secondary Data Quality Assurance | aquatic life | Environment and Climate Change Canada perform further quality assurance/quality control to ensure datasets meet minimum data requirements for the analysis and that calculation standards are respected. | | high |
| #Q004 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Data Record Tagging | aquatic life | Each data record is tagged with the site name, the date the sample was collected, the name and the chemical form of the parameter. | | medium |
| #Q005 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Site Information Collection | aquatic life | Land-use and ecological information are also collected for each site. | | medium |
| #Q006 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Anomaly Verification | aquatic life | Unusually high or low values in the monitoring datasets are double-checked and confirmed through consultation with the data provider. | When unusually high or low values are found in monitoring datasets | high |
| #Q007 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Minimum Sample Requirement | aquatic life | Calculating the water quality status for most sites requires a minimum of 4 samples per year collected over 3 years. | For most sites | high |
| #Q008 | administrative | reporting | guidance | Minimum Sample Requirement (Northern and Remote Sites) | aquatic life | A minimum of 3 samples per year is permitted for northern and remote sites, as access during winter months can be difficult, dangerous and costly. | For northern and remote sites | high |
| #Q009 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Parameter Selection Process | aquatic life | Federal, provincial and territorial water quality experts select the parameters to be assessed at each site based on their knowledge of local water quality stressors. | | medium |
| #Q010 | administrative | reporting | guidance | Parameter Group Inclusion | aquatic life | Selected parameters typically include at least one form of the following parameter groups: nutrients (for example, phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite, total nitrogen), metals (for example, zinc, copper, lead), and physico-chemical parameters (for example, pH, turbidity), as well as 2 to 4 regionally specific parameters (for example, chloride, ammonia, dissolved oxygen, pesticides). | | medium |
| #Q011 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Guideline Selection Process | aquatic life | Federal, provincial or territorial water quality experts select the guidelines to use in the calculation of the water quality indicator based on their local relevance. | | high |
| #Q012 | administrative | reporting | recommended | Freshwater Quality Guideline Recommendation | aquatic life | The Canadian Freshwater Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life are recommended if locally relevant. | If locally relevant | high |
| #Q013 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Overlapping Drainage Area Site Selection | aquatic life | Where the upstream drainage areas of monitoring sites overlapped, the site furthest downstream was retained for the core network, as the downstream site is impacted by the maximum area in the river basin and, to some degree, reflects the cumulative impact of all upstream stresses. | Where the upstream drainage areas of monitoring sites overlap | medium |
| #Q014 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Land Use Classification Criteria | aquatic life | Criteria must be met. | For agriculture, forestry, and mining land use classification at monitoring sites | high |
| #Q015 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Indicator Calculation Timeframe | aquatic life | Three (3) years of data are used to calculate the indicator. This is to dampen temporal variability in the results caused by annual fluctuations in weather and hydrology, to make the water quality indicators more representative of how humans are impacting water quality in rivers. | | high |
| #Q016 | administrative | reporting | recommended | Temporal Comparison Care | aquatic life | Water quality varies naturally with weather and hydrological cycles. Although the Water quality in Canadian rivers indicators use a 3-year average to dampen the influence of these variations on the data such as rain fall and snow melt events, care must be taken in comparing one period to another. | When comparing one period to another | high |
| #Q017 | operational | operational | recommended | EHSS Conduct Frequency | recreational water | An EHSS should be conducted on an annual basis, just before the start of the swimming season. | Before the start of the swimming season | high |
| #Q018 | monitoring | operational | recommended | Monitoring Plan Development | recreational water | Using the data from the EHSS, a well-structured and documented monitoring plan should be developed. | | high |
| #Q019 | monitoring | health | recommended | 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. | | high |
| #Q020 | corrective_action | health | recommended | BAV Exceedance Actions | recreational water | If E. coli or enterococci concentrations exceed the established BAVs, this should trigger actions. | When concentrations exceed established BAVs | high |
| #Q021 | reporting | health | recommended | Cyanobacteria Advisory Issuance | recreational water | A swimming/contact advisory should be issued as a precaution. | Where a planktonic bloom has developed, or the guideline value for total microcystins is exceeded | high |
| #Q022 | administrative | health | recommended | Advisory Duration | recreational water | Once issued, an advisory should remain in place until the associated health risk has returned to an acceptable level. | | high |
| #Q023 | reporting | health | recommended | Swimmer's Itch Warning Signs | recreational water | Warning signs should be posted in recreational water areas where cases of swimmer's itch have been reported. | Where cases of swimmer's itch have been reported | high |
| #Q024 | monitoring | operational | recommended | Sampling and Analysis Protocol Adherence | recreational water | All collection procedures and laboratory analyses should be carried out as directed by the responsible authority. | | high |
| #Q025 | operational | health | recommended | Physical Hazard Management | recreational water | Check for hazards in the water and on the beach, remove hazards or post warnings, when required. | | high |
| #Q026 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Primary Contact Monitoring Frequency | 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. | During the swimming season | high |
| #Q027 | administrative | health | guidance | Cyanobacteria Management Plan | recreational water | Areas that are at greater risk for cyanobacteria impacts may need a cyanobacteria management plan in place. | In areas at greater risk for cyanobacteria impacts | high |
| #Q028 | reporting | health | mandatory | Public Information Provision | recreational water | The public also need access to information on the recreational water areas they are visiting, including any existing water quality hazards and the steps they can take to protect themselves. | | high |
| #Q029 | reporting | health | recommended | Benthic Mat Risk Communication | 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. | In areas where benthic mats can be reached | high |
| #Q030 | monitoring | operational | recommended | Pathogen Testing Laboratory Standards | recreational water | If testing is necessary, it should be conducted by qualified staff in laboratories with proper biosafety level, design, equipment, and procedures. | If pathogen testing is necessary | high |
| #Q031 | administrative | health | mandatory | Chemical Risk Assessment | recreational water | Assess on a case-by-case basis, taking local factors into account. | For organic and inorganic chemical contaminants | high |
| #Q032 | administrative | reporting | recommended | Consult Technical Documents | recreational water | the individual guideline technical documents should be consulted for the most current and complete information. | | high |
| #Q033 | prohibition | operational | recommended | Aquatic Plant Management Restriction | recreational water | 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. | Regarding aquatic vascular plants and algae | high |
| #Q034 | administrative | operational | 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. | For waters used solely for secondary contact | high |
| #Q035 | monitoring | operational | guidance | Multiple Sample Collection | recreational water | Each sampling event may require the collection of multiple samples to represent the water quality throughout the entire swimming area. | During sampling events to represent water quality throughout the entire area | high |
| #Q036 | administrative | operational | recommended | Geometric Mean Trend Analysis | recreational water | Summarizing fecal indicator data using geometric means is recommended for looking at water quality trends. | When looking at water quality trends | high |
| #Q037 | 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. | As part of the overall risk management plan for a recreational area | high |
| #Q038 | prohibition | health | recommended | Avoiding Activity During Blooms | 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. | Where a planktonic bloom has developed, or the guideline value for total microcystins is exceeded | high |
| #Q039 | operational | health | recommended | Beach User 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. | General recommendations for beach users | high |
| #Q040 | monitoring | health | recommended | Benthic Cyanobacteria Monitoring | recreational water | Guideline values have not been developed for benthic cyanobacteria; however, monitoring is still recommended. | | high |
| #Q041 | monitoring | health | recommended | Visual Assessment of Benthic Mats | recreational water | In clear shallow areas, the presence of benthic mats should be visually assessed. | In clear shallow areas | high |
| #Q042 | operational | health | recommended | Pathogen Risk Management Approach | recreational water | To reduce the risk of human exposure to both enteric and non-enteric pathogens, a preventive risk management approach should be implemented. | | high |
| #Q043 | monitoring | health | recommended | Fecal Indicator Monitoring for Pathogens | recreational water | This should include routine monitoring for fecal indicator organisms. | As part of a preventive risk management approach for pathogens | high |
| #Q044 | monitoring | health | guidance | Conditional Pathogen Testing | recreational water | Testing may be carried out if epidemiological or other types of evidence (for example, visible signs of deterioration) suggest that it may be informative. | When epidemiological or other evidence suggests it may be informative | high |
| #Q045 | operational | operational | guidance | Beach Sand Management Approach | recreational water | The best approach to minimize the risks associated with beach sands is to apply numerous management strategies. | | high |
| #Q046 | operational | health | guidance | Beach Sand Contamination Barriers | recreational water | Various barriers (such as restricting pet access or installing animal-proof refuse containers) can also help limit beach sand contamination. | | high |
| #Q047 | operational | health | guidance | Beach Grooming and Cleaning | recreational water | Beach grooming and cleaning can help minimize fecal contamination and reduce its transport to swimming areas. | | high |
| #Q048 | monitoring | operational | guidance | Composite Sampling Option | recreational water | This could include the use of composite sampling. | During sampling events representing the entire swimming area | high |
| #Q049 | administrative | health | guidance | Secondary Contact Suitability Assessment | recreational water | Depending on the water quality, some areas may only be suitable for secondary contact activities. | | high |
| #Q050 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Alternative Guideline Selection | agricultural water, other | Where these guidelines do not exist, other guidelines, such as irrigation guidelines, are used. | When CCME or provincial/territorial guidelines for the protection of aquatic life do not exist | high |
| #Q051 | administrative | reporting | recommended | Site-specific Guideline Development | aquatic life | site-specific guidelines may be developed using procedures based on background concentrations or a rapid assessment approach. | When background concentrations of naturally occurring substances impact measured concentration and toxicity | high |