N.B. portal allows residents to access water quality data for lakes and rivers

Ducks are seen swimming in the Saint John River in Saint John, N.B. (CTV Atlantic/Avery MacRae)

New Brunswick is making it easier for residents to access water quality data for the province’s lakes and rivers.

“We work with Environment and Climate Change Canada, First Nations organizations and various non-profit groups to evaluate the water quality of nearly 2,500 lakes and 60,000 kilometres of streams and rivers here in New Brunswick,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Gilles LePage in a news release Friday.

“We have a beautiful province, and it’s important to protect our natural resources.”

The province says the monitoring program has several goals, which are:

• Monitor and report publicly on the water quality of major rivers and lakes.
• Provide reliable data to help with government assessments, planning and approvals.
• Contribute water quality data for the annual Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicator report, using the water quality index endorsed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.

The new updated portal includes data collected by the department and its partners since 2003 and is updated regularly.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.