River, Stream and Lake Quality
This indicator describes the quality of freshwater found in water bodies such as streams, creeks and sloughs for 2003. Collectively, stream and lake quality is based on considerations of water chemistry, physical habitat and the health of small critters ("biological assemblages").

What are we doing about it?

The Public Sector, Citizens and Businesses

In BC, the Water Sustainability Committee is in the second year of a implementing the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. The Action Plan is comprehensive and provides an umbrella for grassroots initiatives, ranging from governance to site design that are informing Provincial policy through shared responsibility. The Plan aims to challenge individuals and organizations to demonstrate how to move from talk to action on water issues.

The following links may provide helpful information and are located outside the EPA.gov domain.

Some of the elements of Action Plan are:

• WaterBucket Website Partnership: Over $150,000 has been raised to develop the WaterBucket Website Partnership, which was formally launched in 2005. Intended as a clearinghouse for all information to do with water in the province, it contains virtual Communities of Interest, including green infrastructure, watershed-based community planning, agricultural irrigation, water policy/governance, and rainwater management.¹⁵
• Water$ave Tool Kit for British Columbia: Initially developed by the Ministry of Environment in 2004, the Water$ave Tool Kit is now a key part of WaterBucket. More than 50 province-wide success stories have been posted under "Water Use and Conservation."¹⁶
• Convening for Action – Roundtable on Water Sustainability: $75,000 has been raised for the WSC to complete initial tasks towards organizing a transformational event in mid-2006 that will be the catalyst for water policy/governance reform in BC.
• Watershed/Landscape-Based Approach to Community Planning: Participation of the WSC in a National Working Group has resulted in this approach being referenced in an InfraGuide Best Practice document for integration of land use and infrastructure planning.

In the Puget Sound Georgia Basin, there are a number of government agencies that are working with communities, non-profits and businesses to improve freshwater quality. Joint efforts include the work associated with the International Task Force, the Puget Sound Conservation and Recovery Plan and the 2003-2005 Georgia Basin Action Plan.

All of these efforts have in common coordinated policy development, research, monitoring, specific workplans and community outreach. Areas of focus include:

Stormwater planning

There are extensive plans and best management practices which are designed to reduce the amount of polluted stormwater from reaching freshwater and marine resources.

Low Impact Development

Many agencies are focusing on the use of site specific strategies that use landscaping design (plants and rocks) and reducing impervious surfaces to increase infiltration, thereby reducing polluted runoff.

Farm planning and Dairy Nutrient Management Plans

These efforts focus on the relationships between natural resource agencies like the BC Ministry of Environment or the Washington State Department of Ecology, and Farm Associations, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Extension services (Washington State University) and Conservation Districts. Planning, technical assistance, funding and public outreach are involved with all efforts.

Natural Landscaping

Many public agencies sponsor programs that encourage the use of natural landscaping techniques that build healthy soil and plants without chemical herbicides and fertilizers.

Pollution Prevention and Purchasing Strategies

These same agencies have developed programs to help homes and businesses reduce polluted stormwater runoff. As a corollary to operations and maintenance issues such as storage, preventing oil spills and proper disposal of products, there is a strong effort to reduce or eliminate the use of products that contain toxic materials (see the Solid Waste and Recycling Indicator).

There are a plethora of business organizations that see the value in protecting freshwater resources. In addition, there are many examples of collaborative alliances that help businesses become more economically successful by avoiding fines, taxes, excess insurance and poor public relations associated with litigation and pollution. Examples include the Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability.¹⁷

In Seattle, the Chamber of Commerce has a new Sustainable Business Committee, and the Resource Venture provides technical assistance to businesses in water conservation, stormwater, green building and waste reduction and recycling.¹⁸

The Department of Ecology's Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program offers substantial technical outreach and funding to businesses and communities related to industrial processes, building, stormwater management pollution prevention, and solid waste reduction.¹⁹

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