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The Water Quality Index (WQI), developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) is used to assess the water quality of Pukaskwa’s rivers and streams. Three key stressors (acidification, eutrophication and metal loading) are assessed using nine parameters [pH, aluminum, calcium, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen concentration, iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb)]. Water samples are collected three times a year (spring, summer and fall) from each sampling site (White River, Willow River, Oiseau Creek, White Gravel River, North Swallow River, Swallow, Cascade River, Tagouche Creek and Imogene Creek). Samples are sent to the National Laboratory for Environmental Testing (NLET), Burlington, ON, to test for metals and to Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste.

Benthic samples are collected from 6 streams (Oiseau Creek, White Gravel River, North Swallow River, Swallow River, Tagouche Creek and Imogene Creek) in mid to late September using standarized methods for collecting invertebrates developed by the Canadian Biomonitoring Network (CABIN). Five sub-measures are calculated for the status of this measure; family richness, percent oligochaeta, the Hilsenhoff family biotic index (HfBI), Ephemeroptera - Plecoptera - Tricoptera (EPT) index and a multivariate community metric (90th percentile Hellinger's Distance).

The dataset contains data for placer watersheds locations. The dataset covers 18 watersheds within the Yukon Territory. The following watersheds form the principle boundaries of the dataset: Big Creek, Big Salmon River, Forty Mile River Indian River, Klondike River, Mayo River McQuesten River, Nisutlin River, Nordenskiold River Pelly River, Sixty Mile River, Southern Lakes (Yukon) Stewart River, White River*, Yukon River North Yukon River South, Alsek River, Liard River *Note - A small portion of the headwaters of the Tanana River (Yukon) watershed is associated within the boundaries of the White River watershed

Stream thermal regime has important consequences for aquatic organisms, and is sensitive to climate and land use. The Park is monitoring thermal regimes at 10 sites annually from spring to fall using temperature loggers. The water temperature is recorded hourly and these data used to assess the suitability of the thermal environment of streams for Brook Trout.

Regional stream sediment geochemical data Tay River, Yukon (NTS 105K east)

As part of a water quality survey, stream samples were collected throughout the Big Creek, Lynn River, and Nanticoke Creek Watershed in Southern Ontario in 2008. The project was undertaken to examine stream water quality under base flow conditions and was done in support of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s ongoing work to assess the status of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin. Sample collection was done at roadside stream crossings using a stainless steel bucket. Field parameters (temperature, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH) were determined on site using a YSI 600QS Sonde.

Thousand Islands NP installs temperature data loggers to monitor hourly stream water temperatures at designated stream study sites from spring until fall.

Terra Nova National Park employs fixed station pressure/temperature loggers to continuously monitor stream water temperatures over the entire summer at designated stream study sites.

Hydrology is a key factor affecting biodiversity and the ecological functioning of aquatic and riparian ecosystems through sediment transport, erosion, water chemistry, etc. Automated data loggers are being used to record year-round hourly measurments of absolute in-stream pressure, absolute barometric pressure and water level in headwater streams of the Ivitak focal watershed, in Torngat Mountains national park. Note that because the data loggers being used (Hobo U20) also records hourly water temperature readings this measure is co-located with a stream temperature measure.

Stream hydrology strongly affects habitat quality for most stream-dwelling species, and is affected by both climate and land use. This measure, which is colocated with stream temperature regime, reports on flow parameters in 10-12 park streams over time - using in-situ water level data loggers, as well as hydrometric stations.