"Water is one of New Brunswick's most important resources. We drink and bathe in it. We use it for agricultural, commerical and industrial purposes. We spend our leisure time around water when angling, camping, canoeing and swimming. As well, New Brunswick's plants and animals rely on water for their survival, using it as habitat and refuge.

In order for New Brunswick's existing surface and groundwater resources to supply us with abundant clean water for the foreseeable future, they need to be protected and managed with care.

The Water Classification Regulation is a regulation under the Clean Water Act. The purpose of water classification is to set goals for water quality and promote management of water on a watershed basis. The Water Classification Regulation establishes the water quality classes, and the associated water quality standards, and outlines the administrative processes and requirements related to the classification of water.

Water classification places the water of lakes and rivers or segments of river into categories or classes based on water quality goals. Each class is then managed according to the goal. The goals associated with a specific class are set according to the intended uses of the water, and the water quality and quantity required to protect the intended uses."

(Excerpt taken from "Understanding the Law: A Guide to New Brunswick's Water Classification Regulation" by the Government of New Brunswick Department of Environment).

For more information about the program visit the GNB Water Classification Program website.

Miramichi River

MREAC has established a partnership with the NB Department of Environment to carry out the New Brunswick Water Classification Program for the Miramichi River. It is our intent to complete this project in ten years, 2008-2018. This first step of the project, is to create a Strategic Plan outlining the process that will be taken over the ten years of the project. While this is being carried out, information and data will be exchanged between MREAC and DENV. Also a pilot project will conducted targeting the Renous River sub-watershed.

For the purpose of this project, the Miramichi River will be divided into three sections and each section will be given two years to complete the necessary tasks. These sections are: Southwest Miramichi (2010-2012), Estuary Drainage area (2012-2014) and Northwest Miramichi (2014-2016). During each year, MREAC will undergo capacity building and environmental monitoring for the designated section, which includes water quality analysis, benthos, sediment and land use data collection. Stakeholders will be encouraged to participate with the project. Their input will be most valuable when recommending designated classes for the watercourses.

The final step of this project, which will be completed in the final two years (2016-2018), will be the analysis of the data collected and the establishing of water class categories for the watercourses. A water classification template will be created and reviewed by the stakeholders. After public scrutiny, a final template will be created and presented to the Minister of Environment for approval.