1.0 INTRODUCTION 



The Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee was authorized for an initial period of five years by 

 the Governments of Canada and the United States under the Poplar River Cooperative Monitoring 

 Arrangement dated September 23, 1980. A copy of the Arrangement is attached to this report as Annex 

 1. Through exchange of Diplomatic Notes, the Arrangement was extended in March 1987, July 1992, 

 July 1997, and March 2002. The current extension expires in March 2007. A more detailed account of 

 the historical background of the Monitoring Arrangement is contained in the 1 990 Annual Report of the 

 Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee. 



The Committee oversees monitoring programs designed to evaluate the potential for transboundary 

 impacts from SaskPower's (formerly Saskatchewan Power Corporation) coal-fired thermal generating 

 station and ancillary operations near Coronach, Saskatchewan. Monitoring is conducted in Canada and 

 the United States at or near the International Boundary for quantity and quality of surface and ground 

 water and for air quality. Participants from both countries, including Federal, State and Provincial 

 agencies, are involved in monitoring. 



The Committee submits an annual report to Governments which summarizes the monitoring results, 

 evaluates apparent trends, and compares the data to objectives or standards recommended by the 

 International Joint Commission (IJC) to Governments, or relevant State, Provincial, or Federal 

 standards. The Committee reports to Governments on a calendar year basis. The Committee is also 

 responsible for drawing to the attention of Governments definitive changes in monitored parameters 

 which may require immediate attention. 



A responsibility of the Committee is to review the adequacy of the monitoring programs in both 

 countries and make recommendations to Governments on the Technical Monitoring Schedules. The 

 Schedules are updated annually for new and discontinued programs and for modifications in sampling 

 frequencies, parameter lists, and analytical techniques of ongoing programs. The Technical Monitoring 

 Schedules listed in the annual report (Annex 2) are given for the year 2004. The Committee will 

 continue to review and propose changes to the Technical Monitoring Schedules as information 

 requirements change. 



