2.3 Review of Water-Q iialitv Ohjectives 



The International Joint Commission in its Report to Governments, titled " Water-Quality in the 

 Poplar River Basin", recommended that the Committee "periodically review the water-quality 

 objectives within the overall Basin context and recommend new and revised objectives as 

 appropriate". In 1991, the Committee undertook a review of water-quality objectives. 



The Committee approved changes in water-quality objectives recommended by the 1991 

 subcommittee which was formed to review the objectives. Revised objectives approved by the 

 Committee are listed in Table 2.1. 



The Committee discussed the water-quality objectives for 5-year and 3-month flow-weighted 

 concentrations for total dissolved solids and boron. Although the Committee agreed that 

 calculation procedures to determine flow-weighted concentrations are time consuming and 

 probably scientifically questionable, no consensus was reached on alternative objectives or 

 procedures. Objectives for un-ionized ammonia, pH, and mercury in fish tissue and the rationale 

 for using flow-weighted averages in the determinations of total dissolved solids and boron will 

 require additional smdy. 



Another responsibility of the Committee has included an ongoing exchange of data acquired 

 through the monitoring programs. Exchanged data and reports are available for public viewing 

 at the agencies of the participating governments or from Committee members. 



2.4 Data Exchange 



The Committee is responsible for assuring exchange of data between governments. The exchange 

 of monitoring information was initiated in the fu-st quarter of 1981 and was an expansion of the 

 informal quarterly exchange program initiated between the United States and Canada in 1976. 

 Until 1991, data were exchanged on a quarterly basis. At the request of the Committee, the 

 United States and Canada agreed to replace the quarterly exchange of data with an annual 

 exchange effective at the beginning of the 1992 calendar year. Henceforth, data will be exchanged 

 once each year as soon after the end of the calendar year as possible. However, unusual 

 conditions or anomalous information will be reported and exchanged whenever warranted. No 

 unusual conditions occurred during 1996 which warranted special reporting. 



