Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee 



Department of State 

 Washington. D.C.. United States 



Department of Foreign Affairs 

 and International Trade Canada 

 Ottawa. Ontario. Canada 



Governor's Office 

 State of Montana 

 Helena. Montana. United States 



Ladies and Gentlemen: 



Saskatchewan Environment and 

 Resource Management 

 Regina, Saskatchewan. Canada 



Herein is the 22nd Annual Report of the Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee. This report 

 discusses the Committee activities of 2002 and presents the proposed schedule for the year 2003. 



During 2002. the Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee continued to fulfil the responsibilities 

 assigned by the governments under the Poplar River Cooperative Monitoring Arrangement dated September 

 23. 1980. Through exchange of Diplomatic Notes in March 1987. July 1992. July 1997, and March 2002. 

 the Arrangement was extended. The Monitoring Committee Arrangement is currently extended to March 

 2007. 



The enclosed report summarizes current water-quality conditions and compares them to guidelines for 

 specific parameter values that were developed by the International Joint Commission under the 1977 

 Reference from Canada and the United States. After evaluation of the monitoring information for 2002. the 

 Committee finds that the measured conditions meet the recommended objectives. The Committee notes that 

 the flow-weighted concentration of total dissolved solids in streamflow in the East Poplar River at the 

 International Boundary remains close to the long-term objective of 1.000 milligrams per litre, but did not 

 exceed the objective in 2002. 



Based on IJC recommendations, the United States was entitled to an on-demand release of 617 dam' (500 

 acre-feet) from Cookson Reservoir in 2002. Montana requested the release be made during May 1-31. 2002. 

 A volume of 542 dam (439 acre-feet) was delivered to the United States during this period. In addition. 

 dail\ flows in 2002 met or exceeded the minmtum flow recommended by the IJC. 



During 2002. monitoring continued in accordance with Technical Monitoring Schedules outlined in the 

 1992 Annual Report of the Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee. 



Yours sincerely. 



Robert Davis 



Chairman. United States Section 



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JacK Stults 



Member. United States Section 



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Richard Kellow 



Chairman. Canadian Section 



