Kings Agricultural Wetland and Biodiversity Conservation Initiative
Results of Water Quality Monitoring
2007-2010
SUMMARY
As part of the Kings Agricultural Wetland and Biodiversity Conservation Initiative being carried out by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, a water quality monitoring program was initiated at two agriculture demonstration sites located within the upper reaches of the Cornwallis River watershed.. One of the major objectives of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) implemented at the demonstration sites to improve water quality within the Cornwallis River. This report describes the approach taken to monitor and evaluate water quality and the results that have been attained over the period between 2007 and 2009.
The water quality parameters monitored include nutrient concentrations, fecal coliform bacteria numbers, turbidity, water temperature, conductivity, pH and dissolved oxygen levels. The results obtained to date indicate that water quality at the demonstration sites is severely impacted as exemplified by high levels of nutrients and fecal coliform
numbers and, at times, high turbidity and low dissolved oxygen levels. This is also true of water quality within the River prior to its entering the demonstration sites. There is some evidence to indicate that some of the BMPs implemented to date, which mainly include riparian zone fencing and construction of artificial wetlands, have had an
impact on improvement of water quality, and that this is likely to increase as the biological components of the riparian buffer zones and constructed wetlands further develop.