| #Q001 | administrative | operational | mandatory | Guidance Applicability Preconditions | aquatic life | It is to be used once preliminary and detailed site investigations have been completed and soil, sediment, groundwater, and surface water contamination has been satisfactorily characterized and delineated in accordance with regulatory requirements, procedures, and guidance. | Prior to using the concentration limits guidance | high |
| #Q002 | monitoring | operational | recommended | Salinity Determination Methods | aquatic life | To differentiate freshwater from marine/estuarine water, the salinity of the water should be determined either by a sampling program, or by reference to a credible scientific authority (e.g., the Fraser River Estuary Management Program, the ministry, Environment Canada, etc.). | When differentiating freshwater from marine/estuarine water | high |
| #Q003 | operational | operational | recommended | Transitional Salinity Stringency | aquatic life | Where the water is considered to be transitional between freshwater and marine/estuarine water, or if a proponent elects not to characterize the salinity per se, the more stringent of the freshwater or marine/estuarine standards or guidelines should be used. | When water is transitional or salinity is uncharacterized | high |
| #Q004 | monitoring | operational | recommended | Water Sampling Depth Requirement | aquatic life | However, water samples should be obtained from a depth that intersects the contamination and is representative of worst case concentrations of contaminants for the purpose of this guidance. | When obtaining water samples for concentration limits | high |
| #Q005 | reporting | operational | recommended | Contaminant Plume Stability | aquatic life | Contaminant plumes should also be demonstrated to be stable or shrinking, and seasonal and temporal effects should be taken into account. | When assessing concentration limits for water | high |
| #Q006 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Inorganic Substances Application Rule | aquatic life | Concentration limits for inorganic substances apply to dissolved substance concentrations in groundwater and porewater, but to total substance concentrations in surface water and porewater obtained from the ecologically active zone. | When assessing concentration limits for inorganic substances | high |
| #Q007 | monitoring | operational | recommended | Surface Water and Porewater Evaluation | aquatic life | Surface water and porewater in aquatic receiving environments other than maintained watercourses should be evaluated against the WQGs. | For aquatic receiving environments that are not maintained watercourses | high |
| #Q008 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Water Collection Location | aquatic life | Water is to be collected at the location of, or in the immediate vicinity of, the high water mark of an aquatic receiving environment. | Standard collection protocol for aquatic receiving environments | high |
| #Q009 | monitoring | operational | guidance | Alternative Water Sampling for Inaccessible Shorelines | aquatic life | At these sites, sampling at a representative location inland of the high water mark may be used for demonstrating compliance with the WQGs, or detailed risk assessment may be required to demonstrate protection of the aquatic receiving environment. | At sites where shorelines are lined with riprap or other porous materials, or sites where steep banks prevent access to the high water mark | high |
| #Q010 | operational | operational | recommended | Alternative Risk-Based Approach | aquatic life | Therefore, if the concentration limits at the two fixed locations (i.e., AW standards at 10 metres inland from the high water mark and WQGs at the high water mark) cannot be met, use of an alternative risk-based approach is recommended. | If fixed location concentration limits cannot be met | high |
| #Q011 | prohibition | operational | mandatory | Prohibition on Dilution Reliance | aquatic life | Reliance on dilution of substance concentrations within the aquatic receiving environment is not authorized under this guidance. | | high |
| #Q012 | operational | operational | recommended | Unstable Sediment Ecologically Active Zone Calculation | aquatic life | If sediment is unstable, a depth comprising the sum of the depth of unstable sediment and an additional 1 metre of stable sediment underlying the unstable sediment should be considered as the ecologically active zone. | If sediment is unstable | high |
| #Q013 | operational | operational | recommended | Detailed Ecological Risk Assessment Default | aquatic life | If the SedS cannot be met, the sediment quality assessment should default to detailed ecological risk assessment. | If the Contaminated Sites Regulation Sediment Standards (SedS) cannot be met | high |
| #Q014 | operational | health | recommended | Detailed Human Health Risk Assessment Default | other | If an operable human health exposure pathway is identified for sediment containing substance concentrations greater than the applicable standards, detailed human health risk assessment is recommended. | If an operable human health exposure pathway is identified for contaminated sediment | high |
| #Q015 | treatment | operational | guidance | Maintained Watercourses Water Quality Guidelines Target | aquatic life | The ministry encourages that, wherever possible, the WQGs be met in all watercourses (including maintained watercourses) at the point where surface water enters an aquatic receiving environment. | Wherever possible for maintained watercourses | high |
| #Q016 | operational | operational | guidance | Alternative Risk-Based Demonstration Criteria | aquatic life | Following the completion of detailed site investigation, an alternative risk-based approach can be used to demonstrate that: • the dilution of substance concentrations along the groundwater to surface water flow pathway results in concentrations less than 1/10th of the AW standards before the groundwater enters the aquatic receiving environment; or • groundwater quality meets a site-specific risk-based standard with a protection level appropriate for aquatic receiving environments (i.e., EC20); or • substance concentrations in groundwater do not represent an unacceptable risk to aquatic life as revealed by a detailed ecological risk assessment | Following the completion of detailed site investigation | high |
| #Q017 | prohibition | operational | mandatory | Protocol 13 Exclusion (Groundwater) | aquatic life | Contaminated groundwater within 10 metres of the high watermark of an aquatic receiving environment is excluded from evaluation under Protocol 13, 'Screening Level Risk Assessment'. | For groundwater within 10 metres of the high watermark | high |
| #Q018 | operational | health | mandatory | Intertidal Zone Human Health Standards | other | In addition to the SedS, the Regulation's Schedules 3.1 Part 1 and 2 soil standards for the protection of human health apply to sediments located in the intertidal zone of a site. | For sediments located in the intertidal zone | high |
| #Q019 | prohibition | operational | mandatory | Protocol 13 Exclusion (Sediment) | aquatic life | Unless a beneficial use exemption applies, contaminated sediments are excluded from evaluation under Protocol 13, 'Screening Level Risk Assessment'. | Unless a beneficial use exemption applies | high |