Table 30. Summary of Guidelines for Total Gas Pressure (TGP)

Water Use	Recommended Guideline
Drinking Water Supply	None proposed
Freshwater and Marine Aquatic Life - local water depth greater than 1 m	maximum DP is less than or equal to 76 mm Hg or less than or equal to 110% at sea level
Freshwater and Marine Aquatic Life - background levels exceed guidelines	no increase in DP or % TGP
Freshwater and Marine Aquatic Life - hatchery environments	maximum DP = 24 mm Hg or 103% at sea level DP=0 mm Hg when pO2 is less than or equal to 100 mm Hg
Wildlife	None proposed
Livestock Water Supply	None proposed
Irrigation	None proposed
Primary Contact Recreation	None proposed

1. DP = excess gas pressure in mm Hg. 2. p02 = partial pressure of dissolved oxygen in mm of Hg. References 20 and 20a

 

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Table 31. Summary of Water Quality Guidelines for Colour

Water Use	Colour Units	Recommended Guidelines
Drinking Water Supply (without treatment for colour removal)	True	15 mg/L Pt
Aquatic Life Fresh, Marine and Estuarine	Apparent	30-day average transmission of white light greater than or equal to 80% of background.
Aquatic Life Fresh, Marine and Estuarine	True	30-day average true colour of filtered water samples shall not exceed background levels by more than 5 mg/L Pt in clearwater systems or 20% in coloured systems.
Wildlife	Apparent	30-day average transmission of white light greater than or equal to 80% of background.
Wildlife	True	30-day average true colour of filtered water samples shall not exceed background levels by more than 5 mg/L Pt in clearwater systems or 20% in coloured systems.
Recreation and Aesthetics - fresh, marine and estuarine	Apparent	Secchi disc sighting range greater than or equal to 1.5 m (30-day average).
Recreation and Aesthetics - fresh, marine and estuarine	True	15 mg/L Pt (30-day average)

1. A value of 15 mg/L platinum is the existing Ministry of Health value. Reference 29

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Table 32. Summary of Water Quality Guidelines for Organic Carbon

Water Use	Organic Carbon	Recommended Guidelines
Drinking Water Supply - with chlorination	TOC	4 mg/L source water
Drinking Water Supply - other disinfection	—	Not recommended
Aquatic Life - fresh water	TOC	30-day median ± 20% of the median background concentration.
Aquatic Life - fresh water	DOC	30-day median ± 20% of the median background concentration.
Wildlife	TOC	30-day median ± 20% of the median background concentration.
Wildlife	DOC	30-day median ± 20%
Industrial Water Supply	—	None recommended
Irrigation	—	None recommended
Recreation and Aesthetics	—	None recommended
Livestock Watering	—	None recommended

TOC = Total organic carbon DOC = Dissolved organic carbon Reference 30

 

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Table 33. Recommended Guidelines for Zinc

Water Use	Guideline (µg/L Total Zinc)
Drinking Water	5000
Recreation and Aesthetics	5000
Marine Life	10
Livestock Watering	2000
Irrigation - soil pH less than 6	1000
Irrigation - soil pH equal to or greater than 6 and less than 7	2000
Irrigation - soil pH greater than or equal to 7	5000
Freshwater Aquatic Life - maximum concentration — water hardness less than or equal to 90 water hardness equal to 100 water hardness equal to 200 water hardness equal to 300 water hardness equal to 400	use the equation 33 + 0.75 x (hardness - 90) — 33 40 115 190 265
Freshwater Aquatic Life - 30-day average concentration — water hardness less than or equal to 90 water hardness equal to 100 water hardness equal to 200 water hardness equal to 300 water hardness equal to 400	use the equation 7.5 + 0.75 x (hardness - 90) — 7.5 15 90 165 240

1. When the ambient zinc concentration in the environment exceeds the guideline, then further degradation of the ambient or existing water quality should be avoided. 2. These are instantaneous maximums. 3. Averages are of five weekly measurements taken over a 30-day period. 4. Water hardness is measured as mg/L of CaCO3. Reference 31

 

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Table 34. Recommended Guidelines for Ethylbenzene

Water Use	Guideline (mg/L Ethylbenzene)
Raw Drinking Water (aesthetics)	0.0024 mg/L
Fresh Water Aquatic Life	0.20* mg/L
Marine Aquatic Life	0.25* mg/L
Recreation	0.0024 mg/L
Crop Irrigation	insufficient data
Livestock Watering	insufficient data

*1. Revised B.C. guidelines based on review of CCME Water Quality Guidelines for Ethylbenzene 2. All guidelines are maximum values. Reference 28

 

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Table 35. Summary of Water Quality Guidelines for Toluene

Water Use	Guideline (mg/L Toluene)
Raw Drinking Water (aesthetics)	0.024 mg/L
Fresh Water Aquatic Life	0.039 mg/L
Marine Estuarine Aquatic Life	0.33 mg/L
Recreation	none proposed
Crop Irrigation	none proposed
Livestock Watering	0.024 mg/L

1. All guidelines are maximum total values. Reference 33

 

 

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Table 36. Summary of Water Quality Guidelines for Sulphate

Water Use	Guideline (mg/L sulphate)
Raw Drinking Water (aesthetics)	500 mg/L
Fresh Water Aquatic Life (maximum)	100 mg/L
Fresh Water Aquatic Life (alert level)	50 mg/L

1. Maximum concentration: not to be exceeded at any time. 2. Alert level: monitor the health of aquatic moss populations occasionally. Reference 34

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Table 37. Examples of the Recommended Acute Guidelines to Protect Freshwater Aquatic Life from the Toxic Effects of Manganese

Maximum at Specified CaCO3 Hardness	Guideline (mg/L total Manganese)
25 mg/L	0.8 mg/L
50 mg/L	1.1 mg/L
100 mg/L	1.6 mg/L
150 mg/L	2.2 mg/L
300 mg/L	3.8 mg/L

1. When the ambient manganese concentration in the environment exceeds the guideline then further degradation of the ambient or existing water quality should be avoided. 2. The instantaneous maximum is calculated from less than or equal to 0.01102 hardness + 0.54. Reference 35

 

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Table 38. Examples of the Recommended Chronic Guidelines to Protect Freshwater Aquatic Life from the Toxic Effects of Manganese

30-Day Mean at Specified CaCO3 Hardness	Guideline (mg/L total Manganese)
25 mg/L	0.7mg/L
50 mg/L	0.8 mg/L
100 mg/L	1.0 mg/L
150 mg/L	1.3 mg/L
300 mg/L	1.9 mg/L

1. When the ambient manganese concentration in the environment exceeds the guideline then further degradation of the ambient or existing water quality should be avoided. 2. The mean of 5 weekly measurements over a 30-day period is calculated from less than or equal to 0.0044 hardness + 0.605. Reference 35

 

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Table 39. Recommended Guidelines for Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE)

Water Use	Recommended Guidelines
Raw Drinking Water (aesthetics)	0.02 mg/L maximum
Recreation and Aesthetics	0.02 mg/L maximum
Livestock Watering	11.0 mg/L maximum
Wildlife, Irrigation	Insufficient Data
Aquatic Life (freshwater)	3.4 mg/L maximum
Aquatic Life (marine, estuarine)	0.44 mg/L maximum

For livestock watering, concentrations above the taste and odour thresholds that are below the livestock guideline may result in certain livestock avoiding water, reducing consumption and suffering associated adverse effects. Reference 36

 

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Table 40. Recommended Guideline for Selenium

Water Use	Guideline for Total Selenium
Drinking Water	10 µg/L maximum
Aquatic Life (freshwater)	2.0 µg/L mean
Aquatic Life (marine)	2.0 µg/L mean
Aquatic Life (sediments	2.0 µg/g (dry weight) mean
Aquatic Life (tissue)	1.0 µg/g body weight (wet weight) mean
Wildlife	4.0 µg/L mean
Irrigation	10 µg/L mean
Livestock Watering	30.0 µg/L mean

1. For the aquatic life sediment guideline the total organic carbon in the sediment is assumed to be 5%. 2. The aquatic life sediment and tissue values are interim guidelines and apply to both freshwater and marine environments. 3. The mean concentrations in the water column are based on at least 5 weekly samples taken over a 30-day period; in tissue or sediment samples they are based on 5 independent samples. Reference 37

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Table 41. Recommended Guidelines for Temperature

Water Use	Recommended Guideline
Drinking Water Supply	15 degrees Celsius maximum
Freshwater Aquatic Life - streams with bull trout and/or Dolly Varden	maximum 10 degrees Celsius-spawning maximum 15 degrees Celsius-rearing maximum 10 degrees Celsius-incubation minimum 2 degrees Celsius-incubation
Freshwater Aquatic Life - streams with known fish distribution	+ or - 1 degree Celsius change beyond optimum temperature range as shown in Table 42 for each life history phase of the most sensitive salmonid species present Hourly rate of change not to exceed 1 degree Celsius
Freshwater Aquatic Life - streams with unknown fish distribution	Mean Weekly Maximum Temperature (MWMT) = 18 degrees Celsius (maximum daily temperature = 19 degrees Celsius) Hourly rate of change not to exceed 1 degree Celsius maximum incubation temperature = 12 degrees Celsius (in the Spring and the Fall)
Freshwater Aquatic Life - lakes and impoundments	+ or - 1 degree Celsius change from natural ambient background
Marine and Estuarine Aquatic Life	+ or - 1 degree Celsius change from natural ambient background hourly rate of change up to 0.5 degrees Celsius
Wildlife and Livestock Watering Irrigation and Industrial Water Supplies	+ or - 1 degree Celsius change from natural ambient background
Recreation and Aesthetics	30 degrees Celsius maximum The thermal characteristics of waters used for bathing and swimming should not cause an appreciable increase or decrease in the deep body temperature of bathers and swimmers.

 

Reference 38

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Table 42. Optimum Temperature Ranges of Specific Life History Stages of Salmonids and Other Cold water species for Guideline Application

Species	Incubation	Rearing	Migration	Spawning
Salmon
Chinook	5.0-14.0	10.0-15.5	3.3-19.0	5.6-13.9
Chum	4.0-13.0	12.0-14.0	8.3-15.6	7.2-11.8
Coho	4.0-13.0	9.0-16.0	7.2-15.6	4.4-12.8
Pink	4.0-13.0	9.3-15.5	7.2-15.6	7.2-12.8
Sockeye	4.0-13.0	10.0-15.0	7.2-15.6	10.6-12.8
Trout
Brown	1.0-10.0	6.0-17.6	—	7.2-12.8
Cutthroat	9.0-12.0	7.0-16.0	—	9.0-12.0
Rainbow	10.0-12.0	16.0-18.0	—	10.0-15.5
Char
Arctic char	1.5-5.0	5.0-16.0	—	4.0
Brook Trout	1.5-9.0	12.0-18.0	—	7.1-12.8
Bull Trout	2.0-6.0	6.0-14.0	—	5.0-9.0
Dolly Varden	—	8.0-16.0	—	—
Lake Trout	5.0	6.0-17.0	—	10.0
Grayling
Arctic grayling	7.0-11.0	10.0-12.0	—	4.0-9.0
Whitefish
Lake Whitefish	4.0-6.0	12.0-16.0	—	greater than 8.0
Mountain Whitefish	less than 6.0	9.0-12.0	—	less than 6.0
Other Species
Burbot	4.0-7.0	15.6-18.3	—	0.6-1.7
White Sturgeon	14.0-17.0	—	—	14.0

Reference 38

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Table 43. Summary of Water Quality Guidelines for Arsenic

Water Use	Recommended Guideline (µg/L of Total Arsenic)
Source Drinking Water	25 (interim guideline)
Aquatic Life Freshwater Marine and Estuarine	5 12.5 (interim guidelines)
Agriculture Irrigation Livestock Watering	100 (interim guideline) 25 (interim guideline)
Wildlife	25 (interim guideline)
Recreation and Aesthetics	None recommended

 

Reference 39

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Table 44. Summary of Chlorate Guidelines

Water Use	Guidelines
Raw Drinking Water	2.4 mg/L
Wildlife and Livestock	3 mg/L
Freshwater Aquatic Life	30 mg/L
Marine Aquatic Life	5 µg/L

 

Reference 40

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Table 45. Summary of Recommended Water Quality Guidelines for Diisopropanolamine (DIPA)

Water Use	Guideline (mg DIPA/L)
Freshwater Aquatic Life	1.6 mg/L maximum
Marine Aquatic Life	Insufficient data
Irrigation	3.9 mg/L maximum
Livestock Watering	38 mg/L maximum

 

Reference 41

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Table 46. Summary of Recommended Guidelines for Sulpholane

Water Use	Guideline (mg Sulpholane/L)
Freshwater Aquatic Life	50 maximum
Marine Aquatic Life	Insufficient data
Irrigation	8.4 maximum
Livestock Watering	14 maximum

 

Reference 42

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Table 47. Recommended Guidelines for Chloride

Water Use	Guideline (mg Chloride/L
Drinking Water	250
Recreation and Aesthetics	None
Freshwater Aquatic Life1 Instantaneous Maximum Concentration 30-d Average Concentration (5 weekly measurements)	600 150
Marine Aquatic Life	Human activities should not cause the chloride of marine and estuarine waters to fluctuate by more than 10% of the natural chloride expected at that time or depth.
Irrigation	100
Livestock Watering	600
Wildlife	600

 

1. When ambient chloride concentration in the environment exceeds the guideline, then further degradation of the ambient or existing water quality should be avoided. Reference 43

 

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Table 48. Recommended Guidelines for Cobalt

Water Use	Guideline (µg/L Total Cobalt)
Aquatic Life: Freshwater Maximum 30-d Average (5 weekly measurements)	110 4
Aquatic Life: Marine	Not recommended
Wildlife	Not recommended
Irrigation	Not recommended
Livestock watering	Not recommended

 

Reference 44

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Table 49. Recommended Guidelines for Boron

Water Use	Guideline (mg/L Total Boron)
Drinking Water	5
Aquatic Life Freshwater Marine	1.2 1.2
Wildlife	5
Irrigation	0.5 to 6 (depends on crop; see Table 50)
Livestock watering	5

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Table 50. Recommended Irrigation Water Guidelines for Boron

Tolerance	Boron in Irrigation Water (mg/L)	Agricultural Crop
Very Sensitive	<0.5	Blackberry
Sensitive	0.5 to 1	Peach, cherry, plum grape, cowpea, onion, garlic, sweet potato, wheat, barley sunflower, mung bean, sesame, lupin, strawberry, Jerusalem artichoke, kidney bean, lima bean
Moderately Sensitive	1 to 2	Red pepper, pea, carrot, radish, potato, cucumber
Moderately Tolerant	2 to 4	Lettuce, cabbage, celery, turnip, Kentucky bluegrass, oat, corn, artichoke, tobacco, mustard, clover, squash, muskmelon
Tolerant	4 to 6	Sorghum, tomato, alfalfa, purple vetch, parsley, red beet, sugar beet
Very Tolerant	6 to 15	Asparagus

 

Reference 45

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References

1. Singleton, H. J. 1985. Water Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter, Resource Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment, Victoria, BC.

2. Nordin, R. N. 1985. Water Quality Criteria for Nutrients and Algae. Resource Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment, Victoria, BC.

3. Nordin, R. N. and L. W. Pommen. 1986. Water Quality Criteria for Nitrogen (Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia). Resource Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment and Parks, Victoria, BC.

4. Butcher, G. A. 1988. Water Quality Criteria For Aluminum. Resource Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment and Parks, Victoria, BC.

5. Warrington, P. D. 1988. Water Quality Criteria For Microbiological Indicators. Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

6. Singleton, H. J. 1987. Water Quality Criteria For Copper. Resource Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment and Parks, Victoria, BC.

7. Singleton, H. J. 1986. Water Quality Criteria For Cyanide. Resource Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment, Victoria, BC.

8. Nagpal, N. K. 1987. Water Quality Criteria For Lead. Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

9. Nagpal, N. K. 1989. Water Quality Criteria for Mercury. Resource Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment, Victoria, BC.

9a. Nagpal, N.K. 2001. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Mercury. Overview. First Update. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC.

10. Swain, L. 1986. Water Quality Criteria for Molybdenum. Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

11. Truelson, R. 1997. Ambient Water Quality Criteria For Dissolved Oxygen. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Water Quality Branch, Victoria, BC.

12. Singleton, H. J. 1989. Water Quality Criteria for Chlorine. Resource Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment, Victoria, BC.

13. Warrington, P. D. 1990. Ambient Water Quality Criteria For Fluoride. Ministry of Environment, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

14. Nordin, R. N. 1990. Ambient Water Quality Criteria For Ammonia To Protect Marine Aquatic Life. Ministry of Environment, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

15. Nagpal, N. K. 1992. Water Quality Criteria for Polychlorinated Biphenyls. Water Quality Branch, Water Management Division, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC.

16. Nagpal, N. K. 1993. Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. Water Quality Branch, Water Management Division, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC.

17. Warrington, P. D. 1993. Water Quality Criteria for Chlorophenols. Water Quality Branch, Water Management Division, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC.

17a. Warrington, P. D. 1997. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Chlorophenols. First Update. Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC.

18. McKean, C. J. P. and N. K. Nagpal. 1991. Ambient Water Quality Criteria for pH. Water Quality Branch, Water Management Division, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC.

19. Warrington, P. D. 1996. Ambient Water Quality Criteria For Silver. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Water Quality Branch, Victoria, BC.

20. Water Quality Criteria for Total Gas Pressure. 1997. Water Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks.

20a. Water Quality Guidelines for Total Gas Pressure. 2004. First Update. Overview. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection.

21. Health and Welfare Canada. 1992. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. Fourth Edition. Supply and Services Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

22. Health and Welfare Canada. Federal Provincial Subcommittee on Drinking Water. April 1993 Meeting

23. Health and Welfare Canada. 1996. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. Sixth Edition. ©Minister of Supply and Services Canada. Canada Communication Group - Publishing, Ottawa, Canada K1A 0S9. ISBN 0-660-16295-4.

24. Health and Welfare Canada. 1983. Guidelines For Canadian Recreation-al Water Quality. Federal-Provincial Working Group on Recreational Water Quality of the Federal-Provincial Advisory Committee on Environ-mental and Occupational Health. Canadian Government Publishing Centre, Ottawa, Canada.

25. Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality. 1992. Health and Welfare Canada.

26. Final Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System: Final Rule. 1995. Excerpted from the Federal Register March 23, 1995. Volume 60: 15366-15425. Water Environment Federation, 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, Va 22314-1994 USA.

27. Hecnar, S.J. 1995. Acute and chronic toxicity of ammonium nitrate fertilizer to amphibians from southern Ontario. Env. Toxicol. Chem. 14: 2131-2137.

28. Moss, S. A. 1999. Water Quality Criteria For Ethylbenzene. Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

29. Water Quality Criteria for Colour. 1999. Water Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks.

30. Water Quality Criteria for Organic Carbon. 1999. Water Quality Section, Water Management Branch, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks.

31. Nagpal, N. K. 1999. Water Quality Criteria For Zinc. Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

32. Caux, P.-Y., D. R. J. Moore and D. MacDonald. 1997. Sampling Stategy for Turbidity, Suspended and Benthic Sediments. Prepared for Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC. by Cadmus Group Inc. and MacDonald Environmental Sciences Ltd.

33. Swain, L. 2000. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines For Toluene. Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

34. Singleton, H. J. 2000. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines For Sulphate. Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

35. Nagpal, N. K. 2001. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines For Manganese. Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Resource Quality Section, Victoria, BC.

36. Swain, L. 2001. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines For Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE). Prepared for Ministry of Environment and Parks, Water Management Branch, Water Quality Section, Victoria, BC. by Komex International Ltd.

37. Nagpal, N. K. 2001. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines For Selenium. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Water Protection Branch, Victoria, BC.

38. Singleton, H. J. 2001. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines For Temperature. Prepared for Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Water Protection Branch, Victoria, BC. by G. G. Oliver and L. E. Fidler of Aspen Applied Sciences Ltd.

39. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Arsenic. 2002. Overview. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, B.C.

40. Warrington, P.D. 2002. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Chlorate. Overview Report. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, B.C.

41. Nagpal, N.K. 2003. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Diisopropanolamine (DIPA). Overview Report. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, B.C.

42. Nagpal, N.K. 2003. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Sulpholane. Overview Report. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, B.C. 43. Nagpal, N.K., D.A. Levy, and D.D. MacDonald. 2003. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Chloride. Overview. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, B.C.

43. Nagpal, N.K. 2003. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Chloride. Overview Report. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria B.C.

44. Nagpal, N.K. 2004. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Cobalt. Overview. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, B.C.

45. Moss, S.A. and N.K. Nagpal. 2003. Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Boron. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, B.C.

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