Parameter Viewer

Document ID ca-bc-awqgco-2003 Title Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Chloride OVERVIEW URL https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/water/waterquality/water-quality-guidelines/approved-wqgs/chloride-or.pdf Jurisdiction /ca/bc Subdomain(s) Drinking Water, Agricultural Water, Wastewater Language en Status completed Analyzed at 2026-03-15 08:47:25.095555+00:00 Relevance Establishes BC water quality guidelines for chloride for various water uses.

Q Qualitative Requirements (6)

Req ID Category Intent Legal Status Name Subdomain(s) Context Conditions Confidence
#Q001prohibitionoperationalrecommendedMarine Chloride Fluctuation Limitaquatic lifeTo protect aquatic life in marine environments, human activities should not cause the chloride concentration to fluctuate by more than 10% of the natural background expected at that time and depth.marine environmentshigh
#Q002administrativeoperationalrecommendedApplication of Guidelines Factorsaquatic lifeThese factors should be considered when the water quality guidelines are applied to assess environmental impacts of chloride.when assessing environmental impacts of chloridehigh
#Q003administrativeoperationalguidanceConsideration of Background Levelsaquatic lifeIt is important to carefully consider background levels of chloride in the local aquatic environment and to take these data into consideration when applying the WQGs.when applying the WQGshigh
#Q004administrativeoperationalrecommendedMethodology for Site-Specific Objectivesaquatic life, otherTo adjust the guidelines recommended here to take local conditions into consideration, the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks publication, "Methods for Deriving Site-Specific Water Quality Objectives in British Columbia and Yukon" should be followed (MacDonald 1997).when adjusting guidelines to take local conditions into considerationhigh
#Q005monitoringoperationalmandatoryChronic Concentration Averaging Methodologyaquatic lifeArithmetic mean is computed from five weekly samples collected over a 30-day period.When calculating the 30-d average concentration for freshwater aquatic lifehigh
#Q006prohibitionoperationalrecommendedMarine Salinity Fluctuation Limitaquatic lifeTo protect marine aquatic life in marine environments, human activities should not cause the salinity (expressed as parts per thousand) of marine and estuarine waters to fluctuate by more than 10% of the natural salinity expected at that time and depth.marine and estuarine environmentshigh

P Quantitative Requirements (26)

Req ID Category Intent Legal Status Name Subdomain(s) Limit Type Limit Value Context Conditions Confidence
#P001chemicalaestheticrecommendedChloridedrinking waterAO<= 250 mg/LDrinking Water guideline recommended by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to protect aesthetic qualities.Total concentrationhigh
#P002chemicalhealthrecommendedChlorideaquatic lifeMAC<= 150 mg Cl/LTo protect freshwater aquatic life from chronic effects.30-d Average Concentrationhigh
#P003chemicalhealthrecommendedChlorideaquatic lifeMAC<= 600 mg Cl/LTo protect freshwater aquatic life from acute and lethal effects.Maximum concentration at any timehigh
#P004chemicalhealthrecommendedChlorideaquatic liferequirement<= 10 %To protect aquatic life in marine environments.Human activities should not cause the chloride concentration to fluctuate by more than 10% of the natural background expected at that time and depth.high
#P005physicalhealthrecommendedSalinityaquatic liferequirement<= 10 %To protect marine aquatic life in marine environments.Human activities should not cause the salinity (expressed as parts per thousand) of marine and estuarine waters to fluctuate by more than 10% of the natural salinity expected at that time and depth.high
#P006chemicalhealthrecommendedChlorideagricultural waterrequirement<= 100 mg/LThe water quality guideline for irrigation purposes.Sensitive plantshigh
#P007chemicalhealthrecommendedChlorideagricultural waterrequirement<= 700 mg/LChloride-tolerant plants can be irrigated with water up to 700 mg chloride/L.Tolerant plantshigh
#P008chemicalhealthrecommendedChlorideagricultural waterrequirement<= 600 mg/LThe water quality guideline for livestock watering is 600 mg chloride/L.high
#P009chemicalhealthrecommendedTotal soluble saltsagricultural waterrequirement<= 1000 mg/LConcentration of total soluble salts in water used for livestock watering should not exceed 1000 mg/L.Livestock health may become impaired at total soluble salt concentrations of 1000 to 3000 mg/L.high
#P010chemicalhealthrecommendedChlorideotherrequirement<= 600 mg/LThe chloride concentration in waters that are utilized by wildlife should not exceed 600 mg/L.high
#P011chemicalunknownguidelineAverage chloride concentrationaquatic liferequirement600 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (State of Kentucky: USA)Freshwater Aquatic Lifehigh
#P012chemicalunknownguidelineMaximum chloride concentrationaquatic lifeMAC1200 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (State of Kentucky: USA)Freshwater Aquatic Lifehigh
#P013chemicalunknownguidelineAverage chloride concentrationaquatic liferequirement230 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (USA)Freshwater Aquatic Lifehigh
#P014chemicalunknownguidelineMaximum chloride concentrationaquatic lifeMAC860 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (USA)Freshwater Aquatic Lifehigh
#P015chemicalunknownguidelineDrinking waterdrinking waterrequirement250 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Canada)high
#P016chemicalunknownguidelineIrrigation wateragricultural waterrequirement100-700 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Canada)high
#P017chemicalunknownguidelineLivestockagricultural waterrequirement1000 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Canada)high
#P018chemicalunknownguidelineWildlifeotherrequirement1000 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Canada)high
#P019chemicalunknownguidelineMarine wateraquatic liferequirement+/-10 pptExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Canada)high
#P020chemicalunknownguidelineAverage chloride concentrationaquatic liferequirement230 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Quebec)Freshwater Aquatic Lifehigh
#P021chemicalunknownguidelineMaximum chloride concentrationaquatic lifeMAC860 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Quebec)Freshwater Aquatic Lifehigh
#P022chemicalunknownguidelineDrinking waterdrinking waterrequirement250 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Quebec)high
#P023chemicalunknownguidelineIrrigation wateragricultural waterrequirement100-700 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Quebec)high
#P024chemicalunknownguidelineLivestockagricultural waterrequirement1000 mg/LExisting water quality criteria for chloride (Quebec)high
#P025chemicalhealthguidelineAverage chloride concentration (48-hour window)aquatic liferequirement600-1200 mg/LCriteria for chloride in the State of Kentucky for protecting warmwater species of aquatic life.Chloride concentrations may average between 600-1,200 mg/L for up to 48 hours.high
#P026chemicalhealthguidelineChloride chronic increase limitaquatic liferequirement<= 10 mg/LQuebec additional requirement for chronic chloride levels.In addition to the chronic toxicity threshold (230 mg/L), any increases must not exceed 10 mg/L.high

D Definitions (24)

Req ID Category Name Context Confidence
#D001water quality guidelinea maximum and/or a minimum value for a physical, chemical or biological characteristic of water, sediment or biota, which should not be exceeded to prevent detrimental effects from occurring to a water use under given environmental conditions.high
#D002NaClsodium chloridehigh
#D003CCMECanadian Council of Ministers of the Environmenthigh
#D004acute toxicity teststhose in which duration of exposure was less than seven dayshigh
#D005LOEClowest observed effect concentrationhigh
#D006USEPAUnited States Environmental Protection Agencyhigh
#D007CEPA toxicentering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that: 1. Have or may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment or its biological diversity; 2. Constitute or may constitute a danger to the environment on which life depends; or, 3. Constitute or may constitute a danger in Canada to human life or health.high
#D008ACRacute:chronic ratiohigh
#D009chronic exposurestoxicity tests of seven or more days in durationhigh
#D010averageArithmetic mean is computed from five weekly samples collected over a 30-day period.high
#D011EC50effective concentrationhigh
#D012LC50lethal concentrationhigh
#D013CEPACanadian Environmental Protection Acthigh
#D014conservativenot degraded in the environment and tend to remain in solution, once dissolved.high
#D015halogensalt-forminghigh
#D016pptparts per thousandhigh
#D017chloride compoundsthose containing a chlorine atom as a negatively charged anion (Cl -), such as sodium chloride (NaCl).high
#D018WQGWater Quality Guidelinehigh
#D019NWRINational Water Research Institutehigh
#D020KClpotassium saltshigh
#D021raw drinking waterambient raw water source before it is diverted or treated for domestic use.high
#D022Euryhaline organismsorganisms [that] can withstand salinity fluctuations, either by tolerating changes in internal osmotic pressure or by maintaining a constant osmotic pressure through osmoregulation.high
#D023Cl-negatively charged anion of a chlorine atomhigh
#D024road saltmixtures of compounds including calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and potassium chloride (most often sodium chloride), applied to roadways to prevent traffic accidents.high