Government of New Brunswick

Integrated Watershed Management Plan for the Shediac Bay Watershed (2021-2031)

The first step in the collaborative approach to creating a Shediac Bay Watershed Management Plan was to get local feedback by undertaking a public, stakeholder and First Nation engagement program and the formation of a Technical Working Group that would be tasked with developing the plan.

The Working Group met regularly between November 2019 and July 2021 and in total, three rounds of engagement took place in October 2019, August 2020 and February 2021. Engagement with First Nations has been on-going since the beginning of the project.

The feedback received during the first engagement program was summarized in the What We Heard Public and First Nation Engagement Summary Report and contributed to the development of the Shediac Bay Watershed Management Plan.  

A draft Shediac Bay Watershed Management Plan was posted online in February 2021 and the feedback received during the final round of engagement was used to update and finalize the plan.

The main purpose of the Shediac Bay Watershed Management Plan (WMP) is to address water quality issues in the watershed namely, anthropogenic or human sources of nutrients and bacteria. This will in turn, help protect and improve water quality at Parlee Beach.

The Shediac Bay WMP is not regulatory in nature. The use of a partnership-based approach will therefore be critical for the successful implementation of the plan as it will encourage local ownership and participation.

The Shediac Bay WMP applies the Integrated Watershed Management approach with a focus on water quality, ecosystems and the environment. The plan will also apply an “Adaptive Management” approach which will allow flexibility to adapt/respond to new or ongoing challenges in the watershed.

If you would like to get involved in the implementation of the Shediac Bay Watershed Management Plan, please contact the Shediac Bay Watershed Association by email ([email protected]) or by phone at (506) 533-8880.

 

Background
Figure 1: Shediac Bay Watershed
Figure 1

After several years of public and media attention focused on perceived poor water quality at Parlee Beach, the Government of New Brunswick announced in December 2016, that it would form a Steering Committee tasked with identifying potential sources of bacteria and make recommendations to government.

In 2017, a technical program consisting of multiple scientific studies, engineering projects and infrastructure upgrades was put in place by the Steering Committee. Municipal, industrial and local stakeholders were consulted, and the technical program was completed by multiple bodies including government, the Shediac Bay Watershed Association, academic researchers, and external consultants. The results of the technical program led to the April 2018 final report and its 14 recommendations to government. The recommendations included a few additional studies and investigations to help fill information gaps and it was recommended that in order to improve water quality in the Shediac Bay Watershed and reduce “No Swimming Advisories” at Parlee Beach (see figure 1 above), the bacteria sources which exist throughout the watershed should be addressed. This would be accomplished through the implementation of recommendation #4 - developing a Watershed Management Plan for the Shediac Bay Watershed. A Watershed Management Plan is a tool to protect and improve water quality in a watershed over time through action planning by non-governmental organisations. Moving forward, the Shediac Bay Watershed Management Plan will serve as a tool to help protect and improve water quality in the Shediac Bay Watershed and Parlee Beach.Table 1 below outlines the status of the 14 Steering Committee Recommendations. 

Table 1 - Status of the 14 Recommendations:

RECOMMENDATION

STATUS

1. Enhance and continue the watershed monitoring program to gather additional data that will help identify specific sources of bacteria

Completed. The enhanced monitoring was completed in 2018 and continued in 2019, and 2020. Associated water quality reports for 2018 and 2019 are available by clicking on the hyperlinked dates. Moving forward, water quality monitoring will continue through the implementation of the Shediac Bay Watershed Management Plan (see recommendation #4).

2. Apply the Hydrodynamic Model to validate transport paths

Completed. A report associated with this project is available online.

3. Further investigate on-site sewage disposal systems in high density areas

Completed. A report associated with this project is available online.

4. Develop and implement a Watershed Management Plan for Shediac Bay

Completed.  The Integrated Watershed Management Plan for the Shediac Bay Watershed is available online.

5. Conduct a hydraulic study at the Tidal Creek Lagoon

Completed. A report associated with this project is available online.

6. Validate a tool for predicting water quality at Parlee Beach

Completed. A report associated with this project is currently available online.

7. Collection of Parlee Beach data by lifeguards

Completed. The program will be on-going for the foreseeable future.

8. Implement a “People Powered Recreational Zone”

Completed.

9. Continuation of the Dog Waste Management Program

Completed by the Red Dot Association in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Reports for the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020
waste management programs are currently available online by clicking on the hyperlinked dates.

10.  Identification of Stormwater Management methods

Completed. A stormwater quality planning report and stormwater tracer sampling program were completed in 2019. Furthermore, a stormwater By-law and Best Management Practices for managing stormwater were developed for the Town of Shediac. Both documents are currently with the Town for their review and approval.

11. Engage agricultural community towards best practices

Two projects were completed in 2019 on two farms that were identified as potential sources of bacteria in the watershed. Future projects of this nature will continue through the implementation of the Shediac Bay Watershed Management Plan.

12. Continue the Boater Education Program and subsidize the pump-out facilities

Completed. The intent is for both these initiatives to continue moving forward through implementation of the Shediac Bay Watershed Management Plan.

13. Develop an education program for owners of on-site sewage disposal systems

 A targeted awareness initiative for high risk sewage systems was completed in the summer of 2018. Their findings were summarized in a report that is currently available online.

14. Establish a Working Group to review regulation and oversight of on-site sewage systems.

This project has been on-going since 2019.

 

The Steering Committee final report, as well as all supporting 2017 studies and documentation that led to the 14 recommendations, and all reports resulting from the completion of the 14 recommendations are available here.