Turtle Creek is a Canadian creek in Albert County, southeastern New Brunswick."Quick Facts About Moncton's Water Treatment and Supply Network", Moncton Industrial Development, April 2006, retrieved on 17 August 2010. The creek drains a watershed area of ,"Turtle Creek", Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance, retrieved on 17 August 2010. and is the primary source of potable water for Moncton, Riverview, and Dieppe, thanks to the Turtle Creek reservoir and the Moncton Water Treatment Plant."2009 Annual Water Quality Report", City of Moncton, 2009, retrieved on 17 August 2010, p. 3.
Turtle Creek is one of the Petitcodiac River's main right tributaries,Arseneau, E. R., "The Petitcodiac River Watershed Preliminary Water Classification Report", Petitcodiac Watershed Monitoring Group, 2001, retrieved on 21 August 2010, p. 22. and is therefore part of its drainage basin."Environmental Reporting Series 2007", New Brunswick Department of Environment, 2007, retrieved on 17 August 2010. Its watershed has been designated as a Provincial Watershed Protected Area, making certain activities off-limits within of the reservoir."Understanding the Law: A Guide To New Brunswick's Watershed Protected Area Designation Order", New Brunswick Department of Environment, retrieved on 17 August 2010.
The reservoir was the subject of a major upgrade completed in 2012 which doubled its existing water storage capacity."2nd Turtle Creek dam to double Moncton water supply", CBC News, 5 October 2009, retrieved on 17 August 2010. It has also been the centre of controversies regarding the province's push to begin uranium exploration and gas and oil tests in the area, in spite of the boundaries set on the surroundings."Turtle Creek uranium exploration angers Moncton councillors", CBC News, 8 June 2007, retrieved on 17 August 2010. "Council bans oil, gas tests in Moncton watershed", CBC News, 7 November 2006, retrieved on 18 August 2010.
Watershed
The river drains a watershed area of south of the town of Riverview.Arseneau, E. R., "The Petitcodiac River Watershed Preliminary Water Classification Report", p. 42. The watershed is largely occupied by the Turtle Creek reservoir, which occupies around of land. Approximately 75% of the land is forested, with about 10% used for residential purposes. The average water temperature, noted in a 2009 study by the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance, was , from May to October."Water Quality Report 2009", Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance, 2009, retrieved on 22 August 2010, p. 57. The Turtle Creek reservoir is designated as a Provincial Watershed Protected Area, making certain activities illegal within of the area.
Water quality
Covered under the Watershed Protected Area Designation Order and the Clean Water Act, Turtle Creek is rated, among thirty others, as a Class AP watershed."The Water Classification Regulation – Planning for Water Quality", New Brunswick Department of Environment, February 2002, retrieved on 22 August 2010, p. 3. In spite of this rating, E. coli and sediment levels were found to be "unusually high", which, according to the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance, was caused by the ongoing expansion of the river's reservoir. Nitrate, phosphate, and conductivity levels, according to the same report, remained consistent.
The city of Moncton conducts studies on over 1,600 water samples in 60 sites yearly to assure water drinking quality standards are met."2009 Annual Water Quality Report", City of Moncton, p. 6. According to an annual report published by the city in 2009, coliform bacteria, which include E. coli, were not found in any of 1,663 samples.City of Moncton, p. 7. In the same report, 63 of 576 (10.94%) water samples returned a heterotrophic plate count—an indicator of the "general bacteria population" present—of over 10 cfu/mL, but never exceeded the 500 cfu/mL threshold.City of Moncton, p. 8. Other results recorded an average turbidity of 0.15 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units),City of Moncton, pp. 9–10. and an average of 0.029 mg/L of trihalomethanes (THMs).City of Moncton, p. 11.
Reservoir
See also List of rivers of New Brunswick
References