2.2. CCME-WQI Method
The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) is useful for many different purposes including drinking water quality data communications, ambient water quality data analysis, integrated watershed planning and management in the forestry sector, and assess the effectiveness of best management practices [30]. The CCME WQI relies on measures of three factors [25]:
1) The number of variables whose objectives are not met (scope);
2) The frequency with which the objectives are not met (frequency);
3) The amount by which the objectives are note met (amplitude).
These values are combined to produce a single value (between 0 and 100) describing the water quality. A
value of 100 is the best possible index score and a value of 0 is the worst possible (Table 1).
Table 2 shows the objectives or thresholds required for a good water quality index used the by CCME WQI. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) is calculated as
follows: