A Brief History
The Miramichi River Environmental Assessment Committee (MREAC) has functioned as a community-based not-for-profit watershed organization since 1989. MREAC’s primary objective is environmental stewardship and management of the Miramichi watershed.
The more recent MREAC programs include: Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring, Fish Habitat Protection, River Watch, Species at Risk (Glyptemys insculpta), (Ophiogomphus howei), (Alasmidonta varicosa), Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN), Community Aquatic Monitoring Program (CAMP), Lake Monitoring, Snow Course Monitoring, Ice Observation, and Aquatic Invasive Species.
Featured Projects
Lake Monitoring
MREAC with the support of the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government (DELG) staff has been actively involved in lake monitoring in the Miramichi watershed.
Atlantic Salmon Habitat Assessment
For the past three years MREAC, with Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation (ASCF) support, has completed Atlantic Salmon habitat assessments on the Bay du Vin River, Bartibogue River and Barnaby River systems respectively.
Real-Time Monitoring
Real-time monitoring is an increasingly popular technology that is being used across the world. This technology allows users to have up-to-date results on various parameters and at specified intervals.
Snow Course Monitoring
MREAC established a partnership with the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government (DELG) in 2009-10 to begin conducting snow and ice studies in the Miramichi River watershed.
Ice Observation
As part of the New Brunswick "River Watch" program, ice observation is a provincial initiative that monitors the potential for flooding along New Brunswick’s river systems in late winter and during the spring freshet.
Swim Watch
Through the Swim Watch Program, MREAC monitors water quality at predetermined sites throughout the Miramichi River watershed. Beginning in 1993, 100 mL surface water samples have been collected during...
MREAC Partners
MREAC partners and works alongside staff from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government (DELG), Department of Energy and Resource Development (DERD), Department of Health and Wellness (DH&W), Canadian Rivers Institute (CRI), Anqotum Resource Management, University of New Brunswick (UNB), New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) and others.
The Miramichi Watershed
The Miramichi watershed encompasses approximately 23% (~13, 547 km²) of New Brunswick, and MREAC has been committed to the environmental stewardship and management of this important riverine and coastal ecosystem. The Miramichi River and her tributaries are considered to be one of the most important Atlantic salmon habitats in the world.