Levels of Service
Waterways Management

Table of Content

Levels of service
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The Waterways Management program provides channel management to ensure accessibility of waterways and to contribute to their safe use.
Through this program, CCG provides guidelines for the safe design and use of channels, manages channel maintenance and dredging of the Great Lakes connecting channels and the St. Lawrence River (on a cost recovery basis), monitors channel bathymetry, and participates in the control of water level fluctuations in the St. Lawrence River.
The program also enables CCG to provide marine safety information to users, including information on channel bottom condition and water depth forecasts.
Waterways Management sustains navigable channels, reduces marine navigation risks and supports environmental protection.

To ensure accessibility of main commercial shipping channels and to contribute to their safe use
To meet the requirements of commercial navigation in international hydraulically regulated channels of the St. Lawrence River

Maintenance and management of main commercial shipping channels including marine structures
Provision of information on channel bottom conditions, and available water level depths and forecasts

Development of guidelines for the design, use and maintenance of main commercial shipping channels
Surveying of main commercial shipping channel bottoms
The CCG will issue NOTSHIP on hazardous situations (e.g., hazards in channel)
Special assessment channel conditions are done based on identified need (e.g., significant change in usage, maintenance or incidents and accidents)
Dredging of the Canadian portions of the Great Lakes interconnecting Channels (St. Clair, Detroit and St. Mary's Rivers)
Dredging of the St. Lawrence River ship channel on a cost recovery basis
Operation and life cycle management of three ice booms and nine ice islands in Quebec (note 1)
Minor maintenance of 35 identified structures in the Maritimes, Quebec, Central & Arctic and Pacific Regions
Operation and life-cycle management of the canal located at Canso Causeway, Nova Scotia

Guidelines for the design, use and maintenance of main commercial shipping channels are updated approximately every five years as required by technological advancements in ship navigation and aids to navigation, as well as evolution of ship designs, usage patterns and public concerns.
The guidelines are published on the CCG Internet site within one week of revision or update.
Main commercial shipping channel bottoms will be surveyed through annual or cyclical surveys determined by historical need or event driven (e.g., after a major storm, the ice cover season, a grounding, a report of a navigation hazard, etc.).
Channel Bottom Monitoring Data will be issued within 48 hours of survey, or next working day when a weekend intervenes.
NOTSHIP will be issued within 24 hours and identified hazards will be removed as soon as possible (when there is a high risk to navigation, radio notice is requested immediately, so mariners are informed in near-real time).
Maintain the Canadian portions of the interconnecting channels of the Great Lakes at advertised depths, as required to meet international obligations.
Dredging for the St. Lawrence River will be done in accordance with advertised depths.
Navigation on the Canso Causeway will be open 24/7 from April 14, 7:30 a.m. (Atlantic Time), to 7:30 a.m. (Atlantic Time) on December 24.

Water level forecast information will be issued for:
- The St. Lawrence River
- The St. Clair and Detroit Rivers
- The Fraser River
- The Mackenzie River

The forecasts will be available:
- Every Friday during the ice-free season for the St. Lawrence River
- Every Tuesday during the ice-free season for the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers
- Every Friday for the Fraser River
- Twice per week during the ice-free season for the Mackenzie River