Rideau Lakes Watershed Plan 2005

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Rideau Lakes Watershed Plan 2005
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The Rideau Lakes Watershed

• Is 50 km long
• Covers an area of 490 km2
• Has 25 lakes (127 km2 )
• 3 communities Westport, Newboro, Portland, 5
  municipalities and 3 counties
• Has its headwaters at Long Pond Lake
• Outlets at Poonamalie Dam
• Has one major tributary the Tay River

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Hydrology

• Watershed has 5 dams Wolfe Lake, Westport Sand,
  Westport, Narrows and Poonamalie
• Water levels fluctuate 1.0m
• Water level data collected at Wolfe, Big and
  Lower Rideau
• No flow data collected
• No estimate of water budget

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Hydrology (contd)

• RVCA will be undertaking numerical modeling in
  the future to determine the impacts of land use,
  dam operations, breaches, etc.

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Fish and Wildlife

• Limited data available for fish
• Many fish inventories done in early 70s, little
  since in smaller lakes
• Upper Rideau netting surveys in 2002 indicate
  decreases in N. Pike, Sm Bass, Yellow Perch and
  Walleye communities
• Walleye s extremely low due to loss of habitat,
  water quality, introduction of invasive species,
  over-fishing

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Fish and Wildlife (contd)

• Big Rideau Lake is a Class 1 fishery (cold and
  warm water, good for sport fishing)
• 9 species stocked in 130 years
• Netting in late 90s reveals mostly N. Pike and
  Y. Perch, very few Trout, very few Walleye
• Presently collecting benthic data for water
  quality

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Fish and Wildlife (contd)

• 2 Commercial Fishing licenses in watershed
• License is for panfish e.g. bluegill, rock bass
• MNR reports healthy, diverse panfish fishery and
  will continue to support commercial fishery
  license. MNR will monitor fishery and operation
  of fishermen

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Fish and Wildlife (contd)

• 31 species at risk in watershed
• 7 invasive species recorded
• 4 Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest
• 10 Provincially Significant wetlands
• No information on shoreline health
• 1673 different species of plants, animals, fish,
  birds, etc.
• No analysis of old growth forest

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Rideau Lakes Watershed Land Cover
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Groundwater

• Very little is known about groundwater quality or
  quantity on a watershed basis
• Westport has 2 municipal wells of good supply and
  quality
• Groundwater studies have been done on a regional
  scale and provide little to watershed level study
• No known water quality or quantity problems

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Groundwater (contd)

• Most domestic water comes from Precambrian
  bedrock
• Overburden is thin therefore aquifers are
  vulnerable to contamination from surface (i.e.
  linked to land use)
• Extraction has increased recently (last 40 years)
  due to shoreline development

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Land Use

• Area settled in late 1700s. Land use primarily
  agriculture and logging. By 1870 the area was
  completely logged
• Canal built 1826-1832
• Area used for recreation since late 1890s
• Most cottage development since WWII
• Now development pressure is in cottage
  conversions to permanent homes

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Land Use (contd)

• Environmental stressors associated with over-use,
  smaller lots, denuded lots, shoreline erosion,
  poor land management practices
• Population (in 3 counties) expected to increase
  20 over next 25 years

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Land Use (contd)

• Some municipalities have a higher seasonal than
  permanent population
• Only Westport on municipal water and sewer. Rest
  of watershed is private wells, lake and septics
• Westport has snowfluent system (1995) removes
  100 of nutrients and bacteria
• No direct discharge to lake

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Land Use (contd)

• The aesthetics to URL improved
• Operation is in compliance with MoE regulations.
  Health risks eliminated
• Watershed governed by mix of federal, provincial,
  municipal and county agencies
• 5 municipalities govern development in watershed.
  OP policies inconsistent

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Land Use (contd)

• Mineral Rights mining companies have right to
  lay claim on properties without owners
  knowledge/permission
• Prospectors can excavate 1000 tonnes of materials
  with 24 hours notice and surface strip within
  100m of waterbody

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Tourism and Recreation

• Is a major recreation/tourism destination in
  Eastern Ontario
• Rideau watershed caters to day trippers
• Watershed home to marinas, campgrounds, trailer
  parks, conservation areas, provincial park,
  festivals, art shows, fishing tournaments, golf
  courses, trails, etc.

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Tourism and Recreation (contd)

• Lanark 50 of tax base is tourism, generating
  63M per year
• Future tourism pressures expected as Canal
  celebrates 175th birthday and becomes UNESCO site
  in 2007

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Surface Water Quality

• Of the 25 lakes, no data on 14, very little on 5,
  enough on 6 to make an assessment
• Data inconsistent in frequency, parameter and
  quality therefore difficult to determine
  trends/general statements
• Data collected for TP, TKN, chlor a and clarity
  (secchi disk)
• Lakes mostly middle-aged with aquatic
  vegetation filling in shallow areas

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Water Quality (contd)

• Lakes are affected by invasive species such as
  zebra mussels, spiny water flea
• Tributaries (four major) are adding high levels
  of nutrients
• Adrains Creek adding high levels of nutrients,
  likely due to agricultural activity and aluminum
  and iron

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Water Quality (contd)

• Westport Sand Lake, Upper and Big Rideau Lakes
  seem to be improving in clarity and levels of
  nutrients
• Lakes are generally healthy but need more
  data/monitoring
• Need to investigate/monitor sources of impairment

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Summary and Conclusions

• Tourism and Recreation is main economic activity
• Watershed is a managed system
• Environmental stressors from the amount of people
  living in and visiting watershed, over-fishing,
  poor environmental practices on behalf of
  dwellers and visitors
• As populations increase, stressors increase

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Summary and Conclusions (contd)

• Trend toward cottage conversions can have impacts
  on ecosystem health
• Water quality generally good
• More data/studies needed on almost all aspects of
  watershed health to identify level of health and
  trends over time

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