Watershed Report Cards

Turning Information Into Action:Turning Information Into Action:Conservation Authority Watershed

Report CardsReport Cards

Lake ErieLake Erie BinationalBinational Public Forum MeetingPublic Forum MeetingNiagara Falls, Ontario, September 10&11, 2010Niagara Falls, Ontario, September 10&11, 2010

Conservation Authority programsConservation Authority programs Watershed Reporting Pilot ProjectWatershed Reporting Pilot Project Upper Thames River Conservation AuthorityUpper Thames River Conservation Authority

experienceexperience……how Watershed Report Cards aresupporting local watershed worksupporting local watershed work

Watershed-basedagency with amandate toensure theconservation ofOntario’s water,land and naturalhabitats.

Governed byBoard ofDirectorsselected byMemberMunicipalities

36 Ontario Conservation36 Ontario ConservationAuthoritiesAuthorities

Deliver LocalDeliver LocalWatershed ProgramsWatershed Programs

Flood Control Land Stewardship programs Land Use Planning and Regulation Environmental Monitoring Education and Public Involvement Natural Heritage protection

Recreation others

Watershed Planning Approach

CommunityAction

Understanding – ScienceResearch, Mapping

Plan for theWatershed

Implement the Plan

Monitor andReport

Need for Improved ReportingNeed for Improved Reporting In 2003 highly publicized issues around drinking water risks and

drought/climate issues Public demand growing for environmental information Good scientific data through established monitoring programs

Watershed Reporting Pilot ProjectProject Goal To standardize watershed reporting among

Conservation Authorities

Developed by Conservation Authorities,provincial and federal ministries, other

Uses environmental indicators to measurewatershed health

http://http://www.conservationontario.ca/prwww.conservationontario.ca/projects/watershed_pp.htmlojects/watershed_pp.html

Standardized Reporting ComponentsStandardized Reporting Components Purpose: Standardized reporting of baseline environmental data for

watershed municipalities, organizations, and public

Scale: watersheds at locally meaningful scale (average 150 sq km)

Format: Watershed Report Card for each subwatershed

Frequency: Every 5 years, starting 2007

Indicators:Long-term monitoring, responsive to change

Additional Information

Indicators and ScoringIndicators and Scoring

BenthicInvertebrates

Score

TotalPhosphorus

(mg/L)

E.coli(#/100 ml)

Point Score Grade

<5.005.00 – 5.755.76 – 6.506.51 – 7.25

>7.25

<0.030.03 – 0.100.11 – 0.170.18 – 0.24

>0.24

0 – 1011 – 100

101 – 10001001 – 10000

>10000

54321

ABCDF

Surface Water Quality

Groundwater Quality•E. coli•Nitrate + Nitrite•Chloride

Indicators and ScoringIndicators and Scoring

% ForestCover

% ForestInterior

Point Score Grade

>25.625.6 – 18.818.7 – 11.911.8 – 5.0

<5.0

>7.75.7 – 7.73.7 – 5.61.7 – 3.6

<1.7

54321

ABCDF

Forest Conditions

•Environment Canada recommendations for sustainability insouthern Ontario•GIS calculations using air photography

% ForestCover

% ForestInterior

Point Score Grade

>25.625.6 – 18.818.7 – 11.911.8 – 5.0

<5.0

>7.75.7 – 7.73.7 – 5.61.7 – 3.6

<1.7

54321

ABCDF

% ForestCover

% ForestInterior

Point Score Grade

>25.625.6 – 18.818.7 – 11.911.8 – 5.0

<5.0

>7.75.7 – 7.73.7 – 5.61.7 – 3.6

<1.7

54321

ABCDF

Upper ThamesRiverRiver

WatershedWatershed

Lake ErieSeptember 2009

Local WatershedLocal WatershedScaleScale

In 2000 adopted a smallerIn 2000 adopted a smallerwatershed approach towatershed approach towatershed planning,watershed planning,monitoring, implementation,monitoring, implementation,reportingreporting

28 watersheds28 watersheds

Scale that has communityScale that has communityvaluevalue

Measure environmentalMeasure environmentalchangechange

London

Stratford

Woodstock

Local interest, knowledge and valueLocal interest, knowledge and value Motivation to take actionMotivation to take action

Upper Avon River Conservation Club

- Established in 1993

Working at the WatershedWorking at the WatershedScaleScale

Produced watershed reportProduced watershed reportcards in 2001 and 2007cards in 2001 and 2007(provincial format)

Survey of target groupsSurvey of target groupsshowed value in localshowed value in localdecisiondecision--makingmaking

Reporting WatershedReporting WatershedInformationInformation

Surface WaterSurface WaterQuality GradesQuality Gradesby Watershedby Watershed

Watershed Features

• Population7.5% increase in watershedStoney Creek: +38% (+4500)Mud Creek: - -700)

Watershed %Agriculture

%Urban

%Forest

NorthMitchell

93 2 5

Forks 4 78 13

• Land Use

• Highly Erodible LandMiddle Thames: 21%Whirl Creek: 1%

Address increasedspills in PottersburgCreek

Protection andmanagement of ElliceSwamp, most significantnatural area in thewatershed

Friends of Stoney Creek volunteerscelebrate planting their 10,000th tree

Link to Lake Erie Issues

Tracking Progress Each conservation project isEach conservation project is

stored as a point of wherestored as a point of wherethe project was completedthe project was completedegeg. tree planting, manure. tree planting, manurestorage, erosion control,storage, erosion control,septic system improvementsseptic system improvements

Using an internal webUsing an internal webmapping application staffmapping application staffcan collect a x, y coordinatecan collect a x, y coordinateand populate a databaseand populate a database

CommunityCommunity--based Watershed Strategy:based Watershed Strategy:DingmanDingman Creek Watershed Example1. 2001 report card: ranked Dingman poorest in water quality2. Local group wanted to address problem3. Public meeting – municipalities, stakeholders, CA, etc.

5. Coordinator hired (funding)6. Detailed technical information (TAC)7. Plan developed8. Actions implemented9. 2007 report cards measure change

improves from C to B in 5 years

DingmanDingman Creek:Creek:onon--thethe--ground projects

• 29 conservation stewardship projects

• 10,000 trees, 2100 wildflowers

• 5550 students and community involved

• Dingman Creek weir removed

• Dingman Pumping Station upgrades

• Murray Marr Stormwater Managementfacility

•Dingman Creek subwatershed study andimplementation in community plans

Target WatershedsTarget Watersheds Based on the outcome of 2007Based on the outcome of 2007

watershed report cards 4watershed report cards 4communitycommunity--based watershedbased watershedprojectsprojects started in 2008started in 2008

Involving the communityInvolving the communityprovides the best strategy andprovides the best strategy andlonglong--term commitmentterm commitment

Early action…

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

Today 25 Conservation Authorities have watershed report cardsToday 25 Conservation Authorities have watershed report cardsusing standardized indicatorsusing standardized indicators

Conservation Ontario effort to review indicators and guidelinesConservation Ontario effort to review indicators and guidelines

2012 is the next target for watershed report cards2012 is the next target for watershed report cards

Thank you!Thank you!

KarenKaren MaaskantMaaskantUpper Thames River Conservation AuthorityUpper Thames River Conservation Authority

London, OntarioLondon, Ontariowww.thamesriver.on.cawww.thamesriver.on.ca

Conservation OntarioConservation Ontariowww.conservationontario.cawww.conservationontario.ca