Osgoode Fish and Game Club April 21, 2015 Introduction Overview: - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Osgoode Fish and Game Club April 21, 2015

Introduction Overview: • South Nation Watershed • Castor Subwatershed • Why do we monitor? • Monitoring Programs • Stewardship Programs • How to get Involved

South Nation Jurisdiction • Total Area is over 4,283 km 2 • River stretches 185 kilometers from above Spencerville to the Ottawa River in Alfred/ Plantagenet.

Castor Subwatershed • Castor River Subwatershed • Approx. 739.27 square Km • Divided into 5 Subwatershed

Why do we monitor? • Protection of Life and Property • Flood and Drought alerts • Manage natural resources on a watershed basis • Short term • Habitat restoration • Forestry, Fish, Water Quality • Long-term monitoring allows for: Crysler Flood 1982 • Strategic planning to protect natural heritage American Eel, SNR

Water Quantity Monitoring and Analysis Data Collection • 10 stream gauges • 17 ice survey stations • 7 snow stations • 11 rain gauges • 2 meteorological stations • Dataloggers – strategically located Data Analysis Spencerville Stream and rain gauges • Flood and Drought: Provide warning to residents, municipalities and other agencies • Watershed Plans, climate change, drainage, water management, dam operations, development approvals.

Water Quality and Groundwater Monitoring Data Collection • Surface water quality at 13 stations. • Groundwater quantity/quality at 17 wells Data Analysis • State of the Nation report. • Watershed Plans, climate change, water management, development approvals. • Municipalities: waste water discharges certificate of approvals, municipal services, private services.

Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol Data Collection: • Channel morphology • Electrofishing • Benthic Sampling Data Analysis: • Presence/ Absence of Invasive or Species at Risk OSAP Sampling 2014 • Water Quality from benthic invertebrates

Hoop Netting South Nation is divided into 6 reaches. Each year a new reach is sampled for fish. 6 Reaches -Plantagenet -Lemieux -St. Albert -Berwick Hoop Netting- Top: Black Crappie -Hyndman Bottom: American Eel -Headwaters

Stream Watch Program • Collect information on physical and biological characteristics of the stream • Encourages community involvement to conduct stream assessments and volunteer events Tree Planting in Embrun with local students

Stream Watch Program • Environmental Projects include: • Garbage Clean-ups • Invasive Species Removal • Fish Sampling • Habitat Enhancement • Tree Planting

Rural Clean Water Grants • Grant program provides funding to improve Water Quality. • Projects include: • Buffer strips • Livestock restrictions • Stream bank stabilization • Well decommissioning • Nutrient Management Plans

Woodlot Advisory Service (WAS) • Free site visits for landowners with at least 4 hectares of woodlot property • United Counties of Prescott and Russell or in SNC jurisdiction • May be eligible for tax savings up to 75%, grants also available. 2015 Winter Site Visit. Casselman

Trees Ontario: 50 Million Trees Program • Minimum 1 hectare (2.5 acres) • $0.20/seedling for conifers and $0.50/seedling for deciduous species 2012 White Spruce Plantation. Embrun

SNC Over the Counter Program • Minimum purchase of 100 trees • Over 20 species of native stock available Red Pine planted in spring 2014

Get Involved with SNC - Turtle Monitoring - Benthic and Fish Sampling - Stewardship opportunities on private property - Tree Planting - Habitat Enhancement - Land Donation - Fish Camp for Youth - Stream Sampling Snapping Turtle- Lemieux

~ we are making a difference ~