Monthly Archive

RVCA Releases Report on State of the Tay River Subwatershed

RIDEAU WATERSHED, June 21, 2018 — How healthy is the Tay River? Readers can learn all about it in the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s (RVCA) Tay River Subwatershed Report. This information-loaded report summarizes the subwatershed’s health by looking at four indicators: forests, wetlands, shorelines and water quality. This is the second subwatershed report for the Tay River and compares baseline information collected from 2006 to 2017. Changes are small, but understanding how to prevent cumulative long-term changes is essential.

The Tay River begins its journey at Carnahan Lake, south of the Town of Sharbot Lake. From there it meanders northeast, draining water from 55 lakes into the Lower Rideau Lake at Port Elmsley. Along its way, the Tay flows through the Canadian Shield that defines many of the lakes in the area, including Long, Eagle, Crow and Bobs Lakes. From here downstream, the Tay takes on a more river-like form as it flows towards Christie Lake, before beginning the long descent through rich farmland and the Town of Perth to where it empties into Lower Rideau Lake.

RVCA’s monitoring efforts help us better understand watershed trends and help focus stewardship activities where they are needed the most. These subwatershed reports summarize RVCA information and are valuable tools for decision-makers at all levels — individuals, families, municipalities, counties and the province.

Conditions along the Tay River have remained similar to past years; however, now is always the best time to take steps to maintain, protect and improve our watershed conditions.

Efforts can be simple things like keeping shorelines natural and planting trees to more complicated municipal planning and development projects that protect surface water quality and aquatic habitat through the creation of riparian buffers, and application of stormwater best management practices. The report identifies what the RVCA, municipalities, residents, businesses, community groups and agricultural associations can do to help make environmental gains. 

For landowners looking to do their part, the RVCA provides a number of stewardship programs designed to improve watershed health. The programs provide technical expertise, grants and manpower. By connecting with landowners, the goal is to make real, on-the-ground improvements. Landowners who are interested in learning about possible projects can call the RVCA for details.

This report is part of a series including reports on the Lower Rideau (2012), Kemptville Creek (2013), Rideau Lakes (2014) and Middle Rideau (2015) and Jock River (2016), Next year, similar comparisons on watershed health will be made for the Lower Rideau Subwatershed. 

For your copy of this and other subwatershed reports, call the RVCA at 613-692-3571 ext. 1177 or visit watersheds.rvca.ca. For those looking for more scientific information, monitoring results will be available online this fall through the Tay’s 14 catchments reports.

RVCA Plants 275,000 This Spring!

EASTERN ONTARIO, June 6, 2018: The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) is pleased to report that 275,000 healthy native tree seedlings have been planted in the Rideau Valley this spring. These young trees add to the total as RVCA and its planting partners strive to plant a total of 6.5 million trees by 2020. 

Tree planting is one of the most practical ways to take care of our watershed and the wider environment. RVCA’s reforestation programs are a great way for landowners to improve their property by:

• Increasing forest cover
• Improving wildlife habitat
• Increasing biodiversity
• Protecting soil from erosion
• Improving water quality and water conservation and so much more!

The RVCA offers a full-service reforestation program for landowners interested in having one acre or more (0.4 hectares) planted in trees. The land must be suitable for tree planting and the landowner must be willing to plant 1,000 trees or more. The RVCA’s full-service program includes free site visits with forestry experts, development of planting plans, site preparation, tree planting operations, follow-up assessments and operations to ensure long-term tree establishment. “Our program is focused on increasing forest cover throughout our watershed. So much of the land is privately owned so we work with local landowners to provide them with easy and affordable tree planting services,” said Scott Danford, RVCA Forestry Manager.  

Typical costs for the full-service tree-planting program are $0.15/tree ($120/acre). The RVCA and its planting partners cover all additional costs. “We have numerous community-minded partners who support our tree planting program and help reduce the costs for landowners,” said Scott Danford. Planting partners include the City of Ottawa, Forests Ontario, Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, Eastern Ontario Model Forest, Pratt & Whitney Canada, McGarry Funeral Homes, Newcap LiVE 88.5, Carleton Refrigeration, Pratt & Whitney Canada and the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation.

Trees are vital for a healthy and sustainable future; start planning now for planting next spring. If you would like to plant trees or to get more information call Scott Danford at 613-692-3571 or 1-800-267-3504 ext. 1175 or visit www.rvca.ca. 

Nichols Creek Regulations and Hazard Land Mapping Public Open House

CITY OF OTTAWA AND MONTAGUE TOWNSHIP, June 4, 2018  — The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) has completed a hazard mapping study for Nichols Creek from the Montague Boundary Road to the Jock River. Members of the public are invited to an upcoming open house to review regulation and hazard maps. 

The new mapping show areas that are subject to natural hazards such as flooding and erosion and have natural environmental features such as wetlands. The mapping will be used by the City of Ottawa and Montague Township when updating their Official Plans and Zoning Schedules and in the review of development applications under the Planning Act. RVCA will also use the mapping to guide the review of development applications submitted under the RVCA’s Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses Regulation.

The goal of this mapping is to help ensure that sound planning decisions are made — keeping people and property safe. Accurate engineered hazard mapping is the foundation of effective floodplain and resource management.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the open house and/or provide comments on the mapping. Conservation Authority staff welcome historical records of past flood events, news clippings, photographs and even anecdotal stories to help confirm the reasonableness of calculations and resulting hazard mapping. 

Nichols Creek Regulations and Hazard Land Mapping Study Public Open House
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
4:30 to 8:00 p.m.
St. Phillip Church – Rev. Gillissie Parish Hall
127 Burke Street, Richmond

For those unable to attend the open house, mapping can also be seen online at www.rvca.ca/nichols-creek. To understand how mapping may affect your property or to provide comments, please contact an RVCA Resource Specialist at  or complete an online property inquiry form at www.rvca.ca/ general-property-inquiries.

This study is being done through a collaboration involving the City of Ottawa and the Rideau Valley, Mississippi Valley and South Nation Conservation Authorities. The City recognized a need to update its zoning schedules based on up-to-date flood risk mapping, and has provided contributions enabling the Conservation Authorities to move ahead with these studies sooner than would otherwise be possible. The RVCA is currently working on several studies in the Ottawa area. For a complete list on ongoing work, please visit www.rvca.ca.