Rideau Watershed, July 17, 2020 — The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) provides quality programs and services based on a watershed model and has been doing so for 54 years. These programs benefit the 450,000 people who call the Rideau watershed home. 

Our wide-ranging programs cover a huge geographic area, 4,000 km², from Central Frontenac to Merrickville-Wolford and downriver to the City of Ottawa. Through science, stewardship, education, policy and regulations the RVCA strives to manage local natural resources sustainably to ensure a healthy watershed for everyone.

“Our programs protect the health of our watershed and the people who live here,” said Sommer Casgrain-Robertson, RVCA General Manager. “Our goal is to build a healthy watershed and resilient communities by balancing human, environmental and economic needs.”

Below are some accomplishments reached in 2019.

Highlights

• 200,000 visitors to RVCA’s 11 conservation areas, which offer 42 kilometres of public trails
• 11,379 students participated in curriculum-based, experiential outdoor education programs at Baxter and Foley Mountain Conservation Areas
• 195,100 trees planted on 100 properties (6.4 million trees planted since 1984)
• 13,553 trees and shrubs planted on 73 waterfront properties to naturalize shorelines
• 145 clean water projects approved for funding to help watershed landowners complete $951,818 worth of local water quality improvements
• 3,687 m² of invasive species removed during 12 volunteer removal events
• 1,159 Planning Act applications reviewed
• 342 permit applications processed under Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act
• 692 septic permit applications processed for new or replacement systems
• 630 septic systems reinspected around watershed lakes
• 156 sites sampled for water quality on lakes, rivers and major tributaries
• 18 flood messages issued for the Rideau watershed, 17 for the Ottawa River watershed

“It’s so important to invest in the conservation and protection of our watershed for the good of our local economy and our community, now and into the future.” said Ms. Casgrain-Robertson. “I want to thank staff, member municipalities, partners and volunteers who helped make 2019 such a success and we look forward to working with our many partners in the year ahead.”

For your copy of the RVCA 2019 Annual Report, visit www.rvca.ca or call 613-692-3571 or 1-800-267-3504 for a hard copy.

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For more information contact:
Diane Downey
Director, Communications and Outreach
613-692-3571 or 1-800-267-3504 ext. ext. 1126