Kawartha Conservation’s Integrated Watershed Management staff are preparing for an active water quality monitoring program this year.

Several areas are being tested throughout the spring, summer and fall throughout City of Kawartha Lakes, Durham Region, and surrounding areas as part of the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network.

The program, coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, operates in collaboration with conservation authorities across the province to establish long-term baselines of water quality, detect changes in water quality, and to create an open data source for water quality in the rivers and streams of Ontario.

“The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks coordinates the program, provides our team with supplies and equipment, and completes laboratory analysis for each individual water sample,” explained Tanner Liang, Kawartha Conservation’s water quality specialist. “Kawartha Conservation is responsible for collecting samples from each site in our jurisdiction and providing local expertise and knowledge to the Ministry.”

Kawartha Conservation’s watershed management department collects samples from across the region including from the Scugog River, Pigeon River, Nonquon River, Blackstock Creek, Mariposa Brook, Balsam Lake Outlet, Gull River, Sturgeon Lake Outlet, Cameron Lake Outlet and Burnt River on a monthly basis as part of this program.

“Throughout the winter, we measure nutrients, suspended solids, and chloride levels, but as we transition to the standard sampling season from April to November, we will be testing for metals and carbon as well,” explained Liang. “Monitoring each of these parameters year after year helps provide a clearer picture about the health and history of our water.”

Kawartha Conservation’s participation in the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network program allows the agency to collect and share valuable data with the government and other organizations in an effort to better understand water quality characteristics across Ontario.

The agency also monitors:

•135 sites for water quality chemistry including nutrients and chloride

•23 sites for water quantity including snow courses, precipitation, water level, and streamflow monitoring locations

•30 sites for water temperature

•3 sites for weather and climate parameters – air temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction

•41 sites for aquatic life focusing on streams that flow through urban areas, in partnership with the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network

To access water quality data from the provincial monitoring program, visit https://data.ontario.ca/dataset/provincial-stream-water-quality-monitoring-network.

For more detailed information regarding Kawartha Conservation’s watershed monitoring, visit www.kawarthaconservation.com/en/environmental-sciences/watershed-monitoring.aspx.

 

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Originally Appeared Here