2016 Municipal Information Sheet Rideau Valley Conservation Authority Drummond/ North Elmsley

Stewardship Services nuisance beavers. Staff can produce imagery maps to help landowners identify beaver dam locations and property ownership • 6 Rural Clean Water projects approved in Drummond/North in problem areas. RVCA may be able to assist municipalities with Elmsley in 2015 — $12,375 was allocated to projects valued at beaver dam surveys in difficult access areas if it is unclear where $47,787; from 2002-2015, there have been 86 approved projects the problem dams are and who owns the land. in Drummond/North Elmsley — $108,346 was allocated to projects valued at $429,789. Conservation Land Management Services • 1,223 clean water projects approved watershed-wide between 2002 and 2015 — $2,178,350 allocated to projects valued at • 2,800+ hectares of sensitive natural areas are protected and $10,135,501. maintained by the RVCA and our partners at the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation, including ten developed conservation areas which are open to the public to enjoy. Stewardship staff use RVCA monitoring results to pursue targeted • 270 hectares of conservation land protected in Drummond/North stewardship activities on key areas for maximum impact. Elmsley • Dworschak property (19 hectares) — natural area • Perth Wildlife Reserve (122.6 hectares) — specifically geared to wildlife management the area has 3 kilometres of • 5 Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Program projects approved trails for walking, skiing or snowshoeing in Drummond/North Elmsley between 2007 and 2015 — $21,000 • Rideau Ferry (4.3 hectares) — shoreline property allocated to projects valued at $32,000; 109 Ontario Drinking providing a public day use recreation area with access to Water Stewardship Program projects approved in the Mississippi- Lower Rideau lake that includes a public beach, boat Rideau Source Protection Region between 2007 and 2015 — launch, and picnic area at this popular summer park. $521,000 allocated to projects valued at $853,770. • All Drummond/North Elmsley conservation lands saw major 2016 Municipal Information Sheet • 24,900 trees planted in Drummond/North Elmsley in 2015; $37,528 improvements; species at risk management and reforestation at fundraised; $58,263 provided in value; 5.25 million trees planted Dworschak property. watershed-wide on public and private land since 1984; 239,555 • Trail enhancements at Rideau Ferry. trees planted watershed-wide in 2015. • 10,000 students enjoy conservation education programs annually at Baxter and Foley Mountain Conservation Areas. Drummond/ • All areas operate in accordance with site-specific management

Grant programs and stewardship advice help property owners, businesses plans, which include input from the public, development plans, annual maintenance and capital responsibilities. and municipalities restore and improve the health of our watershed . YEAR S 1966-2016 N orth Elmsley Management of conservation areas protects vulnerable habitats and Who we are and what we do: Our ongoing priorities are: • 1,767 shoreline seedlings planted in Drummond/North Elmsley RVCA is one of Ontario’s 36 Conservation 1. Improve water quality valuable natural resources.

since 2009 through the Shoreline Naturalization Program with a Au thorities. Since our formation in 1966, we have 2. Protect water supplies

total project value of $11,869 — 15 projects completed in the part n ered with our local municipalities, residents, 3. Manage flood risk and erosion hazards township; 45,180 native tree and shrub seedlings and potted RVCA provides high quality curriculum-based environmental education businesses, service clubs, schools, environmental 4. Restore watershed habitats stock planted watershed wide since 2009. and lake associations, community groups and 5. Increase conservation lands • 113+ participants from 20 different lake associations attended programs to children – building the future guardians of our watershed. provincial and federal governments to deliver the 14th Annual Lake Links Workshop. programs and services that protect and manage We achieve these priorities through our: • 1,441 butternut seedlings planted in Drummond/North Elmsley. the natural resources we all value and count on in 1. Watershed Science and Engineering Services In total, over 20,000 butternut seedlings have been planted in the Rideau watershed. 2. Planning Advisory and Regulatory Services eastern Ontario. RVCA collects seeds each year from healthy 3. Stewardship Services Butternut trees that are endangered because of the Butternut Drummond/North Elmsley Levy 2016: $38,929.22 As one of our 18 member municipalities, the 4. Conservation Lands Services Canker. The seedlings are also supplied to clients who have For every levy dollar our municipalities invest, the RVCA provides Township of Drummond/North Elmsley is a valued compensation requirements under permits to harm or kill two dollars worth of service. We are able to double this municipal partner. We thank you for supporting 50 years of butternut trees. investment by maximizing other sources of funding enabling conservation in the Rideau watershed and look • 30+ landowners contact RVCA annually to register their concern us to do more work in the watershed forward to working with council and residents on and ask for advice on best management practices relating to the next 50. 2016 Municipal Information Sheet Drummond/ North Elmsley

Watershed Science and Engineering Services Planning Advisory and Regulatory Services

• The Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan came into effect • 2 water quality sites sampled on two lakes through the • 9 Conservation Authorities Act applications were received in • 1,015 Planning Act reviews were received in 2015. on January 1, 2015. The Source Protection Plan , required under Watershed Watch program — Otty and Lower Rideau Lakes. Drummond/North Elmsley in 2015. Under Section 28 of the • 347 septic re-inspections completed in upper watershed through the Ontario Clean Water Act , focuses on policies to protect • 1 water quality site was tested in the municipality as part of the Conservation Authorities Act , the RVCA is required to regulate participating townships which include Central Frontenac, municipal sources of drinking water. We provided policy Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network. development on hazard lands (floodplains, steep slopes, unstable soil) Drummon/North Elmsely, North Frontenac, Rideau Lakes and interpretation, implementation tools and other support to • 4 water quality sites sampled as part of RVCA baseline monitoring. and in environmentally sensitive areas (wetlands, shorelines, valley Tay Valley Township. A mandatory maintenance inspection municipal staff to ensure the legally binding policies are well • Sediment core samples taken from lake bottoms on lands). Over 90 percent of applicants receive approval each year. program on Otty Lake was approved by Drummond/North Elmsley understood and undertaken in time to meet compliance Watershed Watch lakes to establish a nutrient baseline and • 13 property inquiries were responded to regarding properties in in 2011 and implemented by Mississippi-Rideau Septic System deadlines. In addition, at the request of the municipality, we historic algae composition. Drummond/North Elmsley. Office in 2012. provided a specially trained Risk Management Official and • Stream Characterization Program assessed the Black Creek • 266 Conservation Authority Act applications were received in 2015. • RVCA is also available to review and approve private septic systems Inspectors that are required to enforce the Clean Water Act catchment for fish community, thermal regime and instream • 19 Planning Act reviews were undertaken in 2015 in under Part VIII of the Ontario Building Code at no cost to Part IV policies within the township. Drummond/North Elmsley conditions in 2014. Jebbs and Tay River were assessed in 2011. Drummond/North Elmsley including seven zoning by-law municipalities. RVCA currently provides this service to the City of received provincial Source Protection Municipal Implementation • Headwater drainage feature sampling completed in 2014 in the amendments, six severances, four minor variances and two site Ottawa and Tay Valley Township in partnership with MVCA and SNC. Funding to cover all costs associated with Source Protection Plan Black Creek catchment to characterize the amount of water, plan controls. The Province requires the RVCA to provide advice to •RVCA provides a simplified approvals process for municipal drain implementation. sediment transport and storage capacity within valuable municipalities on Planning Act applications that pertain to maintenance and repairs under the provincial DART protocol • Tay River Subwatershed Report was issued in 2012 along with headwater drainage features. It also identifies opportunities for regulated areas (hazard lands and environmentally sensitive established by MNRF and OMAFRA. detailed data sheets for the 14 catchments that flow into the stewardship and restoration. areas). We also review them for the protection of natural heritage creek. This compilation of water quality, forest cover, wetland • 224 spawning beds, 335 sunken wood clusters (shelter and features and water. Our input includes policy advice and technical cover and riparian cover data shows the health of the feeding habitat), plus 133 cornerstones (cover for guarding reviews of site specific studies looking at stormwater management, subwatershed and if its health is improving or declining. This males) installed by volunteers as part of the Otty Lake Bass environmental impact, setbacks and aquatic habitat. information is used by municipalities and RVCA to make policy Enhancement Project (2013-2015) undertaken in partnership and program decisions and to focus resource management and with the Otty Lake Association. stewardship actions where they are needed most. • 72 square kilometres of hazard mapping (floodplain, steep slopes, unstable soils, wetlands, shorelines and valley lands) is complete in Drummond/North Elmsley. This mapping is used by RVCA staff adhere to professional standards and provincially Sound, professional planning and regulations services avoid expensive Science-based information is critical for long-term watershed municipalities and the RVCA to ensure sound development that approved procedures. fixes and costly liability that can result from bad decision-making. management. It must be the basis of decision-making, program protects people, property and the environment. • RVCA monitors and forecasts hydrometric conditions to be able to development and policies. warn municipalities and residents about rising waters and where flooding may occur locally. This information is used by By sharing RVCA technical staff (engineers, biologists, geoscientists), municipalities to initiate their emergency response plans. • The Middle Rideau Subwatershed Report 2015 will be issued in • RVCA also monitors and forecasts hydrometric conditions to be planning advice costs are much lower than if municipalities were to 2016 with detailed data sheets for its ten catchments. This is the able to warn municipalities and residents about low water retain these services individually. second reporting cycle for the Middle Rideau following the 2010 conditions. This information is used by municipalities and the report. Municipalities and RVCA use these reports to make policy province to respond accordingly to the conditions at hand. and program decisions and to focus resource management and stewardship actions where they are needed most. • 3 stream sites sampled (Black Creek, Jebbs Creek and Tay River) Flood Forecasting protects public safety and helps minimize in the spring and fall for the Ontario Benthic Biomonitoring damage while Low Water Response ensures optimal management Network. Otty Lake has three sample sites for the OBBN programs sampled annually in the spring. of scarce resources.