The Lake Simcoe Watershed What You Can Do Where We Are

LAKE SIMCOE SUBWATERSHEDS AND ISLANDS We are one of 1. Barrie Creeks Be a Watershed Steward! 36 Conservation 2. Beaver River • A simple step every property owner can take – Don’t mow to the edge of ditches, Lake Simcoe 3. Black River Authorities across 4. East Holland River streams, and river banks. You’ll restore a natural grass and plant fi lter which will absorb Ontario under 5. Fox Island pollutants before they enter the water and will protect against soil erosion! 6. Georgina Creeks WATERSHED the umbrella 7. Georgina Island organization of 8. Hawkestone Creek • Plant native trees and shrubs on your property to increase wildlife habitat and maintain a Conservation 9. Hewitt’s Creek healthy ecosystem. Report Card 2013 10. Innisﬁ l Creeks Ontario. 11. Lovers Creek • Regularly maintain your septic system. 12. Maskinonge River 13. Oro Creeks North • Switch to phosphorus-free fertilizers for your lawn and garden. 14. Oro Creeks South What Does This Report Card Measure? 15. Pefferlaw River 16. Ramara Creeks • Connect with community and municipal programs. 17. Snake Island 18. Talbot River • Visit the Ontario Ministry of the Environment website to learn about My Actions, Our 19. Thorah Island Lake Simcoe at www.ontario.ca/lakesimcoe. 20. West Holland River Surface Water Quality Forest Conditions Groundwater Quality 21. Whites Creek • Find out about our Landowner Environmental Assistance Program (LEAP) at www.LSRCA.on.ca/leap. Funding may be available for environmental projects on your Why Measure? The Lake Simcoe watershed is a vibrant and diverse habitat and a precious source of water. It’s also a centre property. for tourism and recreation - generating over $200 million annually for the local economy - as well as industry Measuring helps us better understand our watershed. It helps us to focus our eff orts where they are needed and agriculture. Our lives and that of its animals, plants and insects rely on its health. A healthy watershed • Make a donation to our funding partner, the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation at most and track progress. It also helps us to identify healthy and ecologically important areas that require protection or enhancement. supports healthy communities. www.LakeSimcoeFoundation.ca. The Lake Simcoe watershed sweeps across 3,400 square kilometres and 20 municipal borders, from the Oak What is a Watershed? Ridges Moraine in the south to the Oro Moraine in the north, through York and Durham regions, Simcoe • Follow these tips and collect others! County and the cities of Kawartha Lakes, Barrie and Orillia. The lake itself covers 20 percent of the area and • Visit www.LSRCA.on.ca for more information about our Watershed Report Card. A watershed is an area of land drained by a river or stream. provides a source of safe drinking water to seven municipalities. There are over 400,000 residents in the Similar to the branch of a tree, creeks empty into streams, which then watershed; 18 major river systems; 4,225 kilometres of creek, stream and tributary channels; and it’s home to empty into larger streams, eventually forming one main trunk, or river. 75 species of fi sh, with over 50 in the lake alone. In our watershed, all of these rivers ultimately drain into Lake Simcoe. What We Are Doing Within this system, everything is connected to everything else. In other words, actions which take place at the top of the system can and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) works with many partners, including our do aff ect those downstream. communities and municipal, provincial and federal governments, year-round to provide the best scientifi c 120 Bayview Parkway, Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 3W3 information on the health of the watershed and to support programs for its protection and restoration. Lake P: (905) 895-1281 F: (905) 853-5881 and tributary monitoring is an essential part of our eff orts. Our monitoring program includes measuring E: [email protected] Grading water quality parameters in both surface and ground water, surveying fi sh and aquatic insect populations, www.LSRCA.on.ca measuring water temperatures, monitoring water levels and fl ows, and tracking changing land uses. Excellent We would like to acknowledge the fi nancial support of A In addition to our extensive monitoring activities, we also lead and support many other programs and Good projects in science and research, protection and restoration, and education and engagement. our communities and municipal, provincial and federal partners. B Fair The standards used in this report card were developed by Conservation Authorities to ensure consistent reporting across the Province of Ontario This Watershed Report Card has been developed to share the fi ndings of our analyses for the fi ve year If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact us. C Poor and are intended to provide watershed residents with information to period from 2007-2011. The indicators represent a number of commonly monitored parameters used to D protect, enhance and improve the precious resources that surround us. indicate changes in the environment. The standards used in this report card were developed by Conservation Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Very Poor Authorities to ensure consistent reporting on the health of watersheds across the province. has prepared this report card as a summary F on the state of our forests, surface water, and groundwater resources. The Lake Simcoe Watershed What You Can Do Where We Are

LAKE SIMCOE SUBWATERSHEDS AND ISLANDS We are one of 1. Barrie Creeks Be a Watershed Steward! 36 Conservation 2. Beaver River • A simple step every property owner can take – Don’t mow to the edge of ditches, Lake Simcoe 3. Black River Authorities across 4. East Holland River streams, and river banks. You’ll restore a natural grass and plant fi lter which will absorb Ontario under 5. Fox Island pollutants before they enter the water and will protect against soil erosion! 6. Georgina Creeks WATERSHED the umbrella 7. Georgina Island organization of 8. Hawkestone Creek • Plant native trees and shrubs on your property to increase wildlife habitat and maintain a Conservation 9. Hewitt’s Creek healthy ecosystem. Report Card 2013 10. Innisﬁ l Creeks Ontario. 11. Lovers Creek • Regularly maintain your septic system. 12. Maskinonge River 13. Oro Creeks North • Switch to phosphorus-free fertilizers for your lawn and garden. 14. Oro Creeks South What Does This Report Card Measure? 15. Pefferlaw River 16. Ramara Creeks • Connect with community and municipal programs. 17. Snake Island 18. Talbot River • Visit the Ontario Ministry of the Environment website to learn about My Actions, Our 19. Thorah Island Lake Simcoe at www.ontario.ca/lakesimcoe. 20. West Holland River Surface Water Quality Forest Conditions Groundwater Quality 21. Whites Creek • Find out about our Landowner Environmental Assistance Program (LEAP) at www.LSRCA.on.ca/leap. Funding may be available for environmental projects on your Why Measure? The Lake Simcoe watershed is a vibrant and diverse habitat and a precious source of water. It’s also a centre property. for tourism and recreation - generating over $200 million annually for the local economy - as well as industry Measuring helps us better understand our watershed. It helps us to focus our eff orts where they are needed and agriculture. Our lives and that of its animals, plants and insects rely on its health. A healthy watershed • Make a donation to our funding partner, the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation at most and track progress. It also helps us to identify healthy and ecologically important areas that require protection or enhancement. supports healthy communities. www.LakeSimcoeFoundation.ca. The Lake Simcoe watershed sweeps across 3,400 square kilometres and 20 municipal borders, from the Oak What is a Watershed? Ridges Moraine in the south to the Oro Moraine in the north, through York and Durham regions, Simcoe • Follow these tips and collect others! County and the cities of Kawartha Lakes, Barrie and Orillia. The lake itself covers 20 percent of the area and • Visit www.LSRCA.on.ca for more information about our Watershed Report Card. A watershed is an area of land drained by a river or stream. provides a source of safe drinking water to seven municipalities. There are over 400,000 residents in the Similar to the branch of a tree, creeks empty into streams, which then watershed; 18 major river systems; 4,225 kilometres of creek, stream and tributary channels; and it’s home to empty into larger streams, eventually forming one main trunk, or river. 75 species of fi sh, with over 50 in the lake alone. In our watershed, all of these rivers ultimately drain into Lake Simcoe. What We Are Doing Within this system, everything is connected to everything else. In other words, actions which take place at the top of the system can and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) works with many partners, including our do aff ect those downstream. communities and municipal, provincial and federal governments, year-round to provide the best scientifi c 120 Bayview Parkway, Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 3W3 information on the health of the watershed and to support programs for its protection and restoration. Lake P: (905) 895-1281 F: (905) 853-5881 and tributary monitoring is an essential part of our eff orts. Our monitoring program includes measuring E: [email protected] Grading water quality parameters in both surface and ground water, surveying fi sh and aquatic insect populations, www.LSRCA.on.ca measuring water temperatures, monitoring water levels and fl ows, and tracking changing land uses. Excellent We would like to acknowledge the fi nancial support of A In addition to our extensive monitoring activities, we also lead and support many other programs and Good projects in science and research, protection and restoration, and education and engagement. our communities and municipal, provincial and federal partners. B Fair The standards used in this report card were developed by Conservation Authorities to ensure consistent reporting across the Province of Ontario This Watershed Report Card has been developed to share the fi ndings of our analyses for the fi ve year If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact us. C Poor and are intended to provide watershed residents with information to period from 2007-2011. The indicators represent a number of commonly monitored parameters used to D protect, enhance and improve the precious resources that surround us. indicate changes in the environment. The standards used in this report card were developed by Conservation Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Very Poor Authorities to ensure consistent reporting on the health of watersheds across the province. has prepared this report card as a summary F on the state of our forests, surface water, and groundwater resources. Surface Water Quality Forest Conditions Groundwater Quality The Lake

Phosphorus Concentration, μg/L

<10 10-15 15-20

20-25 Grading Grading Grading Aquifer Depth A Excellent A Excellent A Excellent Good Good Good B B Shallow B μg/L = micrograms per litre C Fair C Fair Intermediate C Fair D Poor D Poor Deep D Poor F Very Poor F Very Poor F Very Poor Insufficient Data

LEGEND NOTE: (*) Grades assessed using phosphorus concentrations only; insufﬁ cient benthic invertebrate data.

Grades for Surface Water Quality are based on two parameters in the Lake Simcoe watershed: The Forest Conditions indicator is evaluated on: Groundwater quality grades are determined by analyzing the concentrations of nitrate + nitrite and chloride. The LSRCA Lake Science Program uses a variety of indicators to assess the environmental health of Lake Simcoe: water and sediment samples are collected and analyzed for chemicals and nutrients; dissolved oxygen • Concentration of phosphorus, a naturally occurring nutrient prevalent throughout Ontario watersheds. • the percentage of wooded area in a subwatershed; Elevated concentrations may indicate contamination from sources such as winter salt (chloride), agriculture, levels are recorded to track changes in deepwater fi sh habitat; and diff erent species of lake organisms track the At high concentrations, phosphorus contributes to the excessive growth of aquatic plants and algae. • the percentage of interior forest — that is, the most densely wooded area found 100 metres in from the and septic systems (nitrate and nitrite). changing health of lake habitats. • Benthic invertebrate communities — mostly aquatic insects. Diff erent species require specifi c habitat outside edge — which is critical habitat for some sensitive species; and, LSRCA monitors groundwater quality in 14 wells classifi ed as shallow, intermediate, or deep. Generally, the conditions, making them excellent indicators of aquatic health. The map above reports the results from one aspect of our lake science - concentration of total phosphorus • the amount of riparian zone, a 30m buff er area along all watercourses, that is forested. deeper the well, the more likely it is to be protected by overlying soils that restrict the fl ow of groundwater measured in monthly water samples since 2008. The size of each circle indicates the average phosphorus Our monitoring results indicate how land use changes and composition aff ect surface water quality These areas provide vital habitat, improve water quality, stabilize soils, and provide locations for rain and (these are referred to as aquitards), providing a higher level of protection from surface contaminants. concentration at each site; the smallest size representing our phosphorus target of 10 μg/L (based on throughout the watershed. The lowest grades (C to D) occurred in the subwatersheds that are more heavily snowmelt to soak into the ground and replenish groundwater aquifers, the underground layer of water. Overall, the results were good with most wells scoring an A grade. Four shallow wells located near roads scored provincial water quality objective). While phosphorus concentration overall is still above this goal, especially in impacted by human activity, such as the East Holland and Maskinonge Rivers, and Barrie, Hewitt’s, and Ramara Cook’s Bay (average 20 μg/L ), other areas are closer (Kempenfelt Bay and Main Basin average 13.1 μg/L ) and Forest conditions varies widely across the watershed with grades ranging from A to D. The majority of our Bs and Cs, as a result of elevated chloride concentrations. These B and C grades alone, do not indicate a concern Creeks. These land uses contribute phosphorus to watercourses and can cause changes to stream habitat that all areas have seen improvement since the 1980s when average phosphorus concentration was 20-30 μg/L . subwatersheds scored a grade in the B to C range. While these subwatersheds have some areas with high about drinking water, as the contamination often remains close to the source; however, because shallow negatively aff ect the benthic invertebrate community. The healthiest water quality (A grade) was found in the We are using this phosphorus concentration data along with our other indicators to develop a grading system levels of natural cover, they also contain areas impacted by human activity where forest cover has been groundwater is often what feeds area streams, there is the potential that elevated chloride concentrations Hawkestone Creek subwatershed as it has the highest levels of natural cover. for Lake Simcoe. removed and/or fragmented. The best overall forest conditions were recorded in the Hawkestone Creek could aff ect stream health. Our results show no concerns with respect to nitrate + nitrite. subwatershed and Georgina Island; both scoring an A grade. These areas contain high levels of forest cover and forest interior and much of their riparian buff ers remain intact. Surface Water Quality Forest Conditions Groundwater Quality The Lake

Phosphorus Concentration, μg/L

<10 10-15 15-20

LEGEND NOTE: (*) Grades assessed using phosphorus concentrations only; insufﬁ cient benthic invertebrate data.

Phosphorus Concentration, μg/L

<10 10-15 15-20

LEGEND NOTE: (*) Grades assessed using phosphorus concentrations only; insufﬁ cient benthic invertebrate data.

Phosphorus Concentration, μg/L

<10 10-15 15-20

LEGEND NOTE: (*) Grades assessed using phosphorus concentrations only; insufﬁ cient benthic invertebrate data.

Grades for Surface Water Quality are based on two parameters in the Lake Simcoe watershed: The Forest Conditions indicator is evaluated on: Groundwater quality grades are determined by analyzing the concentrations of nitrate + nitrite and chloride. The LSRCA Lake Science Program uses a variety of indicators to assess the environmental health of Lake Simcoe: water and sediment samples are collected and analyzed for chemicals and nutrients; dissolved oxygen • Concentration of phosphorus, a naturally occurring nutrient prevalent throughout Ontario watersheds. • the percentage of wooded area in a subwatershed; Elevated concentrations may indicate contamination from sources such as winter salt (chloride), agriculture, levels are recorded to track changes in deepwater fi sh habitat; and diff erent species of lake organisms track the At high concentrations, phosphorus contributes to the excessive growth of aquatic plants and algae. • the percentage of interior forest — that is, the most densely wooded area found 100 metres in from the and septic systems (nitrate and nitrite). changing health of lake habitats. • Benthic invertebrate communities — mostly aquatic insects. Diff erent species require specifi c habitat outside edge — which is critical habitat for some sensitive species; and, LSRCA monitors groundwater quality in 14 wells classifi ed as shallow, intermediate, or deep. Generally, the conditions, making them excellent indicators of aquatic health. The map above reports the results from one aspect of our lake science - concentration of total phosphorus • the amount of riparian zone, a 30m buff er area along all watercourses, that is forested. deeper the well, the more likely it is to be protected by overlying soils that restrict the fl ow of groundwater measured in monthly water samples since 2008. The size of each circle indicates the average phosphorus Our monitoring results indicate how land use changes and composition aff ect surface water quality These areas provide vital habitat, improve water quality, stabilize soils, and provide locations for rain and (these are referred to as aquitards), providing a higher level of protection from surface contaminants. concentration at each site; the smallest size representing our phosphorus target of 10 μg/L (based on throughout the watershed. The lowest grades (C to D) occurred in the subwatersheds that are more heavily snowmelt to soak into the ground and replenish groundwater aquifers, the underground layer of water. Overall, the results were good with most wells scoring an A grade. Four shallow wells located near roads scored provincial water quality objective). While phosphorus concentration overall is still above this goal, especially in impacted by human activity, such as the East Holland and Maskinonge Rivers, and Barrie, Hewitt’s, and Ramara Cook’s Bay (average 20 μg/L ), other areas are closer (Kempenfelt Bay and Main Basin average 13.1 μg/L ) and Forest conditions varies widely across the watershed with grades ranging from A to D. The majority of our Bs and Cs, as a result of elevated chloride concentrations. These B and C grades alone, do not indicate a concern Creeks. These land uses contribute phosphorus to watercourses and can cause changes to stream habitat that all areas have seen improvement since the 1980s when average phosphorus concentration was 20-30 μg/L . subwatersheds scored a grade in the B to C range. While these subwatersheds have some areas with high about drinking water, as the contamination often remains close to the source; however, because shallow negatively aff ect the benthic invertebrate community. The healthiest water quality (A grade) was found in the We are using this phosphorus concentration data along with our other indicators to develop a grading system levels of natural cover, they also contain areas impacted by human activity where forest cover has been groundwater is often what feeds area streams, there is the potential that elevated chloride concentrations Hawkestone Creek subwatershed as it has the highest levels of natural cover. for Lake Simcoe. removed and/or fragmented. The best overall forest conditions were recorded in the Hawkestone Creek could aff ect stream health. Our results show no concerns with respect to nitrate + nitrite. subwatershed and Georgina Island; both scoring an A grade. These areas contain high levels of forest cover and forest interior and much of their riparian buff ers remain intact. The Lake Simcoe Watershed What You Can Do Where We Are