Source Protection Watershed Characterization Report Prepared by: April 30, 2008 Raisin-South Nation Source Protection Region Watershed Characterization Report Table of Contents 1 Introduction to the Source Protection Region ........................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1.1 Report Organization ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Raisin-South Nation Source Protection Region ............................................................................ 2 1.2.1 Conservation Authority Collaboration in Eastern Ontario ........................................................... 4 1.2.2 Raisin Region Conservation Authority ......................................................................................... 6 1.2.3 South Nation Conservation Authority .......................................................................................... 7 1.2.4 Extended Source Protection Areas .............................................................................................. 8 1.3 Water Resource Studies ...................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.1 Eastern Ontario Water Resources Management Study (2001) ................................................. 10 1.3.2 Eastern Ontario Municipal Groundwater Study (2002) ............................................................. 11 1.3.3 United Counties of Leeds-Grenville Groundwater Management Study (2002)......................... 11 1.3.4 Preliminary Evaluation of Relative Aquifer Vulnerability, City of Ottawa (2001) ...................... 12 1.4 Stakeholders and Partners: Water Resource Working Committees in Eastern Ontario .................. 12 1.4.1 Eastern Ontario Water Resource Committee ............................................................................ 12 1.4.2 Clean Water Committee (South Nation Conservation) ............................................................. 13 1.4.3 St. Lawrence River Restoration Council (Raisin Region Conservation Authority) ...................... 13 1.5 Provincial Working Relationships ...................................................................................................... 13 1.5.1 Total Phosphorus Management Program (Ministry of the Environment) ................................. 14 1.6 Federal Working Relationships ......................................................................................................... 15 1.6.1 Microbial Source Tracking (Agriculture Canada) ....................................................................... 15 1.6.2 Watershed Evaluation of Beneficial Management Practices (Agriculture Canada) .................. 16 1.6.3 Shelterbelt Demonstration Project (Greencover Canada) ......................................................... 16 1.6.4 Cornwall Sediment Control Strategy .......................................................................................... 17 1.7 First Nations Groups ......................................................................................................................... 17 1.8 Key Findings ...................................................................................................................................... 18 1.9 References ........................................................................................................................................ 19 2 Physical Description ................................................................................................................................. 21 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 21 2.2 Objectives.......................................................................................................................................... 21 Version 1.0.0 Page i 4/30/2008 Raisin-South Nation Source Protection Region Watershed Characterization Report 2.3 Data Sources ..................................................................................................................................... 21 2.3.1 Eastern Ontario Water Resources Management Study, 2001 ................................................... 21 2.3.2 Municipal Groundwater Studies, 2004 ...................................................................................... 22 2.3.3 Preliminary Watershed Characterization for the Water Budget Conceptual Model, 2006 ....... 22 2.3.4 Watershed Characterization Report: Geologic Model and Conceptual Hydrogeological Model, 2006 .................................................................................................................................................... 23 2.4 Constraints and Assumptions ........................................................................................................... 23 2.5 Approach and Methods .................................................................................................................... 24 2.6 Physical Characterization .................................................................................................................. 24 2.6.1 General Description ................................................................................................................... 24 2.6.2 Geological History ...................................................................................................................... 24 2.6.3 Bedrock Geology ........................................................................................................................ 27 2.6.4 Quaternary Geology ................................................................................................................... 32 2.6.5 Geologic Cross Sections ............................................................................................................. 35 2.6.6 Topography and Physiography................................................................................................... 39 2.6.7 Stream Network ......................................................................................................................... 40 2.6.8 Soil Characteristics ..................................................................................................................... 42 2.7 Key Findings ...................................................................................................................................... 43 2.8 Data Gaps and Options ..................................................................................................................... 43 2.9 References ........................................................................................................................................ 43 3 Hydrology ................................................................................................................................................. 47 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 47 3.1.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 47 3.1.2 Data Sources .............................................................................................................................. 47 3.1.3 Constraints and Assumptions .................................................................................................... 48 3.1.4 Surface Water Hydrology ........................................................................................................... 48 3.1.5 Climate Data ............................................................................................................................... 59 3.1.6 Climatic and Meteorological Trends .......................................................................................... 62 3.2 Groundwater ..................................................................................................................................... 63 3.2.1 Objective .................................................................................................................................... 65 3.2.2 Data Sources .............................................................................................................................. 65 3.2.3 Constraints and Assumptions .................................................................................................... 67 Page ii Version 1.0.0 4/30/2008 Raisin-South Nation Source Protection Region Watershed Characterization Report 3.2.4 Approach and Methods ............................................................................................................. 68 3.2.5 Aquifers in the Source Protection Region .................................................................................. 68 3.2.6 Regional Groundwater Flow ...................................................................................................... 76 3.2.7 Groundwater Discharge and Recharge ...................................................................................... 79 3.2.8 Groundwater – Surface Water Interactions .............................................................................