2008 Watershed Report Cards

2008 Watershed Report Cards

The Watershed Report Cards have been prepared to help watershed residents and agency staff and directors evaluate the environmental health of the region. The report provides a summary of existing monitoring programs, and evaluates key indicators based on provincial standards for watershed health.

This first set of Report Cards for 14 watersheds in the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority and associated First Nations is based on forest and surface water quality conditions from 2001 to 2005. The provincial indicators and scoring system were recommended by Conservation Ontario to provide a standard reporting system across the Conservation Authorities of Ontario. The scoring system uses grades on a five-point scale from A down to F.

The St. Clair Region receives a C grade for Surface Water Quality and a D grade for Forest Conditions, using Watershed Report Card standards developed by Conservation Ontario and the Ministry of the Environment.

The St. Clair Region hosts an unusual mosaic of farmland and forests, urban areas, industrialization and natural areas. This mosaic has low Report Card scores that reflect our urban, agricultural and industrial activities but the natural biological diversity is extraordinary nonetheless. Residents, agencies and municipalities must act to protect and improve this region of Canada which is “uniquely St. Clair”.

Download the 2008 Watershed Report Cards (pdf format)