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Credit River Watershed Health Report

Latest News: Chapters 15 & 16 have now been released.

Over the next several months, Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) will be presenting chapters from its Credit River Watershed Health Report. Each chapter will provide insight into the watershed’s health and whether conditions are getting better, worse, or staying the same. The report, which looks at some of the major factors that may be contributing to changing conditions, analyzes data collected by CVC through its Integrated Watershed Monitoring Program (IWMP) over many years of monitoring the Credit River Watershed. This report is significant because it tracks changes in the watershed over the long-term, providing a comprehensive analysis about its health.

CVC acknowledges the generous support of our Partners:

 

Chapter 1 – Introduction  Release Date: October 2012
  • What is the Watershed Health Report?
  • What should you expect over the coming months?
Chapter 2 – Integrated Watershed Monitoring Program  Release Date: October 2012
  • What is the Integrated Watershed Monitoring Program?
  • What are indicators and why do we use them?
  • Description and importance of each component
  • Physiographic Zones of the Watershed
Chapter 3 – Land Use Release Date: November 2012
  • What is the predominant land use in the watershed?
  • Urbanization & population growth in the watershed
  • What is the impact of urbanization on watershed indicators?
Chapter 4 – Climate & Climate Change Release Date: November 2012
  • What are the expected impacts of climate change in southern Ontario?
  • How will climate change affect watershed health indicators?
  • How do recent air temperature and precipitation patterns in the watershed compare to long-term averages?
  • Is there evidence of climate change in the watershed?
Chapter 5 – Groundwater Levels Release Date: December 2012
  • What is groundwater and why is monitoring its level important?
  • What are the seasonal trends in groundwater levels?
  • Has the quantity of groundwater changed in the last decade?
Chapter 6 – Groundwater Quality Release Date: December 2012
  • Why is monitoring groundwater quality important
  • What is the quality of groundwater in the Credit River Watershed?
  • How has the quality of groundwater changed in recent years?
Chapter 7 – Streamflow Release Date: February 2013
  • Why is streamflow important?
  • What are the seasonal and long-term trends in streamflow?
  • Monitoring streamflow for both high and low events
Chapter 8 – Fluvial Geomorphology Release Date: December 2012
  • What is Fluvial Geomorphology and why is it important?
  • How is the shape of the Credit River and its tributaries changing?
Chapter 9 – Forest Integrity Release Date: February 2013
  • Why we need healthy forests
  • What is the status of forest integrity in the Credit River Watershed?
  • How is forest integrity changing and what does it mean for the Credit River ecosystem?
Chapter 10 – Wetland Integrity Release Date: February 2013
  • Why we need healthy wetlands
  • What is the status of wetland integrity in the Credit River Watershed?
  • How is wetland integrity changing and what does it mean for the Credit River ecosystem?
Chapter 11 – Riparian Integrity Release Date: February 2013
  • Why the riparian zone is important
  • What is the status of riparian integrity in the Credit River Watershed?
Chapter 12 – Water Chemistry Release Date: March 2013
  • What was the status of water quality in the Credit River Watershed in 2011?
  • How does water quality change as you flow down the Credit?
  • How has water quality changed over the last decade?

 
Chapter 13 – Water Temperature Release Date: March 2013
  • The importance of water temperature
  • What was the water temperature in 2011 and how has water temperature varied over the last 5 years?
Chapter 14 – Sediment Chemistry Release Date: March 2013
  • The importance of sediment chemistry
  • What was the sediment quality index score in 2011 and how did it vary over the monitoring period?
Chapter 15 – Benthic Macroinvertebrates Release Date: April 2013
  • What was the status of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in 2011?
  • How has the benthic macroinvertebrate community changed over the last decade and what does this tell us about changes in water quality?
Chapter 16 – Fish Release Date: April 2013
  • The importance of fish
  • How is the health of fish communities changing in the Credit River Watershed?

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