Making Waves: Integrated Watershed Management Projects

The Muskoka River Watershed is facing pressures due to increased development, severe weather events resulting from the changing climate, increased contaminants (e.g., nutrients and road salt), management of invasive species, loss of species at risk habitat, and shoreline erosion. Residents are also concerned about water quality and quantity management and the impacts of flooding.

The Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group (MWAG) was appointed to advise the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) regarding priority geographic areas and issues in the Watershed. MWAG provided recommendations for projects across three key themes:

• Integrated Watershed Management
• Flood Mitigation
• Watershed Enhancement

In 2020, the MWAG provided a report to the Minister, highlighting important issues facing the Muskoka River Watershed, including severity and risk of flooding, erosion and siltation, threats to water quality, threats to biodiversity and natural habitat, and the need for integrated watershed management.

• Improve knowledge of the challenges facing the Muskoka River Watershed.
• Better understand the causes of fluctuating water levels in the Muskoka River Watershed.
• Improve understanding of erosion and siltation in the Muskoka River Watershed.
• Improve knowledge of existing and emerging threats to water quality.
• Improve knowledge of emerging threats to biodiversity and natural habitat.

The Community Roundtable (CRT) was established by the Muskoka Watershed Council (MWC) in 2021. Its mission is to promote and support the initiation of IWM in the Muskoka River watershed by 1) providing the District with input and advice on its initial suite of projects; and 2) engaging and educating the watershed community and contributing local input, knowledge, experience and guidance in the development of an integrated watershed management strategy for the Muskoka River Watershed.

The CRT includes MWC members, representatives from municipalities with lands within the Muskoka River Watershed, and members drawn from a variety of business interests, organizations, and communities across the watershed. CRT meetings are also open to the public.

For more information about the Community Roundtable or to participate, contact crt@muskokawatershed.org.

What is a watershed? 

• A watershed is an area of land that drains to the same location or body of water.
• It includes rivers, lakes, wetlands, and any land whether it park, farm, forest, school parking lot, small towns, big cities, and the soil we use to build our homes on etc.
• Think of a watershed as a funnel, collecting all the water in a specific area and draining it into the nearest body of water.
• Drop by drop water is channeled into the soil, groundwater, creeks, and streams making its way to larger rivers and lakes.
• Watersheds are not defined by political, national, or international boundaries. The topography of the land shapes the boundary.
• Everyone in the world lives in a watershed.
• In Muskoka, the environment, economy, and society depend on a healthy watershed.

Where is the Muskoka River Watershed located? 

The headwaters of the river originate on the western slopes of Algonquin Park and flow southwesterly for approximately 210 kilometers to discharge into the southeast corner of Georgian Bay.

How big is the Muskoka River Watershed?

The watershed measures over 62 kilometers at its widest point and is approximately 120 kilometers long, encompassing an area of approximately 5,100 square kilometers. The watershed contains over 2,000 lakes and almost 7,000 km of shoreline.

What are the major rivers and subwatersheds in The District Municipality of Muskoka?

There are three main watersheds within The District Municipality of Muskoka.

• The Black-Severn River Watershed flows through the Severn River to Georgian Bay in the southern portion of the District.
• Muskoka River (North and South Branch) Watershed outlets into Georgian Bay through the Moon and Musquash Rivers.
• In the western portion of the District, a narrow band of the Georgian Bay Watershed conveys flows to Georgian Bay through several smaller rivers in the Township of Georgian Bay. 

What municipalities are included within the Muskoka River Watershed?

A watershed is not defined by municipal or administrative boundaries. The Muskoka River Watershed includes four upper tier and 13 lower tier municipalities.

Upper Tier:

• District of Muskoka
• County of Haliburton
• District of Parry Sound (unorganized)
• Nipissing District (unorganized) 

Lower Tier:

• Town of Gravenhurst*
• Town of Bracebridge*
• Town of Huntsville*
• Township of Lake of Bays*
• Township of Georgian Bay*
• Township of Muskoka Lakes*

• Township of Archipelago
• Township of Algonquin Highlands
• Town of Kearney
• Township of Dysart et al.
• Township of McMurrich/Monteith
• Township of Perry
• Township of Seguin

* Part of The District Municipality of Muskoka

Are there any Indigenous Nations within the Muskoka River Watershed?

Yes, eight Indigenous Nations have traditional ties or ongoing interest in the lands that now encompass Muskoka. Actively involved Nations within the Muskoka Area Indigenous Leadership Table (MAILT) include:

• The Wahta Mohawks First Nation
• Moose Deer Point First Nation
• Moon River Metis Council (The Metis Nation of Ontario)
• Chippewas of Rama First Nation

• Huron-Wendat Nation

Learn more about Indigenous Nations within Muskoka and MAILT: www.engagemuskoka.ca/mailt

How are watersheds managed?

Watersheds are managed through watershed management plans. 

Does Muskoka River have a watershed management plan?

No, the Muskoka River does not have a watershed management plan. 

What is the Muskoka River Water Management Plan?

The Muskoka River Water Management Plan is a legally enforceable strategy outlining how the 42 dams in the watershed operate to manage the flow and water levels in the Muskoka River with a focus on maintaining water levels for navigation, fish and wildlife, and hydropower generation. The plan was created in 2006 and is managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF).

The Muskoka River Water Management Plan is not a holistic watershed plan. It considers some aspects of the watershed (like lake level and fish habitat) but does not address all aspects of a watershed - including human health, ecological health (including land, forest, soil) and economic health.

How was the Muskoka River Water Management Plan created?

The plan was created from:

1. The Hackner-Holden Agreement. 
2. The Ministry of Natural Resource Dam Operations Manual.
3. Existing operating plans tied to legal tenure at generating stations.
4. Structural limitations.
5. Water retention limitations.
6. Additions to support a more natural flow, ecological conditions, trout spawning and recreational water-base activities.

What is the Hackner-Holden Agreement? 

• Created in 1940, The Hackner-Holden Agreement was the original agreement that controlled lake levels and outflows to maximize benefits for summer use and water navigation. Power production was optimized at other times.
• Amended in 1969 to recognize tourism, fish, and wildlife. 
• Replaced in 2006 by the Muskoka River Water Management Plan.

• Add native plants or a rain garden to your yard.
• Report erosion when you see it. Go to: www.muskoka.on.ca/erode
• Become a citizen scientist by volunteering to collect data to monitor water quality and environmental health.
• Participate in a shoreline or environmental cleanup.
• Create a riparian buffer using native plants on your shoreline.
• Reduce or eliminate lawn chemicals.
• Keep storm drains clear.
• Do not use toxic household chemicals down the drain; take them to a hazardous waste centre.
• Use natural products for cleaning.
• Use hardy native plants that requires little or no water, fertilizers, or pesticides on your property.
• Conserve or recycle water, take shorter showers, fix leaks, turn off the water when not in use, and conserve water with a rain barrel.
• Use surfaces like wood, brick or gravel for walkways, and decks that allow rain to soak in and not run off.
• Fix vehicle leaks or drive less walk or bike; many pollutants in our waters come from car exhaust and car leaks.
• Support stream restoration projects.

• IWM is an approach to managing natural resources and human activities within an entire watershed, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.
• This approach brings a scientific perspective to environmental and land-use management by developing watershed-scale targets.
• IWM seeks to balance social, environmental, and economic factors in the decision-making process.

What is the difference between IWM and the Muskoka River Water Management Plan?

IWM is a holistic approach to watershed management that considers human, ecological and economic health. It includes the water and land throughout the watershed and how these things are managed (i.e., development policy). The Muskoka River Water Management Plan is a small component of an IWM plan approach. The Muskoka River Water Management Plan guides dam operators on the operation of water control structures in the Muskoka River Watershed. It considers related aspects such as recreational lake levels, river flow fluctuations and base flows, and fish habitat, but is limited to the usage of dams for water management.

What are the benefits of an IWM approach? 

By taking an IWM approach, we can develop plans that support:

• Improved water quality and quantity.
• Flood and erosion management.
• Biodiversity and resilient habitats.
• Sustainable economic and recreational opportunities.
• Improved quality of life and communities.
• Greater ability for the watershed to adapt to the impacts of climate change, urbanization and other stressors.

What are the advantages of having an IWM plan?

IWM enables a host of interconnected issues to be addressed collectively with several benefits:

• Science-based decision-making.
• Improved collaboration.
• Leveraging existing local environmental natural resource investments resulting in more sustainable outcomes.

How does IWM benefit the local environment?

Benefits include:

• Improved water quality and erosion control.
• More resilient biodiversity and habitat.
• Greater ability to adapt to impacts of climate change.
• Protect species and habitats at risk.
• Protect wetlands.

How does IWM benefit the local economy?

Benefits include:

• Energy production, hydropower.
• Contributes to sustainable fisheries, mining, forestry, agriculture, transportation, tourism.
• Improved neighbourhood desirability.
• Sustainable development.

How does IWM benefit local society?

Benefits include:

• Improved quality of life.
• Monitoring of water quality - improved water quality.
• Safe drinking water.
• Monitoring for the health of the watershed.
• Flood protection and erosion.
• Natural areas to keep active and recharge.
• Waste management.
• Land use.

Where is IWM being implemented in Ontario?

There are 36 Conservation Authorities across Ontario that rely on an IWM approach – 31 in southern Ontario and five in northern Ontario.

Municipal partnerships or other organizations can also implement IWM. A few examples of this include:

• North Bay, Mattawa River Integrated Watershed Strategy.
• City of Greater Sudbury Sub-watershed Planning and Management & Official Plan.
• Thunder Bay, McVicar Creek Watershed Protection and Rehabilitation Plan.
• Ottawa, Mississippi River Watershed Plan.
• Simcoe County, Nottawasaga River Integrated Watershed Plan.

What is the long-term goal for IWM in Muskoka?

The long-term goal is to adopt the principles for an IWM approach.

The principles are:

1. Watershed-based (not political or administrative boundaries) and informed by science.
2. Requires us to manage natural resources and human activities together.
3. Considers the interests and needs of not just the environment but also the economy and society because they are all connected and impact each other in good and bad ways.
4. Relies on an adaptive management approach, which establishes a plan, implements, monitors, reports, and re-evaluates and updates, if necessary.
5. Need for collaborative governance at many levels for shared decision-making and priority setting.

How could IWM be implemented in Muskoka?

IWM could be put into action through a series of planning steps that include:

• Getting to know the watershed.
• Identify local issues.
• Develop plans to address the issues.
• Implement actions locally.
• Monitor, report, and update plans.

Some of the tools used when implementing IWM include:

1. Watershed plans, and watershed management programs and services.
2. Strategies, policies, legislation, and regulations (e.g., climate change).
3. Green economy initiative and incentives.

What is the governance structure of IWM?

While this is not currently within the scope of the current projects, collaborative governance at many levels for shared decision and priority setting is a core principle of IWM.

Following consultations with the community and key stakeholders, MWAG provided recommendations for projects across three key themes:

• Integrated Watershed Management.
• Flood Mitigation.
• Watershed Enhancement.

The MECP considered MWAG’s recommendations and identified several projects for Provincial support.

The Province of Ontario established the Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group in August 2019 to protect and conserve the Muskoka River Watershed and support economic growth in the region.

The Advisory Group included nine members with experience environmental protection and conservation, resource management, urban and land use planning, municipal government, natural and applied sciences, and finance.

The Advisory Group has concluded its mandate and has been terminated.

How many projects are there and what are they?

There are twelve projects.

1. Hydrological Model
2. Operational Adjustment Study
3. Examine Localized Structural Mitigation Measures
4. Expand Floodplain Mapping
5. Natural Capital Inventory
6. Water Management Plan Scoping Study
7. Examine Watershed-Scale Food Mitigation Options
8. Review Land Use Policy
9. Develop Watershed Health Indicators
10. Develop Water Quality Indicators
11. The Erosion Survey
12. The Public Access Inventory

What is the goal of the IWM projects?

To lay the foundation to design a comprehensive approach to watershed management to address land-use decisions, environmental projects, infrastructure projects and broader public policy options. These projects aim to identify the existing conditions within the Muskoka River Watershed, characterize the watershed and lay the foundation for the future development of an IWM Plan.

How will these projects help to address flooding events in the Muskoka River Watershed?

The projects seek to understand the causes of flooding in Muskoka and what can be done in the future to mitigate flood events by:

1. Collecting information about existing conditions.
2. Reviewing existing policies and practices that are in place to manage the watershed.
3. Gathering information and data to monitor the watershed.
4. Exploring structural mitigation measures and operational adjustments that may have an impact on water levels during flooding scenarios.

Who is funding the projects and how much funding did the District receive?

The Province of Ontario announced an initial investment of $5 million to examine the existing conditions in the watershed, explore ways to reduce the impacts of flooding and address the health of the Muskoka River Watershed.

• The District received $4,162,850.
• The Town of Bracebridge received $90,000 to undertake a siltation study in the Muskoka River.

Who is leading the projects?

The District of Muskoka is leading the majority of the projects with support from the Muskoka Watershed Council and the Community Roundtable.

What is the Muskoka Watershed Council?

Founded in 2001 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in July 2019, the Muskoka Watershed Council is an initiative of The District Municipality of Muskoka and the Muskoka community as an advisory (not a regulatory or enforcement) agency.

The Council, comprised entirely of volunteers, makes evidence-based recommendations to municipal governments, decision-makers, managers, and the public on ways to protect and restore the resources of the area’s watersheds.

Learn more: www.muskokawatershed.org

What is the Community Roundtable?

The Community Roundtable (CRT) was established by the Muskoka Watershed Council (MWC) in 2021. Its mission is to promote and support the initiation of IWM in the Muskoka River Watershed by 1) providing the District with input and advice on its initial suite of projects; and 2) engaging and educating the watershed community and contributing local input, knowledge, experience and guidance in the development of an integrated watershed management strategy for the Muskoka River Watershed.

The establishment of the Community Roundtable was one of the recommendations from the Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group.

Who is involved with the Community Roundtable?

The Community Roundtable includes:

• Muskoka Watershed Council members.
• Representatives from municipalities with lands within the Muskoka River Watershed.
• Members from a variety of interested individuals, local industries, organizations, and communities across the watershed.

Are Indigenous Nations involved, engaged or consulted with on the projects?

• Indigenous Nations were invited to participate in the Community Roundtable.
• Both Moose Deer Point First Nation and Wahta Mohawks First Nation gave permission to complete floodplain mapping in their communities and on their lands, and access has been granted as needed for field surveys.

Where can I find the final reports for each of the projects?

Links to the final report for each of the 12 projects are linked above (see "Project Overview and Findings").

Will more funding for additional IWM work be forthcoming?

There is currently no additional or guaranteed funding in place.

How can I get involved?

You can participate in the Community Roundtable:

• Community Roundtable meetings are open to the public.
• Contact: crt@muskokawatershed.org