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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1997-10-01, Page 9L>itcknow Sentinel, Wednesday, Octoiber 1, 1997 -- Page 9 Results of study indicate trends *from page 7 tion in forest coverall limit the ability of the ecosystem to absorb nutrients," said Steele. The .results of MVCA studies indicate the number of water quality trends. • 1. Nitrate levels in major water courses in • the Maitland watershed have been steadily increasing since the early 1970s. Readings now exceed acceptable levels in most area rivers and streams. The major contributors of nitrates include: sub -stan- dard septic systems, agricul- tural fertilizers, urban run- off and sewage •treatment facilities. Increase in bacteria appear ,to be event This, means tha r than an increasing or decreasing trend over time, bacteria levels exhibit sharp increases ' followed by equally_ sharp declines. These spikesmay. relate .to rainfall or .snow melt. wash= . ing manure or. , sewage into water courses as well as manure and sewage spills.. ` 3: 'Phosphorous readings are above desired levels in area streams and rivers but have remained fairly consistent since ,1965. 4.. Several other. indicators of water quality have improved across -- the Maitlandand Nine ';Mile. watersheds particularly,' • since 19137. Water tempera - tyres have been declining and dissolved oxygen Ievets have ' been 1 increasing, ;Cooler water contains more oxygen and oxygen is criti- cal for the survival of stream organisms. Water sampling has also shown that biologi- cal oxygen demand (ROD) readings are declining. ,t'OD relatesto the organic load- ings found in water courses. This improvement can. be traced to improved sewage treatmentfacilities,.. reduc- tions in the amount of solid ' manure entering streams and improvements in food processing practices. There are a number of government and farming agencies working on Water quality issues. Locally these groups include the ° Huron. County. • Health Unit, MVCA, Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority, Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 'Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Environmental Fann Plan, Huron County Federation of Agriculture, and the Huron Pork . Producers' Association. There is a rec- :Ognized need for co -opera! tion amongst these groups. ,and discussions are, under- -way concerning the sharing of information on water pol- lution issues. Due to recent funding' cutbacks. many :successful water quality services have been eliminated, including the highly successful Clean .Up•Rural. Reaches'prograrn. The•' only remaining. local programs are. - the Environmental Parm Plan. Program, • the Best, Management. Practices guidelines issued by Agriculture Canada and OMAFRA,' and the Water Quality Assessment Service offered by the MVCA. The MVCA's Water Quality Assessment Service involves site specific moni- toring of water qualify. Monitoring results are used to develop an assessment of stream conditions that includes recommendations for resolving problems. The. service is available to' municipalities and landown- ers on a cost recovery basis. The MVCA is nearing completion, of "a three-year initiative known as the Ecosystem Health Project ,(EHP). This project has focused on identifying sub - basins in, the Maitland and Nine -Mile watersheds that are susceptible to water pol- lution. problems. Various components of sub -basins such as surface water cours- es, forest .cover, and the amount of artificial drainage were measured. This infor- mation ' wasthen used , to identify those ,sub basins most at risk for pollution problems. •• With regards to • water quality, the EHP.' assessed, stream health based on sam- pling •for. stream organisms; rather than chemical. tesfittg,, Thesampling of stream invertebrates enables a more comprehensive: assessment of aquatic health to be made compared to chemical test- ing that only provides infor- mation on water condition's • at' the moment the sample was taken.. • . Results Worn. the:. BHP will assist MVCA staff and' landowners in understand- ing 'the.' environmental .con- ditions , of a specific sub basin. In addition,, the report will help landowners. to , develop realistic expecta- tions for their property. iOne intriguing result from the EHP has been the recognition that some streams' are starved for ener- gy. The removal of trees and shrubs from stream banks ,means that leaves and debris, critical .for the stir-. vival' df stream organisms, are not entering.the stream system., Even_ with water quality improvements the health of some streams will remain impaired •unless trees and shrubs -are planted along their banks. • With approximately 80 per cent of the land -.base in Huron County being used for agriculture it is not sur- prising that much of the blame for water quality. • problems has 'fallen on the farming community. Local agencies .. con- , cerned about water . quality -. are 'stressing to the public, that water pollution stems from •a variety . of sources • and all these sources must be ,dealt with in order. to restore', the health of ." area. streams and rivers., Phil. ` Beard, ' MVCA :General Manager, suggests., "a co-operative approach involving both rural.. and urban interests will, be. nec- essary to successfully implement solutions." "Identifying solutions. mush begin with an assessment of; • management practices at the individual and community levels." • For more information contact the Authority` at 5'19-335-3557., BDO ' • DDO Dunwoody �IARD 1�d6�t R E� �E Chartered Accouantairitts • Offering a toil range of services: auditing, accounting, business plan- ning, incramo tax planning, personal financial piannineg, computer and mono eenrient services.. WALKERTON HANOVER MOUNT FOREST PORT ELGIN B.F. Thomson, FCA L.H. Vollett, CA K L prier, CA M.S. Bolton, CA R.J, Millen; CA J . Hunt, CA H . Kibler, CA G.H. Munro, CA K. Oelschtaget, CA P. Thor, CA R Q. Thomas, CA 861.1211 364-3790 c 323-2351 032-2049 -Skelton S emoria MEMORIAL DESIGNING ... 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Through a process . of elimination,organizers claim'the results can, be 95 per Cent accurate.. • The group's goal k• simple:, to identify the. sources of the pollution by. volume and evaluate new and cost—effective, tech- nolog.ies( that will provide a cleaner environment. Ultimately, they hope to encourage leadership 'by government officials and inspire action by industry;: ,municipalities an'd 'resi-. dents, 'whether through legislation or public pees- --sure; The SOL -VE .partner•-. ship was seen as a way to bring all pattiestogother to collect the data in a way that would make evetyon.e cornfort.able with the results. KRdtwn,ait'ts a coll•ctlbl.s • OPEN 7 DAYS'A WEEK '928 ;Queen St.:' KINCARb1Ng'.`_ 39678424.: --FALL HOURS- MON.-WED. 9:30.5:30 T HURS.' & i1iI.:9:30.8:00 SATURDAY 9-5:30 'SUNDAY 124 CALENDAR` OF EVENTS ”Wer un•derstand the, importance •of credibility, all factors being consid ered. We wen,f, these.. results to withstand the , tightest sc'rut ny," Prout said in a press .release - "One of the great bene fits of this study .will be tp • finally put in black and' white the sources of the pollution so we can all„ move forward with sol.u- tions;",Gleason adds.'. .: Other. efforts MI. Meanwhile', the. Lake Huron -St. joseph, Watershed' Water Quality Partnership' niet in Zurich: Tuesday night to release its finditngs' on potential source of lake pollution. In existence for two years, the group has •nar- rowed:its focus to four areas of 'concern —=• live - 'stock operations, septic tanks, drain and storm water. 'management and sewage treatment. ' '' Details 'of the group's findings„ were not avail - dile at press time.•, ZWtLLtNG' J.A. HENCKELS DON'T MISS OUR ANNUAL HENCKELS KNIFE SHARPENING CLINIC THURS.; OCT;. 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