Lakeshore Advance, 2013-04-03, Page 10Wednesday, AprII 3, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 9
ABCA watershed report card shows some improvement
but region is still a poor student of healthy ecosystems
For more information about the
ABCA watershed report card go to
www.abca.on.ca on the Ausable
Bayfield Conservation Authority's
website
Susan Hundertmark
QM! Agency
While some small gains
have been made over the
past five years, the Ausable
Bayfield watershed still has
quite a bit of remedial work
to (10 before it can he consid-
ered a good student of
healthy ecosystems.
Mari Veliz, of the Ausable
Bayfield Conservation
Authority, presented the sec-
ond report card for the
watershed at a public meet-
ing in Exeter last week, giv-
ing the region a C overall in
surface water quality, a I)
overall in forest conditions
and an F overall in wetland
cover.
"The grades suggest we
need improvement and the
most important thing to (10 is
to take action as individuals
and communities," she said.
"However, some of the mon-
itoring shows that change is
possible and can be meas-
ured. So, we need to con-
tinue to look for opportuni-
ties, even small ones."
She said the plain reason
for the report card is to deter-
mine how healthy our water-
sheds are and to determine if
the water is "drinkable,
jwimable and fishable."
-1 "Monitoring is very impor-
tant because. It drive's educa-
tion and community involve-
ment," she said. "It can he'
used to see if we're making a
difference, what else we can
he doing and whether we
have been doing the right
things"
lhe ABCA broke down the
entire watershed into 15
neighbourhood creeks and
gave each section a grade as
well. The Bayfield Headwa-
ters, which begin near Dub-
lin and travel through Sea -
forth and into Clinton
received a C in surface water
quality, a I) in forest cover
and an F in wetland cover.
The Main Hayfield water-
shed, which covers the
region from Vanestra to Clin-
ton and over to Hayfield,
received a 11 in surface water
quality, a C in forest condi-
tions and an 1) in wetland
cover while the Bannock-
burn watershed, which cov-
ers the region south of
Vnnastra into Brucefiel(1,
Varna, Kipper dow11 101 S1111 1111d and Zurich, received a (:
in surface water quality, a I)
in forest cover and an Fin
wetland cover.
Measuring levels of phos-
phorus, E. coli 811(1 benthic
invertebrates (little creatures
that live on the bottom of riv-
ers), the conservation
authority found measurable
reductions in phosphorus
and E. coli levels in Bannock-
burn and Main Hayfield.
Veliz said high levels of phos-
phorus result in algae
blooms.
"So there is some room for
optimism," she said, adding
that the process doesn't
allow them to determine why
those improvements were
made.
An A grade in forest cover
would Ille'.IIt 35 per cent of
the region is forested but in
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the Bayfield headwaters, only 7.2 per
cent is forest, up very slightly from
seven per cent in 2007.'Ihe forest inte-
rior, the percentage of forest cover at
least 100 metres from the forest's edge,
is 0.7 per cent, up slightly from 0.8 per
cent in 2007 - an A in forest cover is 11.5
per cent. Forest interior is an important
habitat for wildlife, particularly certain
species of birds.
In the Main Bayfield region, forest
cover is 22.6 per cent, up from 19.9 per
cent in 2007 while forest interior is 4.4
per cent, which remained the same
from 2007. In the Bannockburn region,
forest cover is 10.8 per cent, up from 9.6
per cent in 2007 while forest interior is
1.4 per cent, up from one per cent in
2007.
Veliz pointed out that wetland cover
is very poor throughout the watershed,
except for the Black Creek region where
the 1 lay Swamp is located south of I len-
sall and Zurich. Main Bayfield is one of
four regions to receive a 1) in wetland
cover with 5.5 per cent. An A grade in
wetland cover is 11.5 per cent.
Wetland cover in the Bayfield head-
waters is 1.3 per cent while in Bannock-
burn, wetland cover is 1.4 per cent.
"There is room 10 enhance wetlands
in strategic locations in many areas
across the watershed," said Veliz.
Veliz said the overall message is not
new with many actions 1180 could Ile
taken to improve the health of the local
environment. 'Those actions include
planting a lot more trees, especially on
non-productive land, inspecting and
pumping out your septic system every
three to five years, creating wetlands to
maintain a water balance during wet
and dry periods, reducing the amount
of household chemicals you use and
store like antifreeze, paint, lawn chemi-
cals, detergents and cleaners, ensure
your manure storage facilities are
Susan Hundertmark OMI Agency
Mari Veliz, Healthy Watersheds Coordinator for the Ausable Bayfield Conservation
Authority, presents the 2013 Watershed Report Card In Exeter last week.
adequate, controlling soil erosion and
applying nutrients ,e1 rates and tinges
111111 optimize plant uptake.
"1Vhat's really important is t0 look at
our own properties and take responsi-
March 29 — April 28
ENERGY
SAVINGS
See today's insert for details
hydr L
one
hility for our own actions," she said.
More information about the ABCA
watershed report card can be found at
www.ahca.on.ca on the Ausahle Bay-
field Conservation Authority's website.
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