• Protecting Water and Farmland in Simcoe County

Water users asked to make voluntary reductions

By
In Water
Jul 27th, 2011
0 Comments
1270 Views
Low water conditions for Innisfil Creek, Boyne River and Blue Mountain subwatersheds
News Release from Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority July 25 2011 
UTOPIA – Low water conditions have been declared in parts of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) watershed. A Level I low water condition now exists for the Boyne River as well as the Blue Mountain and Innisfil Creek subwatersheds.
A 10% voluntary reduction in use of water from these watercourses is requested until water levels improve. The Innisfil Creek is rapidly approaching a Level II condition, which would warrant a 20% total voluntary reduction in water use.
Through the NVCA Water Response Team (WRT), NVCA staff partner with provincial and municipal governments as well as representatives of local water users. WRTs have been established in watersheds across Ontario to advocate conservation and react to low water conditions.
“There has been almost no measurable rain across most of the watershed in July, and the same is expected for the next two weeks,” says Brian Smith, Chair of the NVCA WRT. “Bodies of water are not being replenished at their normal rate, which has major implications for farmers and other business owners who need large amounts of water for purposes such as irrigation.”
WRTs are responsible for monitoring precipitation and streamflow, and notifying water users and the public when low water situations occur. Level I is the first indication of a potential water supply problem, Level II indicates a potentially serious problem and Level III indicates the failure of the water supply to meet the demand.
The Innisfil Creek watershed – which includes Innisfil Creek, Cookstown Creek, Beeton Creek, Bailey Creek and Penville Creek – has been under particular stress this summer because of the lack of rain and high demand for water. It is expected to reach Level II within the week, and indicators show that it could deteriorate to Level III if voluntary cutbacks are not successful. If the subwatershed is declared Level III, the Ontario Water Directors’ Committee may enforce mandatory water restrictions.
“The primary goal is to implement voluntary cutbacks now to prevent environmental impacts and avoid a Level III condition,” says Smith. “Until we see a significant increase in rainfall, it is up to water users to work together to ensure an adequate supply of water for agricultural and business needs, as well as sustaining aquatic life.”
 In Ontario, anyone who takes more than 50,000 litres of water a day from a lake, river, stream or groundwater source must obtain a Permit to Take Water (PTTW) from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. These permits help to ensure the conservation, protection, management and sustainable use of Ontario’s water. PTTW holders for the affected water bodies will receive letters advising of the situation and detailing recommended actions, as well as providing contacts if further information is required.
 

Leave a Reply

Commenters must post under real names. AWARE Simcoe reserves the right to edit or not publish comments. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *