Maitland Watershed Partnerships
Water Action Team Strategic Plan
December 2001
Maitland Watershed Partnerships
Water Action Team Mission: Working together to protect and
improve water quality and quantity
Strategic Plan: A Collaborative Plan involving many
organizations finding local solutions
Strategies to Reduce Runoff, Retain Soil Moisture, and Improve
Shallow Groundwater Recharge in the Maitland Watershed
Target A: Implement key Best Management Practices on 80% of targeted land in the
Maitland Watershed over the next 10 years
Rationale:
•
Climate change causing drier / hotter summers and less winter precipitation
•
Changing precipitation patterns increasing potential for runoff, pollution and erosion
•
Majority of watershed residents obtain drinking water from groundwater
Actions:
•
Pursue funding programs that will help encourage/support the adoption of key Best
Management Practices (nutrient management plans, buffer strips)
•
Identify, optimize, and monitor impact of drainage systems
•
Reduce bank erosion
•
Create water budgets for each sub-basin
•
Map groundwater and protect groundwater
recharge areas
Lead Organization: Maitland Valley
Conservation Authority (MVCA) and Counties
with support from Water Action Team partners
Strategies to Improve the Quality of Water in the Maitland
Watershed
Target B: To meet the Ontario drinking water standards for all groundwater
Rationale: Majority of watershed residents obtain drinking water from groundwater
Actions:
•
Wellhead Capping Extension and Planning - Pursue funding programs that
will provide incentives to landowners to protect groundwater (i.e., Healthy
Futures)
Lead Organization: Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and Health Units with
support from Water Action Team partners
•
Land Use Planning - Develop a plan to
define the wellhead catchment areas and
eliminate contaminants from being applied
in these areas
- Partner with MOE groundwater quality
monitoring agreement
Lead Organization: Counties with support
from Water Action Team partners
- Participate in Groundwater Monitoring
Program: MOE/MVCA
Strategies to Improve the Quality of Water in the Maitland
Watershed
Target C: 1. To lower ecoli levels in all watercourses to recreational swimming limit
(100) after a 2 year equivalent rainfall (2 inches over 7 hours) in 20 years
2. To lower pathogens and antibiotics with a public health concern in all the
watercourses in watershed in 20 years
Rationale: Ecoli counts rarely meet recreational swimming guidelines after a rain
- Pathogens such as Salmonella, Camphylobactor and Yersinia being found in rivers
Actions:
•
Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) - Ensure that acceptable ecoli levels are maintained
in plant effluents (ISO design objective)
Lead Organization: MOE and Health Unit with support from Water Action Team
partners
•
On Site Servicing – Septics - Use effluent filters on all recent septic systems and
alternatives to treat waste e.g. biofilters, compost systems
Lead Organization: Health Unit with support from Water Action Team partners
•
Agricultural Sources - Create program to encourage buffer strips, fencing waterways
and proper manure management practices
Lead Organization: County and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
(OMAFRA) with support from Water Action Team partners
•
Collect information on prevalence/sources of antibiotic resistant bacteria and endocrine
disrupters
Strategies to Improve the Quality of Water in the Maitland
Watershed
Target D: PCB levels be below aquatic protection limit over next 10 years
Rationale: PCB’s are currently above the aquatic protection limit at the mouth of
the Nine Mile and Maitland Rivers
Actions:
•
Identify PCB sources and control at site
(travel pathways)
•
Identify deposition sites
•
Remove contaminants identified
Lead Organization: MOE with support from
Water Action Team partners
Strategies to Improve the Quality of Water in the Maitland
Watershed
Target E: 1. Average nitrate levels down below 4 milligrams / litre over next 20 years
2. Average total phosphorus levels down below .03 milligrams / litre over
next 20 years
Rationale: Average nitrate and phosphorus levels are now approaching limit where
aquatic life will be adversely impacted
Actions:
•
Identify top three drainage best management practices for implementation
•
Local farm organizations, OMAFRA and MOE work together on implementing
standards, guidelines, and management approaches
•
Ensure Land Management planning
is tied to Official Plans and local
Nutrient Management bylaws
•
Reduce summer phosphorus
discharges from Listowel STP: lead
Town of North Perth
Lead Organization: Counties with
support from Water Action Team
partners
Strategies to Improve the Quality of Water in the Maitland
Watershed
Target F: Heavy Metals in the Middle Maitland below Listowel to be reduced to
meet drinking water standards over next 5 years
Rationale: Heavy metals only found to be above drinking water limit downstream
of Listowel
Actions:
•
Identify sources throughout the entire watershed
•
Identify ways to eliminate them
•
Work with industry to improve
water quality by changing
practices (implement business
water quality program including
sewage bylaw)
Lead Organization: Town of
North Perth with support
from MOE, Middle Maitland
Rejuvenation Committee
and Water Action Team
partners
Water Action Team Partners
B.M. Ross and Associates Ltd.
County of Huron
Huron Farm Environmental Coalition
Huron Stewardship Council
Maitland Engineering Services Ltd.
Maitland Valley Conservation Authority
Ministry of the Environment
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural
Affairs
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Town of North Perth
Wellington Stewardship Council
Wescast Industries Inc.