Riverwatch Project
In 2009 the BRWP received funding from Ontario Trillium Fund to continue a project started in 2008. This project began to assess environmental issues and information needs for the watershed and to initiate the development of on-line tools that enable residents to enter and report monitoring data. This new round of funding was to empower more residents to actively engage in environmental stewardship of the Bonnechere River watershed. It is to be a combination of public engagement and volunteer training workshops, data collection and analysis for stream monitoring, and continued development of on-line tools in support of project activities.
One of the main parts of the project is to gather water quality data on the streams and tributaries of the Bonnechere River and compile the information for the general public to access. The BRWP has monitored water quality in select streams of the watershed since 2003. The Riverwatch team strives to continually monitor these historically sampled streams, in addition to incorporating other streams that are key in determining the health of the whole system.
Water quality is currently being measured through systematic stream sampling which focuses on the biological and chemical aspects of stream health. Biomonitoring is carried out through Benthic Macro Invertebrate sampling measures, and chemical analysis is performed with a water quality monitoring device.
The biomonitoring stream sampling process looks at the presence/absence and abundance of bottom dwelling insects that give us an insight into the water quality of a particular stream. The BRWP have been completing stream assessments on 5 streams within the watershed since 2003. We have been using Citizen Environmental watch protocol but are currently looking into adapting widely recognized Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network (OBBN) protocol in the near future.
In 2003 the BRWP had partnered up with Kemptville College and completed chemical water analysis along the Bonnechere River. As a part of the Trillium Funding the BRWP was able to purchase chemical analysis equipment and we have begun completing analysis on the Bonnechere River and its tributaries.
In May the Riverwatch team hosted their first volunteer workshop. Participants of this workshop learned how to complete Stream assessments and how to identify major groups of Benthic Macro Invertebrates. More workshops will be held in the future to help volunteers understand what we are doing, train them to help out with the project.
A series of public engagement workshops are planned for the upcoming year. These workshops will focus on helping to vision the future for the watershed and its inhabitants. The results of these workshops will determine how the steps that can be taken to ensure the future and the health of the watershed.
Although the BRWP has spear headed this project we believe that it is an important part of everyone’s life that resides, recreates and cares for the watershed. We see this project as an opportunity for people, organizations and industries to join in become a part of the project.
