Bridging the Science of Assessments Reports into Action. The Mississippi-Rideau Experience

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1 Bridging the Science of Assessments Reports into Action The Mississippi-Rideau Experience

2 The Clean Water Act Focused on protecting municipal drinking water Produce science-based source protection plans Create locally-developed plans

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4 Mississippi-Rideau has: 13 municipal drinking water systems 8 Groundwater Systems Almonte Carp Kemptville Lanark Village (future system) Merrickville Munster Hamlet King s Park - Richmond Westport A.D. Latornell Symposium 5 Surface Water Systems Carleton Place Ottawa (2) Perth Smiths Falls November 19, 2009

5 Key Steps: Source Protection Committee 2007 public consultation Terms of Reference 2008 Assessment Report Source Protection Plan Implement, Monitor, Update 2012+

6 Assessment Report Pieces Watershed Characterization Regional Water Budget Highly Vulnerable Aquifers & Groundwater Recharge Areas Wellhead Protection Areas & Intake Protection Zones Threats & Issues Identification Regional Regional Municipal Systems 4 Vulnerable Areas

7 Important scientific knowledge is getting lost in translation Article by Shari Graydon published in the Ottawa Citizen on August 11, 2009

8 Stepping up to the Challenge Broken down our Assessment Reports into bite-sized pieces Created User-friendly summaries Focused Open Houses on the local municipal drinking water system Two Prong Approach to Public Outreach and Engagement Encouraging feedback at an early stage

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10 Watershed Characterization Existing knowledge on the natural and man-made characteristics of the watersheds Detailed information on: Natural Characteristics (Topography, Geology, Hydrology, Climate, Vegetated Areas, Aquatic Ecology) Human Elements (Population Distribution and Density, Land Use) Water Quality Conditions, Trends and Water Use (both SW and GW) Vulnerable Areas Threats, Issues and Concerns Foundation on which other technical reports will build on

11 Overview of Water Budget Process Tier 3: 3D GW Flow or Continuous SW Flow Model (Water Quantity Risk Assessment) Type I, II or III System Subwatershed Subwatershed Watershed

12 Water Budget Precipitation Evapotranspiration Runoff Groundwater Recharge

13 Water Budget Watershed Scale Builds on the Watershed Characterization Report Develop an Integrated Understanding of our Water Resources Understanding of the physical environment of watershed Identifies where water is stored How it travels through the region What and where there are stresses on quantity What trends exist

14 Water Budget 3 areas of moderate surface water stress (monthly percent water demand is up to 35%) 1 area of moderate groundwater stress (annual percent water demand is 12%) % Water Demand = Q Supply Q Q Demand Re serve 100

15 4 Vulnerable Areas: 1. Highly Vulnerable Aquifers 2. Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas 3. Wellhead Protection Areas 4. Intake Protection Zones Regional Scale 13 Municipal Drinking Water Systems

16 Highly Vulnerable Aquifers - HVAs Areas with less than 1.5m of soil above the aquifer plus Areas of sand, gravel or bare rock

17 Overburden Thickness

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19 Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas - SGRAs Areas >25 hectares where groundwater recharge is greater than 55% (runoff less than 45%) plus Sand and gravel deposits, eskers, Nepean Aquifer outcrop Precipitation Groundwater Recharge Evapotranspiration Runoff

20 A.D. Latornell M-R SPC July Symposium 9, 2009 November 19, 2009

21 4 Vulnerable Areas: 1. Highly Vulnerable Aquifers 2. Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas 3. Wellhead Protection Areas 4. Intake Protection Zones Regional Scale 13 Municipal Drinking Water Systems

22 8 Groundwater Systems Almonte, Carp, Kemptville, Lanark (proposed), Merrickville, Munster, Richmond & Westport 5 Surface Water Systems Carleton Place, Ottawa (2) Perth & Smiths Falls (&% 100m 2 year 5 year 25 year Generic IPZ Map

23 Mississippi-Rideau has: 13 municipal residential drinking water systems 8 Groundwater Systems Almonte Carp Kemptville Lanark Village (future system) Merrickville Munster Hamlet King s Park - Richmond Westport A.D. Latornell Symposium 5 Surface Water Systems Carleton Place Ottawa (2) Perth Smiths Falls November 19, 2009

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25 Shallow Aquifer Deep Aquifer

26 Where the Water Comes From: Deep Aquifer Shallow Aquifer 6X magnified

27 Where it s Vulnerable to Contamination: Deep Aquifer Shallow Aquifer 6X

28 VULNERABILITY WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA ZONES 100 m 2 year 5 year 25 year High Medium Low

29 Where We Need to Be Careful: Deep Aquifer Shallow Aquifer 6X

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33 Approximate Number of Properties Eligible for Early Actions Grants for Wells and Septic Upgrades Location of Municipal Drinking Water System Developed Properties that rely on wells within 2 year TOT Developed Properties that rely on septics within 2 year TOT Almonte Carp 0 0 Kemptville WHPAs Merrickville Munster Richmond - King's Park Westport 0 0 Total

34 Intake Protection Zones

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37 Technical Guidance Area Vulnerability Factor (B) (Values 7 to 9) Source Vulnerability Factor (C) (Values 0.9 or 1.0) % of area composed of land Land cover/soil type/permeability Hydrological/Hydrogeological conditions/transport pathways Depth of intake Distance of intake History of Water Quality Concerns Calculated (B) Calculated (C) Vulnerability Score (V)

38 Next Steps Threats Inventory Winter IPZs Count potential significant threats what and where for IPZs Tool for the Committee (potential impact of Plan & notices) Assessment Report Spring/Summer 2010 Committee compiles all the technical work into an Assessment Report Two rounds of public consultation Source Protection Plan due August 2012 MOE to release draft Regulation on Source Protection Plans Expectation to be posted on EBR in Winter 2010

39 Making Sense of the Science Visit Join our mailing list