(WCS – R01/2024)
January 15, 2024 – The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority is issuing a WATER SAFETY message for the entire Rideau Valley Watershed due to the potential for localized ice jams which could cause sudden water level increases and flooding.

Following a period of warmer than usual temperatures and then a significant snowstorm, Environment Canada is forecasting cold temperatures, as low as -20°C overnight, for the next week with little precipitation. The forecast also indicates sustained winds are expected, which will cause wind chill temperatures. Many waterways are not yet frozen and with the onset of colder weather, there is a potential in localized areas for ice to form quickly, especially on water structures such as bridge abutments, piers, riverbanks, and channels. This could obstruct the flow of water and cause local water levels to rise. Any sudden water level increases may cause localized flooding. Parks Canada, which manages water levels for the Rideau Canal waterway, is also undertaking necessary dam operations in some areas which may increase the potential for rapid ice formation during this cold spell. 

Residents are advised to stay away from all rivers and watercourses in the vicinity of any ice jams and high water areas.  Parents are encouraged to explain these dangers to their children.

This watershed conditions statement is in effect until Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 5 PM and may be updated at that time unless the forecast or conditions change.

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More Information:

Contact: Brian Stratton, RVCA Manager Engineering Services
Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
613-692-6804, 1-800-267-3504 ext. 1141

www.rvca.ca/watershed-conditions

"Rideau Valley Conservation Authority is a partnership of municipalities within the Rideau Valley watershed 
created under the Conservation Authorities Act to deliver a range of programs in watershed management and
natural resource conservation."

RVCA Watershed Conditions Statements: 

• Water Safety – High flows, unstable banks, melting ice or other factors that could be dangerous for recreational users such as anglers, canoeists, hikers, children, pets, etc. Flooding is not expected.
• Flood Outlook – Early notice of the potential for flooding based on weather forecasts, calling for heavy rain, snow melt, high winds or other conditions that could lead to high runoff, cause ice jams and/or lakeshore flooding or erosion.
• Flood Watch – Flooding is possible in specific watercourses or municipalities. Municipalities, emergency services and individuals in flood prone areas should prepare.
• Flood Warning – Flooding is imminent or already occurring in specific watercourses or municipalities.

RIDEAU LAKES, Dec. 13, 2023 – Butternuts and blue herons rejoice: a 65-acre heritage farm containing wetlands, forests and farm fields has been donated to the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF) for perpetual protection along the shores of Big Rideau Lake. 

The picturesque property includes two acres of provincially significant wetland, 34 acres of mixed forest and 23 acres of rolling farm fields, some of which will be planted with endangered butternut trees. The donation also includes two small islands on Big Rideau Lake and 200 metres of waterfront.  

“We’re thrilled to accept this generous gift to the watershed, which will further protect the area’s natural corridors and ensure a brighter future for all who call the watershed home,” said RVCF executive director Diane Downey. “Every protected property is an important piece of the puzzle to support a healthy, functioning watershed.”

Downey said the property offers many opportunities for conservation and stewardship work. It even contains a confirmed colony of black ash trees, which are endangered due to the combined impacts of wetland loss and emerald ash borer damage.

“We’re excited to help this black ash population thrive in the face of an uncertain future,” Downey said.

The property was donated to the Foundation through the federal Ecological Gifts program this fall. It joins dozens of other properties protected by the Foundation and its partners at the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA), totalling more than 8,200 acres. Most of these lands have been donated by private landowners who wished to contribute to a more sustainable future while unlocking the value of their land. 

The anonymous donor received a fair-market charitable tax receipt for the value of the land, while sparing her beloved farm from the ongoing spread of residential development into the countryside. 

She said she’s thrilled the farm will continue to support the abundant wildlife and plants she’s relished since moving to the property in 1995. Wildlife sightings including bears, coyotes, beaver, porcupines, deer and swans, while native plants like Jack in the Pulpit and fiddleheads bring joy and delight each spring. In the end, she hopes her gift will create a natural refuge for animals and people alike. 

“It’s nice land for walking, so I hope people can enjoy it,” she said. “I want people to enjoy the property and not damage it.”

To learn more about land donation and how to get involved, visit https://www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/land-donation. 

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LOMBARDY, Dec. 4, 2023 – A broad swath of sensitive wetlands, forests and meadows will be protected in perpetuity thanks to a generous land donation near Hutton Marsh this fall. 

The private land donation from Bill and Heather Griffith will be rolled into the RVCA’s abutting Motts Mills Conservation Area, adding 215 acres of wetland, 70 acres of mature forest and 75 acres of meadows suitable for species at risk like bobolink and butternut. It will also protect another 2.4 km of natural shoreline in perpetuity.

It's the second time the Griffiths have donated land to the RVCA. The first donation in 2014 expanded Motts Mills Conservation Area from a mere 3.5 acres into an important 200-acre wetland conservation site. Now the Griffiths have contributed nearly all of their remaining land, reserving just 30 acres for their home and hobby farm. 

“Repeat donations, especially sizeable ones like this, really speak to the value of the program for landowners,” said Dan Cooper, Director of Conservation Lands at the RVCA. “This donor gets the double benefit of receiving a fair-market tax receipt for their property as well as peace of mind knowing the land will be preserved in its natural state for future generations.”

The donation was processed through the federal Ecological Gifts program, which further boosts available financial and tax benefits for the donor.

The expanded conservation property is critical to the RVCA’s ongoing efforts to rehabilitate Hutton Marsh to a more natural state. RVCA has been working with the Hutton Marsh Steering Committee, local landowners and stewardship groups since 2011 to improve the marsh by adding open water ponds and channels to increase biodiversity and to help naturally manage water levels in conjunction with the Hutton Marsh dam. 

RVCA and its charitable partner the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF) actively seek suitable land donations to help preserve the watershed’s natural infrastructure that protects against flooding, erosion and climate change impacts. Donated properties can also be used to protect and create critical wildlife habitat at a time when global biodiversity is on the brink of collapse. 

The Griffith property is a perfect example: staff have observed endangered species such as monarch butterflies, bobolink, Eastern meadowlark, Blanding’s turtle and butternut trees on site. The site also contains habitat for other species at risk such as snapping turtles, the Eastern wood pewee, golden-winged warbler and the least bittern. 

“Land donation is such a win-win,” Cooper said. “Families can unlock the value of their property while protecting its natural legacy. And we can help the property reach its natural potential to support a thriving, functional watershed.”

The RVCA and RVCF currently own or protect more than 8,200 acres of critical green infrastructure, much of it acquired through private donations. To learn more about the benefits of land donation and how you can get involved visit https://www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/land-donation

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MONTAGUE, Oct. 27, 2023 – Local farmers, politicians and sustainability advocates came together with a common goal on Saturday, Oct. 21: to celebrate a new program supporting farmers in Lanark County. 

ALUS Lanark was officially launched at Milkhouse Farm + Dairy in Montague during the sheep farm’s popular Open Farm event. Officials from Lanark County, Climate Network Lanark, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) and Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) joined Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP John Jordan, Ducks Unlimited staff, neighbouring farmers and other guests to tour the farm and learn more about its new ALUS project, one of the first to be completed in the county.

Milkhouse owners Cait and Kyle White worked with ALUS Lanark to add two new wetlands in areas where it was already too wet to mow or graze their sheep. ALUS Lanark covered construction costs and will provide annual compensation for the ecosystem services the wetlands provide, such as cleaner air and water.

“We saw an opportunity to create some habitat that would contribute to a more interesting and diverse farm,” said Kyle White, who sells their cheese, grass-fed lamb and wool products at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market. “It's been great for us. We always wanted to create these wetlands, but we needed the financial support to get it done."

Guests could see the completed wetlands were already hard at work storing runoff, filtering contaminants and providing flood storage.

“This is really a win-win for everyone,” said Derek Matheson, ALUS Lanark co-ordinator for RVCA. “Farmers can put otherwise marginal land to work while supporting better water quality and a healthier environment.”

ALUS is a national non-profit organization that works with local farmers to help them undertake environmental stewardship projects on their farms. ALUS communities are overseen by local partnership advisory committees (PACs) and administered by local organizations. In the case of ALUS Lanark, RVCA and MVCA administer programs on the ground alongside their other longstanding stewardship programs.

The push to bring the program to Lanark County was spearheaded by Climate Network Lanark, which got Lanark County officials on board before approaching the conservation authorities to administer the program. Since the program was officially created in January 2022, ALUS Lanark has recruited a PAC comprised of local farmers, business owners and residents, and set project priorities for the county. Matheson and his MVCA counterpart Marissa Okum have already sought out and approved 26 projects to receive ALUS funding, for a total projects value of more than $202,000. More than half those costs have been covered by ALUS Lanark, with RVCA, Ducks Unlimited and Environment and Climate Change Canada covering almost everything else. 

To learn more about ALUS Lanark or to apply, visit https://www.rvca.ca/stewardship-grants/rural-clean-water-grants/clean-water-grants

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