outdoor-ed-8.jpeg
outdoor-ed-3.jpeg
outdoor-ed-1.jpeg
IMG_70291
IMG_7308
2018-Baxter-Day-Camps
Slide
images/Unknown-2.jpeg

Hearts Desire Riparian Restoration Plan

The Hearts Desire Weir is a low-head inline structure operated seasonally on the Jock River between two communities, Hearts Desire and Stonebridge. The Jock River is a tributary river to the Rideau River located about 900 m downstream of the weir. The weir was constructed in 1975 to: provide higher summer flows and thereby improve habitat conditions for fish and wildlife; ensure adequate water for livestock watering; provide community ponds for fire protection and community beautification; and improve the year-round appearance of the river and lessen the likelihood of future pollution problems resulting from expanding urbanization.  

Over the last 42 years, a great deal about the watercourse and its neighbouring communities has changed, including:

  • concepts on how rivers and watersheds are managed,
  • occupational health and safety risks associated with the annual installation and removal of the weir,
  • concerns from local community groups about slope failures and erosion upstream of the weir; and,
  • indications from whitewater enthusiasts that the weir site is considered to be hazardous by canoeists and kayakers.

In February 2008, the RVCA Board of Directors approved the development of a plan to decommission the Hearts Desire Weir. In response to public input, a restoration plan for the Jock River and its riverbank was also initiated. The decommissioning plan and restoration plan is now in draft form and ready for public input.

3HeartsDesire
2HeartsDesire
1HeartsDesire

The RVCA is committed to maintaining the current operation of the weir until such a time that the Board of Directors chooses an alternative.

For more information, contact Terry Davidson at or 613-692-3571 ext. 1107 or Mike Yee at or ext. 1176.


Resources

Shoreline Property Owner Package, November 2013

Hearts Desire Riparian Restoration Concept Report, October 2011

hd-Riparian_Restoration_PlanFINAL.pdf

Appendix I: Community Representatives Meeting Minutes - September 2010 and Open House Meeting Notes - December 2010

Parish Geomorphic Hydraulic Modeling Technical Report, July 2011(11 mb)

J.L. Richards and Associates Ltd. Jock River Conservation Study, June 1968

Contact Us

Address:
Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
3889 Rideau Valley Drive
Manotick, Ontario K4M 1A5

Phone:
613-692-3571, 1-800-267-3504

Email:

Hours:

Regular Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Member of: conservation ontario