The RVCA’s City Stream Watch program was initiated in 2003 and has since expanded to the Mississippi Valley and South Nation Conservation Authorities within the City of Ottawa.
The program aims to provide long-term documentation of the aquatic and riparian conditions along rural and urban streams within the City of Ottawa. This includes fish community composition, stream temperatures, and headwater assessments. Another key component of the program is to empower members of the public to become citizen scientists so that our urban and rural streams are more valued, respected and cared for and to ensure that our streams remain a point of pride in our communities.
The program runs on a six-year cycle in order to evaluate change over time and focus restoration efforts where it is needed most.
Become a Citizen Scientist!
City Stream Watch is a community-based partnership which works with volunteers and conservation authority staff to monitor and report on the health of 26 urban and rural creeks in the City of Ottawa. Members of the public can volunteer to participate in a variety of events, such as:
- stream surveys
- stream garbage clean-ups
- invasive species removals
- restoration events.
No experience is necessary; all training and equipment is provided for our volunteers. Email
Stream Surveys
Each year, RVCA staff survey four or five catchment each year, from the mouth of the stream to the headwaters. Staff rely on volunteers to help sample water quality, monitor stream temperatures, assess stream aquatic and riparian conditions. Other observations include Fish community composition and headwater assessments. These observations are then compiled into a detailed catchment report.
City Stream Watch (CSW) Reports
