March 24, 2023 (MISSISSAUGA) – Report cards aren’t just for students. Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), in conjunction with Conservation Ontario, is launching its 2023 Watershed Report Card. The Watershed Report Card provides a snapshot of the environmental health of the Credit River Watershed.
“Our watershed monitoring program help us understand environmental conditions in the Credit River Watershed,” says CVC’s Jon Nodwell, Program Manager of Watershed Monitoring. “We monitor surface water quality in streams, groundwater quality and forest conditions throughout the watershed. Measuring these features helps us identify areas to protect and issues to address.”
Just like school report cards, letters A through F are used to demonstrate where the Credit River Watershed is thriving and where it needs improvement. Areas with an A (Excellent) grade are typically found in parts of the watershed with natural land cover such as forests and wetlands. Low grades of D (Poor) or F (Very Poor) identify areas of the watershed that can benefit from continued restoration, environmental enhancement, land stewardship and management.
Land cover and land use influence grades. The more urbanized lower watershed tends to score on the low end, ranging from C to F. Conversely, the more rural middle and upper watershed graded mostly as B and C. Groundwater quality was more variable across the watershed, ranging from A to F, with mostly A grades.
According to the CVC report card, land use change and climate change remain the biggest stressors impacting the health of the Credit River Watershed. The report card also highlights aquatic invasive species, including what they are, how they are impacting the watershed, how individuals can help stop their spread and what action CVC is taking.
Read the 2023 Credit Valley Conservation Watershed Report Card and learn more about the conditions of the Credit River Watershed at cvc.ca/watershed-report-card.
Find other Conservation Authorities’ watershed report cards by visiting the Watershed Checkup website at watershedcheckup.ca/find-your-report-card/.
CVC is a local conservation authority established by the Ontario government in 1954 to protect, restore and enhance the natural environment of the Credit River Watershed. This watershed is the area of land where all rainfall and snowmelt drains into waters flowing to the Credit River. CVC creates connections between people and nature, knowledge and action. It inspires a deep appreciation for the role of nature in keeping people connected, healthy and happy. CVC is a member of Conservation Ontario.
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Dawn Cripps
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