Shorelines:
for your Local
Watershed
November 2014
"Shorelines": Remember, It's Your Right To Know What's Happening In Your Local Watershed
Get contacts you need, information you seek, and insight you wouldn't otherwise have about your local Mississippi and Carp watersheds. 

In every issue of Shorelines you'll see:

  • Watershed events, workshops, courses you'll want to attend: What's On.
  • Timely, topical information like renovation permits for local Landowners.
  • Opportunities to increase the health of our water and its ecosystems: Get involved.
  • Outdoor education, day camps and special programs for kids: Teachers and Parents.
  • Local issues explained: Town Hall topics.
  • How recent hot environmental discussions affect you: Conservation News.
Mississippi Valley Conservation Foundation
What's On:

Celebrate the Night 

You'll love the Mill of Kintail Conservation Area at night! Join us for Night Walk Nov. 15 from 6-8 pm. Admission is $5/vehicle, all proceeds go toward new playground equipment at the site.

Create Your Own Holiday Memories at the Mill

Come to the Mill of Kintail Conservation Area on Saturday, December 13 from 11 am-3 pm for Kintail Country Christmas. 

Enjoy wagon rides, a nature scavenger hunt, music, crafts, photos with Santa, stories by the fire and more. Kids will love the new craft centre where they can create special gifts for loved ones.

Activities inside and out make it easy for family fun. Kids are free to run around and let off some energy and still have a chance to sit on Santa's knee, listen to a Christmas story, or take a wagon ride and have a treat.

Admission is only $15/vehicle. For more information contact Stephanie, 613.256.3610 ext. 2 or Like the Mill of Kintail Conservation Area on Facebook.


 
Landowners:
 
What Happens to Water Levels in the Winter

Six major watershed lakes are used as storage reservoirs to alleviate spring flooding downstream of Crotch Lake. These lakes - Shabomeka, Mazinaw, Kashwakamak, Big Gull, Crotch, Mississagagon all have water control structures at their outlets. 

Each fall, these structures are operated to draw down the water levels to provide storage for spring runoff. The lakes are gradually filled with snow melt and spring rains to reach the summer target levels for recreation and tourism.

Conditions are monitored to ensure summer levels are reached, adequate storage is available for late spring rainfalls and sufficient flows and levels are maintained for spawning fish. 

Once the runoff is over, all of these dams, excluding Crotch Lake Dam, are operated to maintain relatively stable elevations on the lakes for summer recreation. Crotch Lake is the only true reservoir lake on the system. Talk to Gord to learn more.
Get Involved:

It's Easy to Support Your Watershed with the MVCF

Are you interested in becoming more involved with fundraising for your watershed environment? 

Talk to Allison about joining the Mississippi Valley Conservation Foundation. If you are passionate about the watershed and want to help:
  • Create opportunities for landowners to improve their shorelines 
  • Educate our youth about the natural environment 
  • Sustain our conservation areas

As a member you can:

  • Communicate programs and projects that benefit our watershed
  • Partner with staff to raise funds and complete grant proposals, and host events
  • Share your knowledge, experience and passion for the environment 
    Want to Donate to MVCF? 
Drop in to MVC Centre;
Write a Cheque;
Call 613.253.0006 for manual credit card payment
Teachers & Parents

Get Your Classes Outside this Winter. Register Now

This Winter, discover how animals survive in our cold Canadian climate, search for signs of life in the forest and enjoy a guided snowshoeing expedition along the Indian River at the Mill of Kintail Conservation Area.

Comprehensive education programs are available year round at the 154 acre site. 


 

Students have the opportunity to encounter 3 diverse habitats: river, forest and field, through programs such as: stream studies, tree identification, wildlife investigations, and soil profiling. Programs are curriculum based to meet the needs of elementary students from Kindergarten to Grade 8.

We can come to you


Many of the MVCA outdoor education programs can be brought to your school or local green space. If you're looking for a new way to reach your students, the MVCA In-School programs are an excellent way to kick off or wrap up a unit with themes such as Animals, Habitats, Energy, Biodiversity and Water.
 

Learn more about our

outdoor education programs. Email 
Sarah O'Grady, or call 613.256.3610 ext. 1 or 613.253.0006.
Town Hall

Conservation Authority Pioneer Passes Away

Sally Beaton, former Chair and 25 year member of the MVCA Board of Directors passed away October 23.
Sally was integral to the growth and success of the MVCA and she was recognized as a Conservation Pioneer at the 2006 A.D. Latornell Symposium.

1972 to 1975
Appointed Member for Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton (Ottawa)
1976 to 1980
Appointed Member Province of Ontario
1981 to 1994
Appointed Member Lanark Township
1995 to 1997
Appointed Member South Sherbrooke Township
1981 to 1984
MVCA Chair

Notable Accomplishments


Represented Eastern Region Conservation Authorities provincially at Conservation Ontario

Hired the first MVCA General Manager

Facilitated the purchase of the MVCA office in Lanark 

Obtained funding to map flood and fill lines on 115 km of the Ottawa River

Championed the Widow Lake Dam reconstruction 


Sally stayed in touch with staff and members after her retirement. She will be missed.
Conservation News

Caring for the Carp River One Project at a Time

Carp River Care (CRC) means the Carp River is receiving some much needed attention to improve the quality of water flowing past its banks. The Carp River watershed is part of a long term environmental management strategy.

Carp River Facts
  • Located in the City of Ottawa 
  • Under jurisdiction of the MVCA 
  • Outlets into the Ottawa River (the primary source of the city's drinking water)  

CRC Project Facts
  • Culmination of action plans, stewardship initiatives and community projects 
  • Stems from Carp River Action Plan that garnered nearly $100,000 donations and grants. 
  • Based on the Carp River Watershed Study (2004) recommendations 
In 2013/14, 11 properties were improved and over 2,500 trees and shrubs planted and two significant river blockages removed. 
 
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10970 Highway 7, Carleton Place, ON K7C 3P1
P. 613.253.0006  F. 613.253.0122
info@mvc.on.ca  mvc.on.ca