Water Quality Programs

Maitland Valley Conservation Authority staff provide assistance to landowners undertaking projects to improve water quality. Grants are available in Huron, Wellington, and Bruce counties and for selected best management practices. Perth County has also recently relaunched a grant program. These programs are financially supported by local municipalities and delivered by MVCA staff. Please contact the MVCA office at 519 335-3557 for more information.

Huron Clean Water Project

The Huron Clean Water Project provides financial and technical assistance to county residents to improve and protect water quality in Huron County. The project is funded by the County of Huron and delivered by the Maitland Valley and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authorities. Funding assistance covers up to 50% of the costs of eligible projects. Funding is limited so call today! For further information review the Huron Clean Water brochure or contact Doug Hocking at dhocking@mvca.on.ca or 519-335-3557.

Examples of eligible programs include:

Clean Water Diversion - Berms and eaves troughs to divert clean water from manure and exercise yards. Maximum grant is $3,000

Erosion Control - Grasses waterways, catch basins, terraces and berms to reduce soil erosion and riparian erosion. Maximum grant is $5,000

Fragile Land Retirement - Planting trees and shrubs on erosion-prone land. Buffer strips along watercourses. Maximum grant is $2,000

Wellhead Protection - Pitless adapter caps, grading, sealing and upgrading well casings to prevent contamination. Maximum grant is $750

Well Decommissioning - Properly decommissioning abandoned wells to eliminate the link between surface and groundwater. Maximum grant $750

Manure Storage Decommissioning - Properly decommissioning manure storage facilities toprevent water contamination. Maximum grant is $3,000

Livestock Fencing - Fences, crossings and watering devices to eliminate watercourse livestock access. Maximum grant is $3,000

Community Projects - Stewardship and education projects by community groups. Maximum grant $3,000

Special Projects - Innovative projects that demonstrate improved water quality and/or are accessible to the public. Maximum grants is $5,000

Stewardship Guide Implementation - Water quality improvement projects to implement action plans identified in the Lake Huron Coastline or Rural Landowner Stewardship Guides. Maximum grant $500

Wellington Rural Water Quality Program

In 1999 the County of Wellington and City of Guelph initiated a Rural Water Quality Program for agricultural landowners in Wellington County. The county and the city provide funding to this program annually.

In the portions of the Maitland watershed that are within Wellington County, the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority is responsible for program delivery.

Farmers who own land in Wellington County who have completed an Environmental Farm Plan are eligible to apply to the program. For further information contact Doug Hocking at dhocking@mvca.on.ca or 519-335-3557.

Why Healthy Water?

A safe and secure long-term water supply is crucial for the quality of life of all watershed residents. It is a key factor in ensuring economic prosperity and healthy communities. A healthy watershed means clean drinking water, habitat for wildlife, an adequate water supply for agriculture and business, and recreational opportunities such as canoeing, fishing and hiking.

Our watersheds are a series of interconnected ecosystems including, wetlands, streams, forests, lakes and rivers. The links between these areas means that what happens upstream will affect the environment downstream. It takes about three days for a drop of water to travel from the headwaters of the Maitland River to Lake Huron. The amount of water in our watersheds is finite because what we have available is continually recycled through the hydrological cycle.

Our actions can have a direct impact on the health of our water resources. Both surface water and groundwater can be easily contaminated and even if the quantity of pollutants at one source is small, the combined impact of sources across a watershed can be significant.

Water is truly a community resource! With careful use and protection of our water supplies we will continue to have enough clean water in the future.

The MVCA is committed to working towards improving water quality in the Maitland watershed. The Authority is working with several partners to monitor and report on water quality. This includes participating in the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network, the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network, undertaking sampling at specific sites such as in the Middle Maitland River sub-basin and working with the Ashfield Colborne Lakefront Association on sampling along the Lake Huron shoreline.

Earlier this year the MVCA produced a series of Watershed Report Cards that convey information on the health of the Maitland watershed as well as the major sub-basins that make up watershed. Copies of these report cards are available in .pdf format in the MVCA Documents section of this website. Paper copies are also available, please contact Jayne Thompson at jthompson@mvca.on.ca or call 519 335-3557. For further information on data collection and monitoring please contact Mat Shetler at mshetler@mvca.on.ca.

My Land, Our Water

My Land, Our Water is a web-based mapping application that enables landowners to view information about their property including soil, slope, wells and geology. In addition, viewers can learn about the vulnerability of their property to surface and groundwater contamination. This information reflects the physical attributes of a property rather than the type of land use occurring on the site.

The purpose of My Land, Our Water is to improve access to information on surface and groundwater for rural and agricultural landowners and municipalities in the Maitland, Saugeen and Ausable watersheds.

Agriculture is the primary land use activity in the Maitland, Saugeen and Ausable Bayfield watersheds and the majority of land is privately owned. Most rural residents obtain their water from private wells. Actions to protect water need to occur at the individual farm level. My Land, Our Water provides landowners with information about their own property that will assist them in taking proactive steps to protect surface and groundwater.

Colour aerial photography has recently been added to the site for the Maitland watersheds.

Visit My Land, Our Water at http://myland.mvca.on.ca