Mv_watershed

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Mar 2000

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The Land O'Lakes NewsWeb Region - A Triumvirate of Headwaters By Laurel GrillsVisitors to the NewsWeb area rarely question why it is called the Land of Lakes -- there is obviously a very high concentration of lakes. However, some other distinct features aren't as apparent. Namely, that there are three distinct watersheds (Napanee, Mississippi, and Rideau) and that the headwaters of each of these watersheds are also contained within the region. From the standpoint of water quality in a watershed, headwaters are very important. After all, contaminants introduced upstream float downstream.

mv_watershed (click for enlarged view) The high concentration of lakes, the presence of three distinct watersheds with their own characteristics, and the fact that the headwaters of these watersheds are in our area, make the area very unique -- attracting many tourists, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts each year. This area is virtually a water paradise and the best news of all is that it is still relatively pristine. People in general are becoming more aware of the concept of a watershed. A watershed is defined as the drainage area of a river. Rivers, streams and lakes are linked to the land which it drains. Rain and snow drain into small creeks which eventually empty into a larger river downstream. The water quantity and quality that reaches the river is influenced by many things, in particular, bedrock geology, soil type, vegetative cover and land use. Physiographic features are similar in the headwater portions of the three watersheds. The headwaters for the three watersheds are situated on the Precambrian Shield. Extensive folding, shifting and faulting of the bedrock created a very irregular terrain that was formed by geological processes, better known as glaciation. As the layers of ice advanced and retreated they gouged out a rough landscape, filled with lakes and rivers, a landscape better known to many of us, as Cottage Country.

mv_watershed The northern portion of the Land of Lakes NewsWeb region is predominantly in the Mississippi Valley watershed. Ontario's Mississippi River watershed is 4,450 square kilometres and over 200 kilometres in length. The landscape in the headwaters is on the Canadian Shield and begins at Mazinaw Lake. Mazinaw Lake is situated at 267 metres above sea level. This section is characterized by steep granite and shale formations with little soil cover. The soil is predominantly sandy loam, however, there are pockets of Monteagle sandy loam and gravelly sandy loam near Plevna. There are beautiful sandy beaches on Sand Lake. The area south of Big Gull Lake is all rock or muck, this is great blueberry picking country. Anyone who has driven along Highway Seven between Sharbot Lake and Kaladar have seen the many Blueberry stands. Soils in the Sharbot Lake area and south to Bob's Lake are sandy loam. Bedrock in the far northern edge of the region is the Granite, Granite Gneiss and Pegmatite group. Bedrock in the Plevna area is the Crystalline Limestone and Dolomite. The bedrock in a small area near Sand Lake is the Diorite, Quartz Diorite and Gabbro group. Bedrock near Mosque Lake near Ompah is the Amphibolite group. The bedrock group in the area south of Kashwakamak and Malcolm Lakes is Granite, Granite Gneiss and Pegmatite. The Mississippi River runs south easterly towards the hamlets of Maberly and MacDonalds Corners. It is here that you start to see rolling hills and small farms suitable for rough pasture. For the most part, soils in this area are classified as having no capability for arable culture or permanent pasture. The river continues it's journey to Mississippi Lake. The topography starts to change once the river winds through the Town of Carleton Place. The river enters the more agricultural portion of the watershed. The river runs through the Towns of Almonte and Pakenham into the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, where it eventually empties into the Ottawa River at Galetta. The more popular lakes in the Mississippi watershed in the Land O'Lakes NewsWeb region include; Mazinaw, Big Gull, Kashwakamak, Shabomeka, Palmerston, Sharbot, Silver and Dalhousie. The Villages of Cloyne, Plevna, Ompah and Sharbot Lake are in the Land of Lakes NewsWeb coverage area. The area north of Plevna is approximately 40 % crown land. There is very little crown land remaining south of Highway Seven. The south eastern portion of the region extends into the Rideau River watershed. The Rideau watershed has an area of 4,110 square kilometres and runs approximately 126 kilometres in a north-east direction. The Rideau River has its headwaters at Burridge Lake at approximately 163 metres above sea level. The watershed is characterized by Canadian Shield in the headwaters and the south-eastern portion of the watershed drains through fertile farmland. The river turns northeasterly from Narrows Lock to Osgoode Station and then north where it empties into the Ottawa River within the City of Ottawa. Popular lakes in the Rideau watershed and in the Land O'Lakes NewsWeb region include; Bobs, Crow, Farren, Christie, Crosby and Devil Lakes. A smaller portion of this region in the west cuts into the Napanee River watershed. In the northern portion you will find the Salmon River which is also in the Napanee watershed. Popular lakes in this watershed include; Kennebec, Big Clear and Long in the north and Cameron Lake in the south. The Napanee River watershed is 58 kilometres long. The watershed begins near Cloyne and drains in a southerly direction where it empties into the Bay of Quinte near Napanee. Fishing is still considered to be quite good in all three watersheds. Lake trout offer the highest quality angling experience. The more popular Lake Trout lakes include: Sharbot (west basin), Shabomeka, Devil, Bob's (Green Bay), Crow, Palmerston and Mazinaw. Walleye (Yellow Pickerel) also provide excellent angling opportunities. Many of the lakes in this region provide good walleye and bass fishing. The Land O'Lakes NewsWeb region is unique because it is a headwater area. Clean water in the headwaters is crucial to maintain a viable tourism industry in the Land O'Lakes. It is crucial to protect and preserve water quality because it ultimately provides water to downstream users. Watersheds are natural geographic units, activities upstream can affect the quality of water passing through downstream communities. This is why Land Use Planning on a watershed basis is so important today. Watershed management means managing wisely upstream so that downstream remains natural and healthy. Rivers and streams do not recognize political boundaries and more often than not, rivers and streams run through several municipalities. Healthy rivers and streams require the cooperation of the municipalities they run through and recognizing that activities and decisions made in one municipality can affect water quality to downstream municipalities. My next article will focus on water quality and what residents and visitors to the area can do to protect it.