In April 2021, District Municipality of Muskoka received an investment of over $4 million from the Province of Ontario to fund 12 projects intended to help reduce the impacts of flooding and address the health of the Muskoka River Watershed. Working in collaboration with the community and partners, the District is pleased to announce that several phase one projects have launched.
“On behalf of Council and our partners in these upcoming projects, we want to thank the Province again for this important funding to support watershed health in Muskoka,” said District Chair John Klinck. “An integrated approach to watershed management will take into account both our human activities and our natural resources together and help us find solutions that are sustainable and protect the Muskoka River Watershed for future generations.”
Project Partners and Phases
The 12 funded projects include flood plain mapping, hydrologic assessments, and public access inventories. Broken into three phases, the outcomes of each will collectively enhance Muskoka’s watershed health and advance an Integrated Watershed Management (IWM) approach. The Town of Bracebridge was also a recipient of the provincial funding to initiate a siltation project that will map the bottom of the Muskoka River where it empties into Lake Muskoka to help in developing a plan for how to best address siltation moving forward.
Information about the District’s projects, their timelines and how you can stay updated is available at: engagemuskoka.ca/integrated-watershed-management-home-page.
Community Round Table
As requested by the District, the Muskoka Watershed Council is establishing a Community Round Table (CRT) that will provide advice and share local perspectives to support the projects. The CRT will also plan longer-term education initiatives to help the community better understand the Muskoka River Watershed and integrated watershed management.
The CRT will have representatives from various sectors and key stakeholders of the Muskoka River Watershed, and it needs many voices at the table representing all walks of life in Muskoka. CRT members will be asked to exchange ideas and make recommendations on how Integrated Watershed Management can be implemented in Muskoka.
“Experience in other jurisdictions underlines the importance of community knowledge, engagement and support to the successful implementation of IWM”, notes MWC Chair Geoff Ross.
For more information on the CRT, please contact the Muskoka Watershed Council at info@muskokawatershed.org.