We respectfully acknowledge that we are on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabeg. We offer our gratitude to First Peoples for their care for, and teachings about our earth and our relations.
May we honour those teachings.
Message From the Chair
Black and white photograph of Ryan Huntley, Chair of the Otonabee Conservation Board of Directors in 2023
Ryan Huntley
Chair, Board of Directors
Congratulations to the Board and staff for another successful year. The Authority met all of their provincial legislative requirements and completed multi-year directives related to Ontario Regulation 686, Mandatory Programs and Services. Cost Apportioning Agreements were successfully completed with all 8 member municipalities.
With the impacts of climate change intensifying, Otonabee Conservation’s important work will become increasingly crucial to our municipalities and our community. The Board worked diligently to balance the fiscal challenges of the Authority, complete major capital projects, and ensure financial accountability and transparency. Continuing to work collaboratively with our watershed partners was a cornerstone objective for the Board and Staff in 2023.
Message from the CAO
Black and white photo of Janette Loveys Smith, CAO/Secretary-Treasurer of Otonabee Conservation
Janette Loveys Smith
CAO / Secretary-Treasurer
2023 was a busy and productive year. The year started with a number of provincial legislative changes, which required the Authority to carefully navigate with our member municipalities. The addition of the Lakefield Campground took a lot of effort. Floodplain mapping updates continued to be a priority to ensure we were protecting lives and property. We focused on our work with our environmental partners to plant more trees and provide educational programs.
There are many examples of the Board, municipalities, partners, and staff working cooperatively across our watershed. It is certain to say that it takes partners with the same goals to collectively safeguard the health of our watershed.
About Otonabee Conservation
Otonabee Conservation is a locally-focused, community-based environmental agency that protects, restores, and manages the natural resources within the Otonabee Region watershed.
The 8 member municipalities within the Otonabee Region watershed appoint representatives to our Board of Directors.
We work with our eight member municipalities to maintain a healthy, environmentally-diverse watershed that improves the quality of life for residents, makes our area more appealing to visitors and new businesses, and helps to ensure a more vibrant regional economy.
The Otonabee Region watershed area is 1,951 km2.
The population in our watershed is 105,942.
We have 8 municipalities within our watershed.
There are 2 First Nations communities within the Otonabee Region watershed.
Otonabee Conservation delivers programs and services that support the sustainability of the environment, within the physical and economic context of the watershed and in consideration of the social, cultural, and economic aspirations of its residents.
We work closely with our member municipalities, watershed residents, and many partnership agencies to achieve program outcomes that balance a diversity of needs and local conservation priorities.
The Otonabee Region watershed is comprised of five distinct physiographic regions. Starting at the Oak Ridges Moraine and Rice Lake a the southern boundary, the land transitions from a landscape dominated by agriculture to the rocky, forested lands of the Canadian Shield at the northern boundary, and is interspersed by drumlins, watercourses, and wetlands.
The Otonabee Region watershed is made up of the Otonabee, Indian, and Ouse River watersheds, and includes many lakes, streams, and tributaries.
Photograph gallery of physiographic regions found in the Otonabee Region watershed including agriculture, forests, wetlands, drumlins and watercourses.
Natural Hazards Protection
We protect people and property from flooding and other natural hazards
Plan Review & Permitting
Aerial image of a subdivision.
Otonabee Conservation protects people and properties from loss of life and property damage by working with applicants to minimize any risks from natural hazards.
We ensure compliance to Ontario Regulation 167/06 and related policies by receiving, reviewing, and issuing permits.
We issued 391 permits under the Conservation Authorities Act in 2023.
In 2023, 99.7% of the permits we issued were within the timeline standard set by Conservation Ontario. (Major: 28 days / Minor: 21 days / Routine: 14 days)
We provide timely customer service to achieve high response standards when consulting with applicants and issuing permits.
We conducted 308 Plan Reviews for natural hazard matters.
We meet our delegated responsibility to represent the provincial interest in natural hazards through timely engagement with our member municipalities in the review of applications under the Planning Act.
In 2023, we responded to 854 general inquiries regarding natural hazards and permitting.
Map Legend
Watershed Boundary
Click boxes on map to see more information about permits in each member municipality.
Definitions
Major Permits:where risk to natural hazards and features is high and review of 2+ technical studies is required.
Minor Permits:where there is low risk of impact to natural hazards or features and no technical studies are required.
Routine Permits: streamlined approvals where a proposed development is simple in scope and does not negatively impact natural hazards.
Natural Hazards
Jackson Creek, City of Peterborough
Otonabee Conservation operates a Flood Forecasting and Warning Program to ensure that residents and municipalities are aware of potential flood-related events in a timely manner and to contribute to the protection of life and property.
We issued 21 Flood Forecasting and Warning watershed safety messages throughout 2023.
We work collaboratively with our municipalities, local agencies, interest groups, and First Nations as part of the Ontario Low Water Response Program to alert the public about low water conditions and encourage water conservation.
We monitor conditions to detect low water and support the Water Response Team who responds to low water and drought events.
We held 1 Water Response Team meeting in 2023, with zero low water messages issued.
We operate and maintain water and ice control structures to ensure they are in good condition and that public safety measures are in place.
13 snow surveys were completed in 2023.
We operated and maintained 8 meteorological monitoring stations in 2023.
5 tipping bucket rain gauges measure intensity, duration, and total rainfall.
Thompson Creek flows through water lilies and cattails surrounded by a tree lined shoreline and blue skies with some fluffy white clouds.
Thompson Creek, City of Peterborough
Otonabee Conservation acquires and maintains floodplain mapping to better understand flood risks throughout our watershed, provide a tool to protect and respect the floodplain, and to help guide decisions about land use development.
We completed and released mapping for Thompson Creek:
Floodplain mapping became available online for public use, it was adopted into official plans, and incorporated into our permitting activities.
Our staff completed over 1,200 hours of surveying for floodplain mapping projects in 2023.
850 hours were spent engineering new models for floodplain mapping in 2023.
We also made progress on floodplain mapping for Byersville Creek and Jackson Creek, in 2023.
Thompson Creek flows under a bridge while cattails and bulrushes frame the foreground..
Thompson Creek flows under a bridge in City of Peterborough.
Map Legend
Floodplain mapping study area / where the floodplain is.
Use the + and - buttons on the map to zoom in and out and view floodplain mapping throughout the watershed.
Watershed Management
We contribute to and support local and provincial water monitoring programs to assess watershed health and track changes in our environment.
Otonabee Conservation staff member wearing hip waiters samples benthic macroinvertebrates with a dip net while wading in shallow waters of the Otonabee River.
Otonabee Conservation's Watershed Biologist sorts benthic macroinvertebrates as part of water monitoring program.
Two Otonabee Conservation staff members work together to sample benthic macroinvertebrates in the Otonabee River
Otonabee Conservation staff member sorts and identifies benthic macroinvertebrates.
Otonabee Conservation's Water Resources Technologist records water sampling data from a ground monitoring well at Warsaw Caves Conservation Area
Monitoring
Otonabee Conservation supports the implementation of water quality and quantity monitoring programs in partnership with provincial agencies.
Groundwater quantity data was collected from 11 wells and water quality samples were collected from 5 wells as part of the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN).
Surface water samples were collected from 20 sites as part of the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network (PWQMN) and local water monitoring programs.
Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled from 9 sites as part of the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network (OBBN).
2023 Watershed Report Card
Conservation Authorities across Ontario publish Watershed Report Cards every 5 years. They include information about water quality, forests, groundwater, and wetlands. Staff collect and analyze monitoring data using standardized indicators to assess watershed health. Watershed Report Cards also include information about climate change and what you can do to improve watershed health.
Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network (PWQMN) / Local Surface Water Sampling Site
Ontario Benthic Biomonitoring Network (OBBN) Sampling Site
Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN) Sampling Site
Click on monitoring station locations on map for details about each.
Drinking Water Source Protection
A refreshing glass of clean and healthy drinking water is held up beside the Otonabee Conservation logo.
Otonabee Conservation contributes to the protection of existing and future sources of municipal drinking water.
Acting as the Otonabee-Peterborough Source Protection Authority (O-P SPA), we coordinate the local implementation of the Drinking Water Source Protection Program.
The O-P SPA encompasses the Otonabee Region watershed along with portions of the following four additional Municipalities: Municipality of Highlands East, Municipality of Trent Lakes, Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, and Township of North Kawartha.
We responded to 308 active files under the Clean Water Act in 2023.
44 notices were issued under Section 59 of the Clean Water Act.
We support municipalities, landowners, and the Trent Conservation Coalition Source Protection Committee to ensure compliance with the Trent Source Protection Plan and the Clean Water Act. Under agreements with 8 municipalities, we operate the Risk Management Office and deliver an ongoing Education & Outreach program.
3 Source Protection Authority meetings and 3 Source Protection Committee meetings were held in 2023.
To ensure that Source Protection Plans remain current, Section 36 of the Clean Water Act requires they be updated regularly.
Proposed amendments to the Trent Source Protection Plan were submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in 2023.
Staff, municipalities, and the Source Protection Committee worked together to develop and revise policies to better protect sources of municipal drinking water.
Otonabee-Peterborough Source Protection Region Boundary
Vulnerable areas within the Otonabee-Peterborough Source Protection Region (Source Protection Plan Policies manage threats in these areas).
Use the + and - buttons on the map to zoom in and out and view vulnerable areas throughout the O-PSPA.
Stewardship & Education
Otonabee Conservation advances and contributes to the maintenance of a healthy and resilient natural environment.
This is achieved through tree planting, habitat enhancement, and shoreline naturalization projects that are undertaken in partnership with municipalities, schools, public agencies and community service groups.
1,033 trees and shrubs were planted by 150 volunteers at 5 locations in the watershed, in 2023.
109 watershed residents planted 12,075 trees that were ordered through the 2023 Otonabee Conservation Tree Seedling Sales program.
We deliver events and presentations to foster awareness of climate change and the watershed environment.
Otonabee Conservation hosted an activity centre at the Peterborough Children's Water Festival, where 2,300 students learned about healthy rivers and watersheds.
1,740 students from 20 schools participated in our experiential water education programs.
125 participants took part in experiential environmental learning opportunities that we offered in the community.
An elementary school student gives two thumbs up before planting a Wild Ginger plant in his school's raised garden bed.
Manager of Watershed Programs unloads tree seedlings and shovels from the back of a pickup truck, in preparation of a tree planting event.
An elementary school student gives the peace sign and shows a weed pulled from her school yard garden in preparation for new plantings.
Several students pull weeds from their school yard garden to prepare the area for new plantings.
A volunteer from TD Canada Trust poses with their shovel and tree during TD Tree Days at Harold Town Conservation Area.
20+ volunteers pose and cheer at a 2023 tree planting event.
A volunteer poses with their shovel and tree seedling and gives a thumbs up while planting at Heritage Park in the City of Peterborough
Conservation Lands Management
We manage and conserve lands for the protection of natural heritage features and values, and provide outdoor recreation opportunities.
Ferns and a rocky hiking trail at Birdsall Nature Area.
Fat tire mountain biker approaches on a trail at Harold Town Conservation Area.
A newly refurbished bridge along Jackson Creek Trail is ready for cross-country skiing with a freshly groomed surface.
Ghost Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) grows through the dried leaf litter at Selwyn Beach Conservation Area
Paddlers explore by canoe along the Indian River in Warsaw Caves Conservation Area.
Wetlands along the Selwyn Beach Conservation Area nature trail grow off shore, framed by leaves of surrounding Maple trees.
A dragonfly rests on a twig along the shores of the Indian River.
Conservation Lands
Otonabee Conservation manages and conserves our lands for the protection of biodiversity and natural heritage including the preservation of areas of significant environmental and ecological importance. We ensure the proper management and stewardship of 10,300acres of land owned by the Authority.
72 hectares / 177 acres of managed forest was thinned at White Lake Forest West.
We operate several free day-use Conservation Areas for outdoor recreation activities including hiking, biking, geo-caching, nature viewing, boating, picnicking, fishing, swimming, and more!
We hosted 24,459 campers at our 3 campgrounds in 2023.
There were 427 daily canoe and kayak rentals in 2023 - That's 1,708 hours of paddling!
160 hunting permits were issued for hunting on our designated lands.
3 new accessible and all-gender washroom / change facilities construction completion at Selwyn Beach, Squirrel Creek and Harold Town Conservation Areas.
Map Legend
Click on a Conservation Land to see more information about each.
Watershed Boundary
Otonabee Conservation
Wildlife Area
Otonabee Conservation
Conservation Area
Otonabee Conservation
Forest Block
Use the + and - buttons on the map to zoom in and out and view Conservation Lands throughout the watershed.
Warsaw Caves Conservation Area
Otonabee Conservation operates Warsaw Caves Conservation Area for day-use activities including swimming, paddling, and spelunking, and group and family camping. This includes canoe rentals and retail sales for items such as ice, firewood, and headlamps.
We hosted 13,600 day-use visitors at Warsaw Caves C.A. in 2023.
7,616 campers stayed at Warsaw Caves C.A. for a total of 2,017 nights of camping.
Photo collage showing various attributes of Warsaw Caves Conservation Area including trilliums growing in the campground, a kettle formed in the rocks, the view from the Lookout Trail, paddlers on the Indian River, spelunking in the caves, and a Great Blue Heron.
Beavermead Campground
We operate Beavermead Campground for group, public, and seasonal camping, on behalf of the City of Peterborough. This includes canoe rentals and retail sales for items such as firewood and ice.
15,293 campers stayed at Beavermead Campground in 2023, for a total of 5,882 nights of camping.
Lakefield Campground
2023 marked our first year of operating Lakefield Campground, in agreement with Selwyn Township. This included public and seasonal camping, canoe rentals, and retail sales for items such as firewood and ice.
250 Seasonal Campers stayed at Lakefield Campground in 2023.
1,550 total campers stayed with us at Lakefield Campground in 2023.
New docks were installed in spring 2023.
Corporate Services
Otonabee Conservation ensures effective and efficient operations when delivering our programs and services.
Otonabee Conservation's Corporate Services:
Support the Board of Directors to meet its legislated mandate and responsibilities.
Provide the necessary administrative and support services for the efficient and effective operation of the Conservation Authority.
Provide communications and marketing to ensure our watershed residents are aware of our programs and services.
Offer outreach to form collaborative relationships with watershed residents, municipalities, and community partners.
In 2023, a new website was designed, developed, and launched to better connect, communicate, share information and deliver efficient services. This will increase our outreach, communications and customer service while improving accessibility requirements.
We earned 113 news items in the local media.
We received 70K website users in 2023.
Funding:
We are grateful for government funding received in 2023:
Environment & Climate Change Canada
Canada Nature Fund | Canadian Air and Precipitation Monitoring Network
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Canada Community Revitalization Fund
Tourism Relief Fund
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program
Flood Management Program
Water & Erosion Control Infrastructure Fund
Two pie charts showing: 1. Revenues (Municipal Levy 37%, Donations 1%, Grants and Partnerships 2%, Sales, Rentals, and Other 8%, User Fees 32%, Municipal other 8% and Government Grants 11%) and 2. Expenses (Corporate Services 24%, Natural Hazards 31%, Watershed Management 10%, and Conservation Lands 35%).
Donors & Grants
We are grateful for generous contributions from individual donors, local organizations, foundations, and community partners who make our work possible!
Conservation Guardian
$10,000 - $49,000
Anonymous Donor
Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough
Eco Canada
Conservation Steward
$5,000 - $9,999
TD Friends of the Environment
Tree Canada
Conservation Supporter
$1,000 - $4,999
Carol Begley in memory of Brian Begley
Ontario Power Generation
Trans Canada Trail
Conservation Friend
$250 - $999
Alan and Linda Slavin
Anonymous Donor
Barbara Chisholm and Thomas Miller
Bryan and Lynne Anne Sage
Charlie and Hayley Martin
Dan and Julie Brandsma
Daniel Marinigh
Gary Caprara
Jennifer Clinesmith
John and Marlene Dunford
Kathy Church
Kevin Begley in memory of Brian Patrick Begley
Kim and Mark Zippel
Michael Begley in memory of Brian Patrick Begley
Terry Begley in memory of Brian Patrick Begley
Conservation Donor
up to $249
Annie and Ewen MacPhail in memory of Brian Begley
Anonymous Donor
Argyle Shore Women's Institute in memory of Brian Begley
Bentley Nabigon-Froese
Brian McCrae
Christopher Pritchard in honour of Bella the pup
Daniel Chronowic
Emily Marriott
Gary Baldwin
Gary Von Roden
Hannah St. Louis
Janette Loveys Smith
Jim Abel
Karen Halley
Leah Manley
Leslie Fraser
Nil Lavallee
Paul Mitchell
Peter and Marilyn MacLoghlin
Ravi-Inder Soligo
Rice Lake Snow Drifters
Richard and Renee Scott
Robert Loney
Tammy Sikma
Tracey Wilkinson
Wendy Marrs
2023 Awards Program
Environmental Excellence Awards
Individual Conservationist | Cathy Dueck
Environmental Stewardship | Peterborough Humane Society
Conservation Partnership | Brad Appleby, City of Peterborough
Business | Nefab Canada - Peterborough
Fleming College Awards
Otonabee Conservation Award for Excellence in Environmental Technology
Nadia Paglairo
Otonabee Conservation Award for Excellence in Ecological Restoration
Vaughn Philipsz
Trent University Awards
Otonabee Conservation Award for Environmental Excellence in Water Conservation
Joseph Gentile
VanDeven Saberton
Peterborough Regional Science Fair Award
Otonabee Conservation Award for Excellence
Ella Sehn
Staff Service Awards
Denyse Landry Harvey | 25 years
Kimberly Duke | 25 years
Meredith Carter | 25 years
Bruce Flemons | 15 years
Matt Wilkinson | 5 years
Ryan Huntley
Chair, Board of Directors
Janette Loveys Smith
CAO / Secretary-Treasurer
Watershed Boundary
Watershed Boundary
Snow Survey Location
Meteorological Station Location
Thompson Creek, City of Peterborough
Thompson Creek flows under a bridge in City of Peterborough.
Floodplain mapping study area / where the floodplain is.
Watershed Boundary
Otonabee-Peterborough Source Protection Region Boundary
Vulnerable areas within the Otonabee-Peterborough Source Protection Region (Source Protection Plan Policies manage threats in these areas).
