Water Management Plans - Why?

The goal of water management planning is to contribute to the environmental, social and economic well being of the people of Ontario through the sustainable development of waterpower resources and to manage these resources in an ecologically sustainable way for the benefit of present and future generations.

Local waterpower companies (Ontario Power Generation, Orillia Power Generation Corporation, Algonquin Power Fund Inc. and Bracebridge Generation Ltd) worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources to develop a water management plan for the Muskoka River watershed. The Muskoka River Water Management Plan (MRWMP), which was implemented in 2006, takes an ecosystem-based approach to water management by considering the interests and concerns of all water users within the watershed (e.g. fish, wildlife, navigation, hydro generation, recreation, flood control etc.).

The Muskoka River Water Management Plan includes:

• Operational plans for each waterpower facility or water control structure (dam)
• Legally enforceable provisions for the management of flows and water levels
• Compliance monitoring to ensure that waterpower industry facilities are meeting the requirements of the plan
• Effectiveness monitoring program to determine whether the implementation of the plan results in the anticipated ecological and social improvements.

			MRWMP - Cover & Table of Contents
			1	Plan Approval
			2	Introduction
			3	Physical and Biological Environment
			4	Social and Economic Environment Figure 4.1 - Land Tenure and Major Infrastructure Figure 4.2 - Recreation and Tourism
			5	Water Control Structures and Water Power Facilities
			6	Issues, Resource Vaues and Interests
			7	Initial Data Gaps and Deficiencies
			8	Baseline Data Collection
			9	Option Development Process
			10	Evaluation Criteria
			11	Preferred Strategy and Comparison with Current Operation
			12	Operating Plans
			13	Compliance Monitoring Plan
			14	Effectiveness Monitoring Program
			15	Data Gaps, Science and Information Needs
			16	Plan Implementation
			17	Plan Term, Amendments, Review and Renewal
			References and Reference Information
			Addendum for Background Information Report
Appendices - Cover & Table of Contents
A		Memberships of Steering Committee, Planning Committee and Public Advisory Committee
B		Terms of Reference for Muskoka River Water Management Plan
C		Summary of Existing Operating Plans for Water Power Facilities and Water Control Structures
D		Public Consultation Record
E		First Nations Consultation
F		Option Development Process - ARSP Modeling and Analysis of Lake Levels and River Flows
		Big Eddy Generating Station Birds Mill Dam Bracebridge Generating Station Buck Lake Burgess Generating Station Burnt Island Lake Camp Lake Canoe, Smoke, Tea Lakes Fox Lake Hanna Chute Generating Station High Falls Generating Station Huntsville Lake Joe Lake Kawagama Lake		Lake of Bays Mary Lake Matthias Generating Station McCraney Lake Lake Muskoka Ragged Lake Ragged Rapids Generating Station Rosseau & Joseph Lakes South Falls Generating Station Tasso Lake Trethewey Generating Station Wilson Generating Station Wood Lake
G		Waterpower Facility Monitoring Locations