Upper Welland River Watershed Plan - Niagara Peninsula ...

UPPER WELLAND RIVER WATERSHED PLANidentification and suitability of restoration sites, landowner incentive programs,and land acquisition based on key issues in the watershed; andcreation of an implementation plan including a monitoring component.Completed over a 36 month period, the watershed planning process follows severalsteps including numerous opportunities for public involvement through open houses,workshops, public commenting and an agricultural land use survey (Figure 1). ThePhase 1 watershed characterization contains a detailed background report including adescription of the watershed‟s physiography, soils, land use, ecological, cultural andnatural heritage, as well as a description of surface and groundwater resources. Phase 2of the watershed planning process provides a set of watershed objectives that are linkedto a comprehensive list of watershed issues derived from the NWS (RMN 2006a), andpublic events. Issues specific to agriculture were gathered through the LandManagement Issues and Agricultural Best Management Practices survey (NPCA 2006a)(Appendix A), which was distributed to Ontario Federation of Agriculture membersthrough a partnership with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. Any issuesderived from these documents and public venues form the foundation of the watershedstrategy and subsequent action plan, which are the focus of Phase 2 of the watershedplanning process.Summer 2009Project Initiation: Terms ofReferenceReview BackgroundInformationScoping: Identify PreliminaryissuesFall 2009Steering Committee CreationFall 2009Phase 1: WatershedCharacterization & IssuesIdentificationPublic Open HouseSpring/Summer 2010Detailed Scoping: Issues,Options & ConcernsPublic WorkshopFall 2010Develop & AssessWatershed RestorationProgramsSpring 2011Phase 2: Watershed Issues &Restoration OpportunitiesPublic Open House2012ImplementationAgency & LandownerPartnershipsFigure 1: Watershed Planning Framework2