The City of Greater Sudbury has received a $2.3 million boost from the province to better protect its vast water resources and preserve the natural environment through watershed research.
The provincial grant will be used by the city to complete nine watershed studies over two years to assess the health of several Sudbury-area watersheds and make recommendations for their care. Specifically, the studies will make recommendations to:
- Develop best management practices to reduce erosion, prevent flooding and maintain or improve water quality
- Produce a strategy for preserving or enhancing the natural environment
- Establish a framework for responsible urban growth within the watersheds
- The first study will be on Ramsey Lake and will test new technology to predict blue-green algae blooms. Of the remaining eight, four will start in 2016-2017 and four will start in 2017-2018.
Greater Sudbury Mayor, Brian Bigger said, “We have achieved so much in improving lake water quality over the last 40 years, and this investment will continue to further this success. The long-term benefits of these watershed studies will assist in the understanding of our watersheds, ensuring the protection of our most valuable and visible natural resource, our water.”
In each of the nine studies, the public will be asked to provide input on the study findings and proposed mitigation strategies. Sudbury will hold consultation sessions with local stakeholder groups and community partners, and engage with indigenous communities in the development of the watershed studies.
Greater Sudbury has 330 lakes within 25 watersheds that drain into Lake Huron.
