The River Report
Ottawa RIVERKEEPER’s River Report: Issue No.1 ~ Ecology and Impacts
Ottawa Riverkeeper’s River Report was published to inform a broad audience about the current physical and biological conditions of the Ottawa River watershed and the impacts of human activities on the river. The report reflects Ottawa Riverkeeper’s mandate, which is to protect the Ottawa River by gathering independent science-based data that can be used to identify important ecological issues and priorities affecting the health of the river.
Ottawa Riverkeeper’s River Report is unique because no other group is studying and reporting on the cumulative impacts of pollution and development on the river system. As such, no comprehensive report on the state of the Ottawa River has ever been published.
SummaryThe report summarizes the watershed’s environmental, recreational, and economic attributes, with an emphasis on identifying the key risks to the ecological health of the river system. It portrays a comprehensive picture of the Ottawa River watershed for the reader and explores some of the major watershed-scale impacts and pressures that threaten the ecological integrity of the river.
Finally, the report examines the human dimension – the social and political context within which watershed management decisions are made and how individuals and stewardship groups can make a difference.
Important Findings- No one is taking responsibility for the health of the river. Permits to dump waste are issued at municipal, provincial and federal levels and no one is doing the math to add up the cumulative impacts.
- Action must be taken now to preserve what we have – a globally significant river system. The report outlines changes that are occurring in the river with respect to shorelines and floodplains. Equally concerning are the levels of toxic substances being found in the water and the fish.
- More than a million are drinking the water from the river and swimming in the river, yet the public knows very little about what is being dumped into the river and the potential consequences of these actions. Riverkeeper is currently the only organization acting to inform the public on the health of the river.
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