Ontario Enhancing Water Management in Muskoka
January 28, 2025
Province consulting on recommendations to further protect the Muskoka River Watershed
MUSKOKA — The Ontario government is exploring ways to reduce the impacts of flooding in the Muskoka region.
The Ministry of Natural Resources is assessing recommendations from the Muskoka Watershed Conservation and Management Initiative and considering potential water management plan amendments. This project will include a public engagement and consultation process to hear from interested parties in the watershed, including municipal partners and other dam owners.
“The Muskoka River watershed is one of our province’s treasures, contributing significantly to the local economy and serving as a thriving hub for Ontario’s tourism industry,” said Graydon Smith, MPP, Parry Sound-Muskoka and Minister of Natural Resources. “That’s why we are working with the community and our partners to assess possible water management plan amendments that could further protect this important area.”
“The District Municipality of Muskoka recently completed several projects under the Muskoka Watershed Conservation and Management Initiative. This included recommendations on potential amendments to the Muskoka River Water Management Plan to improve water management operations,” said District Chair, Jeff Lehman. “The work we completed over the past several years with Provincial funding has allowed us to make major advancements in watershed planning. We are further ahead in Muskoka than ever before in mapping and analyzing factors affecting flooding in the watershed. However, the climate waits for nobody, and so we welcome the Minister’s commitment to reviewing the watershed management plan to work to prevent future flooding.”
The government will continue to work collaboratively with the plan co-signatories and watershed partners to determine if amendments to the Muskoka River Water Management Plan are required.
Quick Facts
- Water management plans ensure waterpower facilities have regulatory controls on their operations and to balance the range of social, economic and environmental considerations associated with managed water levels and flows.
- Water management plans regulate the normal range of operating water levels and flows for each dam within the scope of the plan. The provisions of a water management plan do not apply in the event of a declared flood, low water condition or emergency situation.
- In 2021, Ontario committed over $4 million as part of the Muskoka Watershed Conservation and Management Initiative to fund several projects aimed at examining the existing conditions in the watershed and exploring ways to reduce the impacts of flooding and address the health of the Muskoka River Watershed.
- The District Municipality of Muskoka led most of these projects, in partnership with the Muskoka Watershed Council and have been releasing the outcomes and accompanying reports.
- Water control structures within the Muskoka River watershed are not flood control structures and do not hold back sufficient water to prevent flooding during extreme events.
Additional Resources