The Scugog River is situated between Lake Scugog and Sturgeon Lake and is bisected by Hwy 35 and Hwy 7. It is roughly centered on the town of Lindsay, which covers a large portion of its landmass. Water flows northward through Lindsay into Sturgeon Lake.
View a map of the Scugog River Watershed
Watershed characteristics
Learn about the characteristics of the Scugog River watershed.
Watershed size |
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The total watershed area is 47 km² or 4,685 ha and the total watercourse length is 85 km. |
Natural vegetation cover |
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The dominant forest type is coniferous forest including:
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Significant natural sites |
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Provincially Significant Wetlands
Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) - Life Science: East Cross Creek: 0.22 ha |
Environmental conditions
The following grades show the environmental conditions for the Scugog River watershed.
| Indicator | Result | Grade | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total phosphorus |
0.027 mg/L |
C |
Fair |
|
Benthic macroinvertebrates |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| Indicator | Result | Grade | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total phosphorus |
0.053 mg/L |
C |
Fair |
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Benthic macroinvertebrates |
6.58 (FBI) |
F |
Poor |
The surface water quality grade was based on total phosphorous (TP) and/or benthic macroinvertebrates (aquatic insects) family biotic index (FBI). The provincial water quality objective for TP in rivers and streams is 0.03 mg/L and 0.02 mg/L in lakes. These guidelines were set because levels highter than these guildelines provide conditions for nuisance algae and aquatic plant growth. A TP value below 0.03 mg/L (rivers) or 0.02 (lakes) meets the provincial guidelines and is in the B (good) or A (excellent) grade range, while the result for benthic macroinvertebrates must be 5.00 or lower to receive a B (good) or A (very good to excellent) grade.
| Indicator | Result | Indicator grade | Combined grade |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Nitrate + nitrite |
0.043 mg/L |
A |
B |
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Chloride |
191.0 mg/L |
D |
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Nitrogen levels in this well are excellent, falling below the Provincial Maximum Acceptable Concentration of 10 mg/L for drinking water. Chloride levels also receive an excellent grade, as they fall well below the Provincial Aesthetic Objective of 250 mg/L for drinking water. Groundwater quality results from the wells do not represent groundwater quality across the subwatershed, but rather, the water quality within the aquifer in which the well is located.
| Indicator | Area cover | Percent cover | Grade | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Forest cover |
3.4 km² |
7.5% |
D |
Poor |
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Forest interior |
0.2 km² |
0.5% |
F |
Very Poor |
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Forested riparian cover |
0.8 km² |
19.9% |
D |
Poor |
The combined forest conditions grade for Scugog River is ranked as poor.
| Indicator | Area cover | Percent cover | Grade | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wetland cover |
2.3 km² |
5.15% |
D |
Poor |