Understanding your Watershed

A watershed describes an area of land that contains a common set of streams and rivers that all drain into a single larger body of water, such as a river or a lake.

There is a significant benefit to having a healthy watershed. Water and related natural resources have value for our economy, the environment and for people.

Benefits of a healthy watershed

Economic health

Supplies water for agriculture, industry and households
Helps manage drought and prevent or reduce costly impacts associated with flooding and climate change
Contributes to tourism, fisheries, forestry, agriculture and mining industries
Creates a desirable area for business investment, and great place to work and raise a family

Ecological health

Conserves water
Promotes streamflow
Supports sustainable streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater sources
Enables healthy soil for crops and livestock
Provides habitat for wildlife and plants

Human health

Provides safe drinking water
Provides food
Enables us to adapt to the impacts of climate change more easily by cooling air and absorbing greenhouse gas emissions
Provides natural areas for people to keep active and recharge their batteries.

The Kawartha Conservation watershed is 2,563 square kilometers in size and has a unique landscape that holds wetlands, and long meandering rivers that flow to and from lakes along the Trent Severn Waterway. Agriculture thrives on rich soils and clean water, picturesque rural communities dot the landscape, and conservation and natural areas protect significant natural heritage. All of our programs and services support the protection of this unique watershed in Ontario.

Interesting facts about the Kawartha watershed

Natural features and land use

46% Agriculture
21% Forest
13% Lakes
14% Wetland (55 Provincially Significant and 49 Locally Significant)
6% Built Up/Urban

Local wetlands

Within our 2,563 km² watershed, over 359 km² are wetlands (approximately 14% of the total area). This includes 55 Provincially Significant Wetlands and 49 Locally Significant Wetlands.

They provide many important ecological services that help keep our environment and communities healthy, and local economy vibrant. Some of their main functions include the following:

Improve water quality in lakes and rivers
Reduce flooding and flood damage
Stop erosion
Recharge groundwater
Provide wildlife habitat
Keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

For more detailed information on wetlands download the following fact sheets from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Flow directions

Water that moves across the Kawartha Conservation watershed flows to Pigeon Lake. On the south side of the watershed, the Oak Ridges Moraine causes water to flow northward into Lake Scugog and Pigeon Lake. The water in Lake Scugog continues north into Sturgeon Lake via the Scugog River.

On the north end of the watershed, water flows off of the Canadian Shield from the Gull and Burnt rivers into Balsam and Cameron lakes. A small amount flows into the Lake Simcoe watershed through Balsam Lake, with most of the water flowing over Fenelon Falls into Sturgeon Lake.

Water from Sturgeon Lake flows into Pigeon Lake, along with the water from Nogies Creek. All of this water flows through the rest of the Kawartha Lakes to the east into the Trent River, emptying into Lake Ontario.

Water level management

Ontario Waterways - Trent-Severn Waterway, operated by Parks Canada, regulates water levels of Balsam, Cameron, Sturgeon, Pigeon lakes and Lake Scugog using water control structures, such as dams, and locks. Ontario Waterways manages water levels to provide adequate water depth for recreational boating and to minimize flooding.

The Kawartha Conservation watershed is made up of 27 smaller drainage areas called subwatersheds. You can view specific scientific information for each by clicking on each subwatershed below: