75 Years of Conservation in Ausable Bayfield Watersheds

Thank you for your interest in Ausable Bayfield Conservation and the 75th anniversary of protecting, improving, and restoring the watershed in partnership with the community.

We hope you enjoy this survey to learn about watershed conservation in this area and to provide us feedback on the work we do for you.

Section 1: This section deals with you and what you know about where you live in the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) watershed.

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* 1. A watershed is an area of land drained by a creek or stream into a river, which then drains into a body of water such as a lake.
The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority watershed is an area of 2,430 square kilometres and includes twelve member municipalities.
Which municipality do you live in?

Adelaide Metcalfe

Bluewater

Central Huron

Huron East

Lambton Shores

Lucan Biddulph

Middlesex Centre

North Middlesex

Perth South

South Huron

Warwick

West Perth

Other

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* 2. The Ausable Bayfield Conservation area includes watersheds drained by the Ausable and Bayfield rivers and also the area drained by Parkhill Creek (a former tributary of the Ausable River) and a series of streams that drain directly into Lake Huron.
(Hint: Go to Map 4 of the Watershed Report Card)
Which major watershed do you live or reside in? Pick one.

Ausable River

Bayfield River

Lakeshore Watersheds

Mud Creek

Parkhill Creek

Other

Don’t know

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* 3. Millions of people rely on Lake Huron as the source of raw water, for treatment, as their drinking water. Groundwater in aquifers is another source of raw water, in private wells, and in municipal wells for treatment.
After the passing of the Ontario Clean Water Act, 2006, the Province of Ontario approved locally developed Ausable Bayfield and Maitland Valley Source Protection Plans in 2015.
These plans are in place to help keep local municipal drinking water sources safe and clean.
(Hint: Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Source Protection Region at sourcewaterinfo.on.ca)
What is the source of your drinking water?

Lake Huron

Lake Erie

Lake Ontario

Municipal well

Private well

I don’t know

Other

Section 2: 75 years ago, this conservation authority (formerly Ausable River Conservation Authority, now Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority) was created to deal with serious problems such as local flooding, soil erosion, habitat loss, water supply concerns, and water quality issues.
The following questions deal with the current programs and services of the conservation authority.

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* 4. The mission and vision for Ausable Bayfield Conservation were set by a diverse group of 34 community members who created the guiding Conservation Strategy in 2012.
Ausable Bayfield Conservation's mission is “Protect, improve, conserve, and restore the watershed in partnership with the community.”
Ausable Bayfield Conservation's vision is “Healthy watersheds where our needs and the needs of the natural environment are in balance.”
Which conservation services do you feel are most important for the ABCA? (Please rank in order, with 1 being most important and 10 being the least important ...)

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* 5. For the service you felt was most important, why did you think it was most important?

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* 6. For the service you felt was least important, why did you think it was least important?

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* 7. What do you think Ausable Bayfield Conservation does well and why?

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* 8. What services do you think ABCA needs to improve on? (select all that apply)

Flood Forecasting

Drinking Water Source Protection

Conservation Areas and Lands Management

Planning and preparing for natural hazards

Monitoring Watershed Health

Stewardship Project Grants

Stewardship Advice

Community Partnerships

Conservation Education

What is it you think we can improve?

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* 9. Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority has updated the terms it uses in flood and water safety messages effective February 2012.
Conservation authorities across Ontario and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF) now use the same terms for messages. These changes ensure messages are consistent and in line with severe weather terminology used by other agencies such as Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Weather Network.
What is a Flood Watch?

Flooding is imminent or already occurring in specific watercourses or municipalities. Municipalities and individuals should take action to deal with flood conditions. This may include road closures and evacuations.

General watershed conditions are being assessed for high runoff potential that could lead to flooding, and to remind the public of general river safety issues.

Flooding is possible in specific watercourses or municipalities. Municipalities, emergency services and individual landowners in flood-prone areas should prepare.

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* 10. What role does ABCA have hold for flood preparedness and protection?

Flood protection; ensuring development takes place out of the areas of highest natural hazards such as flooding and erosion; flood protection; flood forecasting and warning; flood emergency planning

Having a boat or canoe ready; flood protection; flood forecasting; flood emergency planning

Supplying and installing sand bags; flood protection; flood forecasting and warning; flood emergency planning

Forecasting weather; flood protection; flood forecasting and warning; flood emergency planning

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* 11. If ABCA says that “warmer temperatures later this week will come with 10-15 millimetres (mm) of rain across the watershed. This will result in snow melting and increased runoff into local waterways. We expect water flows will start to increase and remain elevated into next week. We are asking residents and businesses to be prepared” ... what kind of flood message is being issued?

Flood Outlook

Flood Watch

Flood Warning

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* 12. What are the hazards ABCA regulates?

Flooding

Erosion

Conservation of land

Shoreline of Lake Huron

All of the above

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* 13. Conservation authorities have become the primary local agency to review and comment on development proposals pursuant to the Planning Act and the ABCA’s mandate is to manage the watershed's natural resources and to protect life and property.
When did ABCA begin its role as a regulatory agent for inland erosion and flooding?

1946

1954

1977

1984

1999

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* 14. If you have any general comments, feedback, or suggestions, we would love to hear them!

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Thank you for your interest in conservation in your watershed community and thank you for the time you have taken. We appreciate it very much.

To find out more visit the Ausable Bayfield Conservation website at abca.ca.

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* 15. Thank you so much for having completed this survey. It will help us improve our programs and our services. If you would like to remain anonymous, you do not have to fill in the following space. If you would like more information you are always welcome to email us directly at info@abca.ca. Or, if you wish, you can leave your name, and the best way to contact you, in the space below. This will help us if we need to contact you and it will also make you eligible to win a draw prize:

Name

Address

City/Town

State/Province

ZIP/Postal Code

Email Address

Phone Number

NOTICE OF COLLECTION: Information on this survey is collected, on behalf of Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA), for the purposes of evaluating programs and services in order to improve them. Questions regarding this collection can be made to Brian Horner, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Officer, ABCA, 71108 Morrison Line, RR 3 Exeter, ON N0M 1S5 or phone at 519-235-2610 or 1-888-286-2610.