Muskoka Watershed Report Card

The Muskoka Watershed Report Card, produced every five years by the Muskoka Watershed Council, scientifically assesses Muskoka’s watershed health. It educates residents and decision-makers about water and land conditions, enabling sustainable practices to bolster the strength of our remarkable natural environment. This is essential for our way of life and economy.

Muskoka Watershed Report Cards have been released in 2004, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2023.

2023 Muskoka Watershed Report Card

Muskoka’s watersheds stand at a crucial turning point. While currently healthy, they are gradually degrading in several ways, and our existing management systems seem incapable of halting or reversing this negative trend. We need an integrated, watershed-scale management system capable of dealing with the multiple stresses our iconic environment now faces.

What is Watershed Health?

A watershed is a living and intricate ecosystem capable of maintaining its structure and functions unless faced with excessive stresses. Its health, or ecological integrity, signifies how effectively it preserves its typical structure and functions. Similar to how medical experts gauge human health, we measure watershed health by analyzing diverse indicators.

Muskoka’s Watersheds

This Report Card covers the entire Muskoka River Watershed (in blue), as well as a small portion of the South Georgian Bay Shoreline (in red) and parts of the Severn River-Lake Simcoe Watershed (in green) that intersect with the District of Muskoka. This vast 7,000 km² area spans over 210 km from the Algonquin Highlands to Georgian Bay, including approximately 2,000 lakes amid extensive forests.

*Map of the Quaternary Watersheds included in the 2023 Muskoka Watershed Report Card.*

Report Card Highlights

Background Report

Or skip to a specific chapter:

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Calcium Concentrations in Muskoka’s Lakes

Chapter 2 – Phosphorus Concentrations in Lakes

Chapter 3 – Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Muskoka

Chapter 4 – Chloride

Chapter 5 – Fish Populations in our Lakes

Chapter 6 – Hazardous Algal Blooms

Chapter 7 – Interior Forests

Chapter 8 – Fragmentation

Chapter 9 – How are Muskoka’s Avian Species Changing?

Chapter 10 – Invasive Species

Chapter 11 – Beech Bark Disease

Chapter 12 – Species at Risk in Muskoka

Chapter 13 – Weather and Climate

Chapter 14 – Ecosystem Integrity and Measuring Watershed Health

References and Acknowledgements

Learn More: The State of our Watershed Series

2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card

The 2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card was released in July 2018 and provides a science-based evaluation of the health of our watershed using a variety of environmental ‘health’ and ‘threat’ indicators that provide a “snapshot” of watershed health and increase our understanding of the watershed where we live, work, and play.

There are many new features incorporated into the 2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card, including a strong online interactive multimedia component and interesting, easy to understand infographics.

Learn more by exploring the tabs below!

Summary
Background Report
Story Maps
Subwatershed Infographics

Dive deeper into the 2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card with the online interactive multimedia story maps!

2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card

Health Indicator: Phosphorus Concentrations in Lakes

Health Indicator: Calcium Concentrations in Lakes

Health Indicator: Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Health Indicator: Interior Forest

Threat Indicator: Climate Change

Threat Indicator: Invasive Species

Threat Indicator: Fragmentation

Threat Indicator: Species at Risk

2014 Muskoka Watershed Report Card

Summary
Background Report
Subwatershed Report Cards

2010 Muskoka Watershed Report Card

Summary
Background Report

2009 Progress Report Card

The principal objective of the 2007 Watershed Report Card was to evaluate changes in ecosystem condition and the impact of human actions against a standard of a healthy, functioning and sustainable watershed. Achieving this objective is a shared responsibility of everyone who lives within the watershed.

The 2009 Progress Report Card explored new programs and actions that have been taken by municipalities to move toward the long-term goal of sustainability. Although municipal action is only one component of the overall equation, there is no doubt that our municipal governments can, and do, take a lead role by their example and by implementing policies and regulations that support a more sustainable approach to development and community activities.

2007 Muskoka Watershed Report Card

The 2007 Watershed Report Card was released on July 27, 2007 at Partners Hall in the Algonquin Theatre in Huntsville.

The objective of the 2007 Watershed Report Card was to evaluate changes in ecosystem condition and the impact of human actions against a standard of a healthy functioning ecosystem. A review of existing data on the health of our water, air and land forms the basis upon which the 2007 Watershed Report Card was developed.

Summary
Background Report

2004 Muskoka Watershed Report Card

MWC released its first Report Card of Watershed Health on Thursday, July 8, 2004 at Annie Williams Park in Bracebridge.

MWC worked closely with several provincial and federal departments to accumulate and analyze environmental data for Muskoka and were pleased with the results of the 2004 Report Card. It was used to guide MWC’s projects and programs for the follow several years.

Summary
Background Reports