State of Water Information and Management Systems in Ontario CURA - Sustainable Toronto Project Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy State of Water Information and Management Systems in Ontario June 27, 2001 Dr. Lewis Molot and Daniella Molnar

What’s the problem? Groundwater monitoring and reporting in Ontario Number of reports (i.e. documents and maps) produced by MOE on groundwater, 1969 to 2000

Overview An Optimal Framework for Sustainable Surface and Groundwater Management State of Groundwater Information in Ontario Future Initiatives in Groundwater Management by the Ontario Government

Sustainable Surface and Groundwater Management Necessary criteria: 1) Statement of Commitment 2) Information Base 3) Identification of Critical Areas in Need of Protection (Effective Watershed Planning) 4) Quality and Quantity Standards 5) Control of Contaminants 6) Enforcement and Prosecution 7) Public Accessibility to Information 8) Review and Evaluation

What is the State of Groundwater Information in Ontario? MONITORING No provincial monitoring of groundwater since mid 1980s. Some regional offices continued to monitor but stopped due to lack of funding Presently, CAs monitor - Grand and Credit and some municipalities - Waterloo Provincially, noone knows the state of our groundwater resources

What is the State of Groundwater Information in Ontario? REPORTING MOE - hydrogeological mapping - 1970-1986 groundwater surveys - 1973-1979 reports - 1969-1982, 1985-1990, 1997 Conservation Authorities (CAs) water balance - Grand and Credit CAs watershed studies Municipalities Groundwater Management Studies, 2000

Future Initiatives - Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network Joint program with MOE and Conservation Authorities Purpose: To collect ambient groundwater quality and quantity data. Approx. 400 observational wells Parameters and frequency of sampling have not been established yet.

Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network - MOU MOE design the program fund capital costs ($6 million) including year 1 lab work provincial level data analysis and reporting Conservation Authorities fund operating costs communicate details to stakeholders collect data local level data analysis - mapping

Conclusions Ontario government needs to adopt a sustainable management strategy for surface and groundwater Lack of knowledge regarding groundwater resources = MOE’s inability to manage groundwater sustainably Hopes are on future initiatives by MOE, CAs, and municipalities