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Leave or
replant at least a 3 m-wide buffer of vegetation, such as cattails
and other native plants, shrubs and trees. This provides habitat for
animals and other plants, and minimizes shoreline erosion from rain
runoff and boat wakes. |
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Let natural
debris such as driftwood and fallen trees accumulate as much as possible.
It provides shelter for animals and rest
areas for turtles. |
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Slow your
boat in narrow channels in order to minimize waves and shoreline erosion. |
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| Aquarium
pets, like this red-eared slider (Trachemys
scripta elegans) should not be released into the river. |
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Protect wetlands
and weedy spots along the shore. These are some of the best spots
for animals to live. |
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Wash and
dry your boat and other water-recreation equipment to avoid transferring
zebra mussels to other water bodies
or further upstream. |
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Empty
bait buckets and drain livewells on land before leaving the vicinity
of the water body to prevent transfer of organisms from one water
body to another. |
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Don't dump
aquarium species of plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians or reptiles
into the river. These exotic species
compete with and threaten the survival of native species. Instead,
find them a new aquarium home or bring them to a pet store. |
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Don't remove
wildlife from the river. Take only the shells of dead animals, and
practice catch-and-release fishing. Remember, permits are required
for the removal of amphibians and reptiles from the river. |
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Reduce the amount of chemicals
you use in your garden, and keep soap and other sources of phosphates
out of the water. Rain washes these fertilizers and pesticides into
storm drains that run directly into the river. Fertilizers
cause explosive plant and algae growth in the river. |
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| To preserve the
riverbanks and the quality of the water, keep cattle away from
the river. |
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Protect wetlands and weedy
spots along the shore. These areas act as natural water filters. |
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Keep domestic animals
and cattle far from the river. This will preserve both the water quality
and the riverbanks. |
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Regularly pump out your
septic tank. |
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Do not pour soapy water,
oil or paint into storm drains. They lead directly to the river, so
the fluids are not treated. |
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The Rideau River Canal Waterway is similar
to the historically important Trent-Severn Waterway, which links
Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay on Lake Huron over a distance
of 386 km.
During the early 1990s, the Trent-Severn
Waterway suffered from several serious problems. Among them
was excessive algae growth that resulted from excess fertilizers.
This situation was similar to that found along the Rideau
River during the Project.
Happily, with the collaboration of governments,
environmental groups and citizens, vast improvements have
since been made to the Trent-Severn. Through cooperation,
the team tackled the improvement of water treatment, reduction
of agricultural pollution, tree-planting, shoreline rehabilitation,
ecosystem monitoring and public awareness campaigns.
All of this hard work has paid off: algae
growth has been reduced, wildlife is more abundant, and of
course we humans can enjoy the Trent-Severn Waterway a lot
more!
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