Connecting, Sharing and Collaborating

Aaniin,

MVCA recognizes the interconnectedness and rich knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and is committed to developing a meaningful relationship with those with an interest in our watersheds.  This web page is designed to support this effort, and we welcome suggestions from Indigenous members and communities regarding desired content and changes to make this page more useful for you.

Who are we?

MVCA was established by the province in 1968 to further the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources in the Mississippi and Carp river watersheds, and portions of the Ottawa River watershed.

Our watersheds

The Mississippi River watershed covers an area of 3,750 km² that includes the Bon Echo hieroglyphics, Manòmin groves, and Indigenous settlements.  By comparison, the Carp River watershed is just 306 km² and drains primarily farmland and some of the most densely populated areas of western Ottawa.  Both these rivers discharge into the Ottawa River where MVCA has jurisdiction from Morris Island downstream to Shirleys Bay.  This reach of the Ottawa River is important for bird migration, with more than 270 bird species seen in the area over the years, including the bald eagle.

Current initiatives

The following are ongoing or recently completed projects that may be of interest.  Please reach out to project contacts or to info@mvc.on.ca if you have any questions or require more information.

• Kashwakamak Lake Dam Environmental Assessment
• MVCA Land Conservation & Resource Management Strategy
• Stewardship

Information Sharing

We run programs and have information that may be of interest to you, your community and other members.  Explore our website and let us know how we might assist you.  We also want to learn about your past, present, and future activities and to be a knowledgeable and supportive partner.

Mississippi River Watershed Plan

The Watershed Plan identifies a range of issues and actions that MVCA and our partners can take.  Four Backgrounders and ten Discussion Papers were produced to help inform the Plan.  While an IEP was implemented from 2020-2023 with the support of Cambium Indigenous Professional Services (CIPS), we are still interested in hearing from Indigenous Peoples on these documents.  CIPS annotated the Backgrounders for ease of review; and prepared Community questionnaires to help obtain Indigenous input.  Feel free to review and comment on any that are of interest…we still want to hear from you!

Mississippi River Water Management Plan (MRWP)

MVCA owns eleven dams, and operates six dams on behalf of MNRF and two on behalf of OPG.  The MRWP governs the operation of dams that provide reservoir capacity and/or generate electricity.  The Plan requires dams to be operated to protect spawning grounds and Manòmin sites.