How we manage our watershed.

In our role of watershed management, we provide data to the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network and the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network. We collect information on snow depth and water content throughout the watershed and maintain a flood forecasting and warning system for the City of Timmins. A variety of flood control networks are monitored throughout the City of Timmins and the MRCA controls development in flood-prone areas to reduce the potential of property damage. Our co-ordination the Drinking Water Source Protection program ensures a safe and abundant supply of drinking water now and in the future.

Watershed statistics reports include data retrieved from snow course readings and dam operations. The MRCA, Ontario Power Generation and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry collect this information every 2 weeks from the onset of snow until the end of the spring melt. Reports are posted from March 1 onward each year. The current current year’s reports are posted on the Upper Mattagami River Watershed Statistics page. Past data can be requested from the MRCA.

What is our watershed?

A watershed is an area of land that catches rain and snow and drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater. Our watershed has an area of over 11,000 square kilometers and consists of the entire Upper Mattagami River watershed and a portion of the Abitibi River watershed. See our watershed page for a map of the area.