The KLCOA has been a long time supporter of the CEWF.
The Coalition for Equitable Water Flow, (CEWF), is a coalition of 32 member Lake Associations which includes 91% of the Trent Severn Waterway’s (TSW’s) reservoir lake storage capacity and covers the sub-watersheds of the Gull, Burnt & Mississagua Rivers plus Nogies, Eels & Jack’s creeks. The Coalition aims to represent the interests of 35,000+ shoreline property owners in the “Haliburton Sector” of the Trent watershed, which includes 35 Reservoir and several Flow-Through (RaFT) lakes in Haliburton County and northern Peterborough County.
The CEWF was originally formed in 2006 to provide input to the Panel on the Future of the Trent Severn Waterway. Since then, the mandate has evolved to provide effective liaison between the Coalition members and the TSW on issues of water conservation and management. The Coalition is led by a nine-member Executive Committee.
In early 2016, the CEWF concluded an agreement with the six local municipalities covering the RaFT lakes area: the Township of Algonquin Highlands, the Municipality of Dysart et.al., the Municipality of Minden Hills, the Municipality of Highlands East in Haliburton County and the Township of North Kawartha, and the Municipality of Trent Lakes in northern Peterborough County; to form the Upper Trent Water Management Partnership (UTWMP) to speak with a single voice at the federal, provincial and Trent Watershed levels on water management issues affecting the RaFT lakes. The CEWF Chair, Vice-Chair and one other Executive Member serve on the UTWMP Council.
The CEWF’s Objectives
• To promote an Integrated Approach to Water Management at the Watershed Level that will improve water conservation throughout the Trent-Severn system while recognizing the environmental, public safety, social and socio-economic constraints of managing the water resource. For this initiative, the CEWF will work independently as well as through the Upper Trent Water Management Partnership.
• To maintain ongoing dialogue with TSW management to ensure mutual understanding of local issues with respect to TSW management of water levels and flows in the RaFT lakes.
• To promote shared information and knowledge of water management issues and practices for stakeholders across the entire Trent watershed.
• To promote approaches to ensure safe navigation, access to waterfront property, economic sustainability and the avoidance of negative environmental and economic impacts for residents on the RaFT lakes.
The CEWF’s Priorities for 2019
1) The CEWF’s main priority will continue to be advocating for an Integrated Approach to Water Management at the Watershed level. In 2019 this includes:
a) The CEWF will continue to work with TSW management to build on the excellent water management experiences in recent years with respect to drought conditions, extreme rainfall events, flood risk management and other impediments and challenges.
b) The CEWF will continue discussions with the TSW on the CEWF’s Preferred Water Levels Report, filed with the TSW in 2017, building on initial discussions in the fall of 2018.
c) The CEWF will continue to work with TSW to improve the information content of their RaFT lake water management web pages (e.g. improvements to lake-specific water level graphs, availability of historical water level data, new educational resource material for lake associations and waterfront property owners).
2) The CEWF will work with the TSW and UTWMP to develop a proposed framework for climate change considerations for the entire Trent River basin as well as the Haliburton Sector.
a) The CEWF will liaise with member lake associations to raise the level of understanding of water management issues with an emphasis on recent extreme weather patterns (floods, droughts and ice damage) and their apparent relationship to the medium-term climate change predictions for the RaFT lakes area.
b) CEWF will examine what other water management jurisdictions are doing to prepare for climate change as a basis for discussions with TSW on water management strategies for the future.
3) The CEWF will build on our positive experience in the Upper Trent Water Management Partnership to explore further opportunities for collaboration with the municipalities and the TSW. Through the UTWMP, the CEWF will continue to monitor and contribute to the ongoing flood plain mapping and flood risk mitigation studies in the reservoir sector of the TSW. With UTWMP, the CEWF will work towards improved water management communications in our local communities.
4) The CEWF will continue to monitor the TSW Capital Program in the RaFT lakes area, provide regular updates to our members, and ensure the participation of our member associations in project consultations as appropriate.
5) The CEWF will engage discussions on RaFT lake water management issues with the current federal members of Parliament representing RaFT lakes, as well as the potential candidates in these ridings for the 2019 election.