Addendum to Appleton Wetland Report strengthens recommendation to restore historic (lower) water levels

A report entitled The Appleton Wetland; Its Decline, Cause and Recommended Action released by the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists’ (MVFN) Appleton Wetland Research Group in 2014 clearly identified the manipulation of water levels for hydro operations in Almonte (and across Reach 18 of the Mississippi River) as the cause of the dying maple trees in the Appleton Wetland. That report strongly recommended amendment of the Mississippi River Water Management Plan to restore levels to historic (lower) values to permit recovery of healthy tree growth in the wetland.

The research group has recently completed an analysis of data on power production potential across Reach 18 and impact of manipulation of water levels in Almonte. The report on the power analysis is in the form of a supplement to the original report and includes Addendum Number 1: Reach 18 Power Production, and Appendix R: Reach 18 Power Production. The new sections have been added to the original report on the MVFN website, and is found here  (http://mvfn.ca/appleton-wetland-its-decline-cause-and-recommended-actions/).

The conclusion from the information presented in the addendum is that since there is no increase in power production that could possibly justify the higher water levels, the case for amending the Mississippi River Water Management Plan water levels to historic (lower) values to protect the wetland is even stronger.

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