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Grand River Water Budget Studies

Under the Clean Water Act, 2006, all Source Protection Areas need to complete a water budget study at the watershed scale. A water budget looks at how much water enters a watershed, is stored, and leaves the watershed. This information helps determine the amount of water available for human uses, while making sure there is enough water left to keep rivers, streams, and lakes healthy. 

Water budget studies follow the provincial Clean Water Act Technical Rules, and guidance provided in the Water Budget Guide. Water budget studies use a tiered approach. 

A Tier 1 water budget evaluates watershed-wide water quantity stress levels. A Tier 1 water budget was not completed for the Grand River watershed.

A Tier 2 water budget is a more detailed analysis at the subwatershed scale. It includes advanced modelling and more detailed estimates of water use. 

A Tier 3 water budget is a detailed technical study that assesses the water quantity risk to current and future municipal drinking water sources. A variety of scenarios, such as future increased municipal water needs and drought, are evaluated. 

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