We believe that the Salmon River is precious and loaded with natural riches, and we want to ensure that it will continue to be so in the future.
We are a non-profit organization formed in 2004 made up of volunteers with an elected board of directors. The funding for projects is raised through membership fees, donations, grants, sponsorship and fund raising events. We are people who enjoy the benefits of the ecologically healthy and beautiful watershed of the Salmon River.
Drought in the Napanee and Salmon Rivers
Summary by Rona Donefer, Friends of the Salmon River
Now that we are deep into winter, with lots of snow and icy water flowing down our rivers, the severe drought and dry riverbeds of last summer may be a fading memory. However, we’re quickly reminded of how the Napanee and Salmon Rivers went dramatically dry and affected the people, animals, and flora within our watersheds.
To understand more about the impact of the drought and gain a historical perspective, Friends of the Napanee River hosted a presentation on November 15, 2025, by Christine Phillibert, Water Resources Manager of the Quinte Conservation Authority entitled, “Drought in the Napanee River Watershed: Past, Present and Future”. Though focused on the Napanee River, the presentation provided longitudinal analysis that’s very relevant to the Salmon River and other Quinte area watersheds. Here are some key points from the presentation.
Water levels are driven by geology, climate and diverse use. The watersheds in the Quinte Conservation Area have thin soils over fractured bedrock. While rainfall quickly replenishes the aquifer, there is limited storage ability in the ground. Snow accumulation over the winter determines the amount of water entering the system during the spring melt. Warmer temperatures in winter mean snow doesn’t stay as long, with some mid-winter melts. When this happens, there is less water entering the system during the crucial spring melt, impacting water levels for the months ahead. As water from our rivers is used for many diverse purposes, such as household wells, agriculture (livestock and irrigation), industry and recreation, this varied demand leads to further decrease in water levels.
Ms. Phillibert demonstrated through comparative charts, that drought is determined by the number of consecutive days without precipitation and the time of the year when this occurs, with greater impact over the summer months. High temperatures in the summer spike evaporation levels. Combined with the quick runoff, longer periods without precipitation lead to extreme low water levels (even totally dry riverbeds, as we saw this summer).
In our area, the Napanee and Salmon Rivers are very susceptible to drought, given fractured bedrock and limited groundwater storage. Vulnerability is heightened by our dependency on domestic well water, with about half of households in the Quinte Conservation Authority using wells as a water source, and over 85% of households in Stone Mills Township. Many households and farms were harshly impacted by the drought this past summer, including to people’s health, livelihoods, and safety. We experienced reduced access to water for domestic use, livestock, and crop irrigation.
Recreational use of lakes and rivers was negatively impacted by low water levels. The severe drought also drastically increased the risk of forest fires. Of course, the ecological impact to vegetation and wildlife has been extreme. In this time of climate crisis, severe drought compounds the big challenges for our plants and wildlife.
Being in a region particularly susceptible to drought has had major historic impact. Since recording began by the Quinte Conservation Authority in 1887, significant drought and low water level events occurred in 1957, 2012, and 2016. However, there haven’t yet been consecutive years of drought, which would compound negative impacts.
This 1957 report reveals the impact of the severe drought that year, and draws parallels on how we experienced the recent drought:
“At the present time, there is insufficient river flow in the summer to support even the smallest industry. It is quite evident that the prosperity of these little mill towns along the stream is intimately connected with the dependability of the stream, and as these communities flourish so do the farmers in the surrounding townships prosper. Action should be taken therefore to sustain summer flow through the building of storage dams.” Napanee Valley Conservation Report, 1957
The presentation highlighted local water conservation efforts over the years, including the creation of Napanee Valley Conservation to address drought concerns; construction of the Depot Lake Dams for low flow augmentation; protection of natural vegetation within Conservation Lands; less intensive logging which leads to forest regeneration; regulations to prevent development in and adjacent to wetlands (that provide natural water storage); and the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks — Permit to Take Water program. The Quinte Conservation Authority has developed a Drought Management Plan.
The presentation concluded with a focus on what we can do in our area to lower the impacts of drought and low water levels. As a start, we can be more informed and help raise awareness that we live in an area with a vulnerable water supply. Make a plan for water conservation — using water efficiently and minimizing waste (e.g., install rain barrels to capture water). It’s so true that resilient communities are ones that work together. We call on everyone to be careful stewards of our beautiful yet vulnerable watersheds.
Here are some concrete steps you can take:
- Check out Quinte Conservation Authority’s resources and their At Home Water Conservation Guide
- Become involved with Friends of the Napanee River and Friends of the Salmon River for various education, conservation, and advocacy activities.
From our Annual General Meeting on Oct. 30 in Selby
Many thanks to all who attended and those who purchased or renewed memberships.
Michael Runtz gave a lavishly illustrated presentation on wetlands and the rich biodiversity they support, including a special focus on Beavers as wetland engineers.
From floating peatlands to beaver ponds, wetlands are important reservoirs of water as well as essential habitat for myriad plants and animals. One of the takeaways from Michael was: Beaver ponds are THE most diverse wetlands we have. A good reason to learn how to live with our beavers.
Michael Runtz is one of Canada’s most highly respected naturalists, nature photographers, and natural history authors. He wrote Dam Builders: The Natural History of Beavers and Their Ponds.
