5.0 Jenkinson Drain Catchment: Challenges/Issues

Water Quality/Quantity

No surface chemistry and benthic invertebrate water quality data is available for the Jenkinson Drain

Natural hazard lands have not been identified; however, it is deemed to be a low priority

Existing hydrological and geochemical datasets and assessments (academic, RVCA, others) are only recently available and/or are not being considered in the characterization of the numerous hydrologic functions of the Jock River subwatershed. Further, there is a dearth of hydrologic information (hydroperiod, groundwater/surface water interactions, geochemistry) about the wetlands that remain in the Jock River subwatershed

Headwaters/Instream/Shorelines

‘Natural’ vegetation covers 40 percent of the riparian zone of the Jenkinson Drain and its tributaries (Figure 15) and is below the recommended 30 metre wide, naturally vegetated target along 75 percent of the length of the catchment’s watercourses

No information available about instream aquatic and riparian conditions along Jenkinson Drain

Land Cover

Woodlands cover 27 percent of the catchment and is below the 30 percent of forest cover that is identified as the minimum threshold for sustaining forest birds and other woodland dependent species (Figure 13)

Pre-settlement wetlands have declined by 70 percent and now cover 14 percent (331 ha.) of the catchment (Figure 14). Sixty-four percent (213 ha.) of these wetlands remain unevaluated/unregulated and are vulnerable to drainage and land clearing activities in the absence of any regulatory and planning controls that would otherwise protect them for the many important hydrological, social, biological and ecological functions/services/values they provide to landowners and the surrounding community.