Rideau WatershedWithin the settlement areas of the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region (MRSPR), the land use is generally a mixture of residential, commercial and industrial land uses. Outside of the settlement areas, the land use is predominantly agricultural with some commercial, industrial and other land uses.

Rideau WatershedTwo centuries ago, the Rideau Watershed was largely covered by forest. Due to extensive logging and land clearing since, only scattered remnants of these original forests remain today. Common tree species include sugar maple, beech, basswood, red maple, yellow birch, hemlock, cedar and white ash.

Rideau WatershedRural land use within the Mississippi Rideau Source Protection Region (MRSPR) is predominantly agricultural with commercial, industrial and other land uses. Most rural lands within the municipalities of the MRSPR contain land used for agriculture. Agricultural land use designations are identified in most municipalities.

Rideau WatershedThe Rideau watershed contains thousands wetlands, of which 89 have been assessed using the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System. Of these, 19 have been assessed as locally significant and 70 as provincially significant. The number of unevaluated wetlands in the watershed is 13,810.

Rideau WatershedProtected areas include crown lands, natural hazard areas, such as flood plains, organic soils, and unstable soils / slopes, and natural heritage features including areas of natural or scientific interest (ANSI), aquatic habitat, habitat for endangered or threatened species, valley lands, wetlands, wildlife habitat and woodlands.