Rondeau Bay and its 12 343 hectare watershed are located in Ontario, midway along Lake Erie's north shore, approximately 65 km east of Point Pelee and 130 km west of Long Point. Rondeau Bay's marshes are a provincially significant coastal wetland and an Environmentally Sensitive Area. They play a vital role in sustaining life, supporting populations of common and rare birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish. The area is an important stop over point for migrating waterfowl. Black and Caspian Terns breed in colonies and feed in the Bay. The area, along a major fall hawk and eagle migration route, is home to the endangered Bald Eagle. The marshes provide spawning, nursery and feeding habitats for many sport, forage and bait fish. The wetlands also help to diffuse pollution and absorb damaging wave action that erodes shorelines. Higher in the watershed, woodlots such as Sinclair's Bush support rare species of plants and wildlife. Many are typical of the Carolinian Life Zone and are found only in southwestern Ontario. Recreational opportunities abound. Sport fishing and waterfowl hunting are particularly popular. Adjacent Rondeau Provincial Park is a magnet to bird watchers and nature lovers. Camping, power boating, canoeing, sailing, water skiing and windsurfing add to its recreational value. These activities contribute to a strong local economy.
Over the years, removal of woodlots and fence rows to increase agricultural production eliminated natural habitats and corridors for wildlife movement. Water quality became degraded as conventional tillage practices allowed severe wind and water erosion, carrying soils and agricultural chemicals into the Bay. An alien plant, Eurasian Water-milfoil, invaded the Bay. Chemical herbicides were used to ease the resulting navigational difficulties. Then, in 1977, the Bay's aquatic vegetation community crashed. Water quality rapidly plummeted and the Bay's once world renowned bass, pike and panfish sport fishery followed suit. In addition, periodic high Great Lakes water levels have battered the marshes, breaking up cattail mats and floating pieces away.
In the past decade and a half, the Rondeau Bay community has improved agricultural practices to the benefit of future generations and the environment through the implementation of conservation tillage practices, grassed waterways and chute spillways.
Additional efforts are required. Today, only a narrow strip of wetland habitat borders Rondeau's shoreline, Chatham-Kent forest cover has declined to 3.29% and less than 5% of the area's natural habitats remain. These areas are threatened by exotic species, such as Purple Loosestrife and Garlic Mustard which crowd out the native species that wildlife depends upon. Improper garbage disposal also threatens wildlife with entanglement and death.
Back to the Rondeau Bay Watershed Rehabilitation Program
This page was developed by Donna Wonnacott, Stan Sowinski &
Vicki McKay
Last revised July 3, 1998