Baseflow is streamflow resulting from persistent sources (e.g. groundwater, lakes, wetlands, swamps) that infiltrates into the soil and eventually moves to the stream channel. This is also referred to as ground water flow, or dry-weather flow.  It does not include flow or runoff from stream regulation, water diversion or human activities.

In order to understand the base amount of water that flows through the watershed, we monitor the flow along the entire length of selected streams in the summer months using the Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol methodology.  The data collected from this sampling will help us to determine where groundwater recharge and discharge areas are within individual sub-watersheds.  Our baseflow sampling routine is structured so that we intensely monitor each of the 12 individual subwatersheds over a five year period and then repeat the cycle in subsequent years.

Lower Trent Conservation also monitors the temperature and habitat structure of subwatersheds to determine the suitability of the stream for specific species and identify any areas for potential rehabilitation.