McLarens Creek

McLarens Creek is a significant watercourse located southwest of Sturgeon Lake in the Kawartha region. Originating near Goose Lake, the creek flows through the village of Cambray, passes under Highway 35, and enters Sturgeon Lake at the western end of the McLarens Provincially Significant Wetland.

The McLarens Creek watershed encompasses approximately 79 square kilometers, featuring a total watercourse length of 56 kilometers. The landscape is characterized by 28% natural vegetation cover, predominantly mixed forests. This includes 359 hectares of forest interior and 3 hectares of deep forest interior, providing essential habitats for various plant and animal species.

Notable ecological features within the watershed include the Sturgeon Lake 19 Provincially Significant Wetland, covering 635 hectares, and the Goose Lake Wetland, an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) spanning 667 hectares. These areas play a crucial role in maintaining regional biodiversity, water quality, and flood regulation.

Environmental assessments indicate that the surface water quality of McLarens Creek is rated as fair, with total phosphorus concentrations averaging 0.045 mg/L, exceeding the provincial objective of 0.03 mg/L for rivers and streams. The health of benthic macroinvertebrate communities, as measured by the Family Biotic Index (FBI), is considered fair. Forest conditions within the watershed are also rated as fair, reflecting the need for conservation efforts to enhance the area's natural environment.

Understanding the characteristics and environmental conditions of McLarens Creek is essential for effective watershed management and conservation initiatives, ensuring the preservation of its ecological integrity and the health of the broader Sturgeon Lake ecosystem.