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Abstract
Secondary databases, GIS and multivariate analysis tools were used to determine whether
there was a correlation between water quality and landscape characteristics within
three local southern Ontario watersheds. Whole catchment and 100 m buffer zone influences
on water quality over three seasons were compared. Chemical fluxes were also calculated
and used to compare the loading of pollutants to downstream environments. Urban land
use had the greatest influence on water quality. The influence of agricultural land
use was variable and did not agree with the results of other studies. The only natural
landscape variables that appeared to have an influence on water quality were slope
and silt-clay surficial geology deposit. There was a clear trend of increased chemical
fluxes with increasing urban land use intensity within a watershed. Forested land
use appeared important in mitigating water quality degradation. The catchment landscape
characteristics appeared to have slightly greater influence on water quality than
the 100 m buffer. The results of this study may have been influenced by the scale
and accuracy of databases used. The secondary data were useful in determining major
trends in water quality and possible non-point origins of surface water pollution,
and in identifying areas that are in need of further investigation.