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Vittoria Dam Decommissioning Project

Project Update – October 2026

The Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) is moving forward with the Vittoria Dam Decommissioning Project following completion of the Class Environmental Assessment (EA). The project will restore a more natural Young’s Creek system through a gradual and carefully monitored lowering of the Vittoria Reservoir, management of accumulated sediment, restoration and naturalization of the former reservoir area, and ongoing environmental monitoring. The project is expected to restore approximately 760 metres of creek channel and 11 acres of former reservoir lands, while improving ecological connectivity within Young’s Creek.

The project is currently in the detailed design and baseline monitoring phase. LPRCA has retained GeoProcess Research Associates Inc. to advance the detailed design, including the staged reservoir drawdown and sediment-management approach.

Reservoir drawdown has not started. LPRCA is conducting monitoring of water quality, aquatic habitat, vegetation, sediment and creek conditions and will continue as the project progresses. LPRCA intends to complete approximately one year of baseline monitoring before beginning the first stage of reservoir drawdown. Monitoring will continue during and following the staged drawdown, with results used to guide adaptive management and mitigation measures where required.

LPRCA is implementing a groundwater monitoring program to establish baseline groundwater conditions before drawdown. A licensed well-drilling contractor has been retained, and three dedicated groundwater monitoring wells are planned for installation in October 2026. The wells will be equipped with dataloggers to monitor groundwater levels. Nearby property owners will be invited to participate voluntarily in a private-well inventory and baseline assessment.

What Will Happen to the Reservoir?

The reservoir will not be drained all at once. The project is being designed around a controlled, staged drawdown, with reservoir levels lowered incrementally and conditions monitored between stages. As water levels are lowered, Young’s Creek will gradually establish through the former reservoir area. Sediment, groundwater, water quality, aquatic habitat, vegetation and creek conditions will be monitored, and mitigation measures or the implementation approach may be adjusted where necessary. Approximately 11 acres of former reservoir lands are planned for restoration and naturalization.

When Will Drawdown Begin?

LPRCA anticipates beginning the first stage of reservoir drawdown in 2027, subject to completion of approximately one year of baseline monitoring, detailed design, required regulatory approvals, environmental conditions, and applicable fisheries timing windows. The drawdown will proceed gradually, with monitoring results and site conditions helping to inform subsequent stages.

Private Wells and Groundwater

LPRCA recognizes that groundwater and private wells are important considerations for neighbouring property owners.

A groundwater monitoring program is being implemented to establish baseline groundwater conditions before reservoir drawdown begins. Three dedicated groundwater monitoring wells will be used to monitor groundwater levels in the vicinity of the reservoir. Nearby property owners will be invited to participate voluntarily in a private-well inventory and baseline assessment.

Following installation of the monitoring wells, LPRCA intends to provide regular updates on groundwater monitoring results through the project webpage, allowing groundwater conditions and trends to be tracked before and during the staged reservoir drawdown.

Groundwater monitoring will continue throughout the drawdown process, and the information collected will be reviewed together with reservoir levels and other relevant monitoring information. If a private-well concern arises during the drawdown, LPRCA will review the available monitoring information and, where appropriate, undertake further assessment to determine whether the concern may be related to the reservoir drawdown and whether any further action is warranted.

Community & Stakeholder Engagement

LPRCA is committed to maintaining transparent communication throughout the project and providing opportunities for community and stakeholder involvement as the project progresses. The engagement program will include Indigenous communities, local landowners and residents, Norfolk County, community organizations and other project partners and stakeholders, including groups such as the Vittoria and District Foundation and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH).

Engagement activities may include community information sessions/open houses, project updates and newsletters, signage, online updates, direct correspondence, Community Liaison Committee meetings, and meetings or field visits where appropriate.

Information about upcoming meetings, project updates and other opportunities to participate will be posted on this webpage.

Project Timeline

2024 – Environmental Assessment
Environmental Assessment completed and preferred alternative identified.

2025–2026 – Project Planning and Engineering
Project planning, funding, technical investigations, engineering and implementation planning.

2026–2027 – Detailed Design and Baseline Monitoring
Detailed design, baseline environmental monitoring, regulatory coordination and approvals, and ongoing community, stakeholder and Indigenous engagement.

2027 – Anticipated Start of Staged Drawdown
Subject to baseline monitoring, completion of detailed design, required regulatory approvals, environmental conditions and applicable fisheries timing windows, the first stage of controlled reservoir drawdown is anticipated to begin in 2027.

2028 and Beyond – Continued Implementation, Restoration and Monitoring
Continued staged implementation, restoration and naturalization activities, and environmental monitoring.

Project Documents

Additional project updates and community engagement materials will also be posted here.

Stay Informed

This webpage will be updated as the project progresses, including information about upcoming community engagement opportunities, monitoring activities and major project milestones. Questions, comments and local information about the project are welcome.

Saifur Rahman, M.Eng., P.Eng., PMP
Manager of Engineering and Infrastructure
Long Point Region Conservation Authority
4 Elm Street, Tillsonburg, ON N4G 0C4
Phone: 519-842-4242 or 1-888-231-5408 ext.265
Fax: 519-842-7123
Email: srahman@lprca.on.ca

Project Funding

The Vittoria Dam Decommissioning Project is funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Canada Water Agency as part of the Great Lakes and Freshwater Ecosystems Initiative.

Additional funding and in-kind support are provided by Norfolk County, the Long Point Region Conservation Authority, Trees Canada, and the Community Liaison Committee.