The purpose of the Watershed Stress Index pilot project is to better understand the inputs and conditions affecting water quality within the transboundary Canada-US St. Croix River watershed.
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As a pilot project, the lessons learned will also be developed and shared with other International Joint Commission transboundary watersheds interested in undertaking a similar assessment project.
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The Watershed Stress Index Pilot (WSIP) is a computer based Geographic Information System/data mapping exercise to bring together existing Canada and US geospatial data layers on different parameters that can affect water quality in the St. Croix watershed such as:
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Land use
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River Crossings
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Barriers to fish passage
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Point source pollution
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The exercise will produce "stress" scores for individual sub-watershed units within the broader St. Croix watershed, and create an index that will help identify areas that may be under pressure from human or natural stressors.
This index will help prioritize conservation and restoration activities.
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