Pearns Creek
Pearns Creek is located southwest of Cameron Lake. It starts at the intersection of Sandhills and Lorneville roads, from there it flows northeast under Glenarm Road to Pearns Road and Hwy 35 where it drains into Cameron Lake at McFarland Bay.
View a map of the Pearns Creek Watershed
Watershed characteristics
Learn about the characteristics of the Pearns Creek watershed.
Watershed size |
The total watershed area is 44 km² or 4,390 ha and the total watercourse length is 65 km. |
Natural vegetation cover |
The dominant forest type is mixed forest including:
|
Significant natural sites |
Provincially Significant Wetlands: Pearns Creek: 616 ha Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) - Earth Science: Zion Road Cut: 2.6 ha |
Environmental conditions
The following grades show the environmental conditions for the Pearns Creek watershed.
Indicator | Result | Grade | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Total phosphorus |
0.030 mg/L |
C |
Fair |
Benthic invertebrates |
4.78 (FBI) |
B |
Good |
The surface water quality grade was based on total phosphorous (TP) and/or benthic macroinvertebrates (aquatic insects) family biotic index (FBI). The provincial water quality objective for TP in rivers and streams is 0.03 mg/L and 0.02 mg/L in lakes. These guidelines were set because levels highter than these guildelines provide conditions for nuisance algae and aquatic plant growth. A TP value below 0.03 mg/L (rivers) or 0.02 (lakes) meets the provincial guidelines and is in the B (good) or A (excellent) grade range, while the result for benthic macroinvertebrates must be 5.00 or lower to receive a B (good) or A (very good to excellent) grade.
Indicator | Area cover | Percent cover | Grade | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Forest cover |
10.7 km² |
24.3% |
C |
Fair |
Forest interior |
2.0 km² |
4.6% |
D |
Poor |
Forested riparian cover |
1.0 km² |
28.5% |
C |
Fair |
The combined forest conditions grade for Pearns Creek is ranked as fair.
Indicator | Area cover | Percent cover | Grade | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wetland cover |
8.3km² |
18.9% |
A |
Excellent |