As a result of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of April 15, 1972, the International Joint Commission (IJC) established the Pollution from Land Use Activities Reference Group (PLUARG). The Reference Group was requested to conduct studies on the impact of land-use activities and practices on the water quality of the Great Lakes basin and to recommend remedial measures for maintaining or improving Great Lakes water quality. As part of the Task C program, several pilot watersheds were chosen in the United States and Canada for intensive study, to cover a wide variety of potential sources of pollution to the boundary waters of the Great Lakes. Using criteria based on climate, geology, soil characteristics and land uses, and information available from completed or ongoing studies, the Saugeen River basin was chosen as a pilot watershed for intensive study under Task C in Canada. Land use in the Saugeen River basin is primarily agricultural with a large area of the basin as permanent pasture. Urban development is sparce and much of the land, particularly in the headwater areas, is swamp or unproductive woodland.