Barrie Creeks, Lovers Creek, and Hewitt's Creek Subwatershed Plan

7.6 Shoreline interactions - activities in and near the lakeshore, water quality,
and aquatic wildlife
Of particular importance to these subwatersheds is the role played by the Lake Simcoe
shoreline. As the shoreline associated with these subwatersheds is located within the City of
Barrie, it has been the focus of development and public use for nearly a century, which has led
to an increase in the extent of impervious surfaces and hardened banks, and increased
population levels (Figure 7-12). Along much of its length, most of the native vegetation has
been removed from the shoreline, and what is left is often mowed right to the water’s edge.
The loss of shoreline vegetation has negative impacts on nearshore aquatic communities,
through an increase in water temperature and sediment input, and a decrease in input of woody
debris (which is an important component of habitat for many aquatic organisms). Unfortunately,
this loss of vegetation is often exacerbated with other works along the shoreline, such as the
installation of concrete, steel, or gabion baskets as retaining walls to prevent erosion or to make
the shoreline more conducive for recreation. The loss of the natural shoreline and associated
aquatic vegetation associated with this construction means a loss of spawning and feeding
habitat for native fish (Figure 7-12).
This type of shoreline development, in combination with an increase in impervious surfaces,
also increases the amount of contaminants in runoff. Increased nutrients and an increase in
temperature create an ideal growing situation for algae and aquatic plants, which can be a
nuisance to swimmers and boaters, and can also create anoxic conditions for aquatic
communities. Shoreline areas are also disproportionately important for terrestrial wildlife as
well, as the clearing of shoreline areas for cottages or homes leads to loss of habitat for
songbirds, amphibians, turtles, and small mammals.
Although the development of individual shoreline properties may seem small in nature, the
cumulative effect of all of these small developments can add up to significant impacts. The
Barrie Creeks, Lovers Creek, and Hewitt’s Creek shoreline, which represents 6% of the total
lakeshore, has already had 83% of its length developed in some way. In fact, developments in
the Barrie Creeks shoreline area may be more significant than in any other subwatershed in the
Lake Simcoe basin. Historically, much of the mouth of Kempenfelt Bay, where downtown Barrie
is now, was an extensive swamp (Figure 6-2) and may have provided spawning and nursery
habitat for fish such as muskellunge, perch, and largemouth bass, as well as providing
extensive breeding habitat for waterfowl, herons, and other wetland birds.
Fortunately, continual inputs of groundwater from these subwatersheds’ aquifers play an
important role in protecting the health of Kempenfelt Bay. This groundwater acts to decrease
water temperature in the Bay, and dilute the concentrations of nutrients and metals exported by
the Barrie Creeks, Lovers Creek, and Hewitt’s Creek subwatersheds. It is the influence of this
continual groundwater input that makes Kempenfelt Bay one of the most productive fish habitats
in Lake Simcoe.
Stewardship options for shoreline properties are quite similar to those for riparian areas, and
include septic system repairs, shoreline naturalization, erosion control projects, and tree
planting (Figure 7-13). Financial and technical support for these types of projects is provided by
the MNR and LSRCA.
Chapter 7: Integration and implementation 330