Lake Erie North Shore Watershed Plan - Niagara Peninsula ...

LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSHED PLAN
Lowbanks Drain Restoration Strategy
Lowbanks Drain subwatershed is primarily drained by municipal drains. Chalmers
Dickout Drain and H.E. Dickout Drain are designated as Class F Drains, Furry Drain is
designated as a Class D Drain, and both Little Marsh Drain and Boulton Ditch Drain are
designated Class E Drains. None of the watercourses in this subwatershed have been
evaluated in terms of importance for fish habitat. Eight sites were assessed in this
subwatershed as part of the NPCA Geomorphic Assessment. Seven of these sites were
within municipal drains. Bank instability and relatively deep unconsolidated sediment
deposited along the channel bed was noted at a number of field sites.
BioMAP samples in this subwatershed indicate water quality is impaired. Primary causes
of impairment at the Lake Erie BioMAP stations include sediment loading, reduced
baseflow, lack of in-stream habitat and nutrient enrichment (NPCA 2010). Water quality
sampling indicates marginal water quality with exceedances of total phosphorus, E. coli
and suspended solids. This site is vulnerable to low base flow and water stagnation with
severe algae growth identified during the summer months (NPCA 2010). Soil erosion,
the use of fertilizers and pesticides coupled with the lack of sufficient riparian buffers are
likely sources of total phosphorus in this watershed. Potential sources of E. coli include
runoff from urban and agricultural land use, animal waste, and sewage discharge.
Promotion of the NPCA‟s education programs pertaining to agricultural best
management practices and water quality would be beneficial for the landowners. These
programs also include information on sources of funding for environmental projects on
private land to encourage adoption and implementation of best management practices
Land use in the subwatershed is primarily agriculture with some strip and node
residential throughout the subwatershed and along the lakeshore. Before draining into
Lake Erie, Lowbanks Drain and its tributaries flow through several agricultural fields and
natural areas including, Moulton Wetland West PSW, and Bunz Bush. Several Species
at Risk have been identified in the Lowbanks Drain subwatershed, including the
endangered kidneyshell, round pigtoe, and snuffbox mussels, and the threatened
blanding‟s turtle. In addition, numerous provincially rare species have been identified by
the NPCA and the MNR.
The challenge of the Lowbanks Drain subwatershed is the establishment of a sufficient
vegetative riparian buffer which is imperative in assisting with the protection and
enhancement of water quality, as well as providing a corridor and shelter that will
facilitate in wildlife movement along the watercourse between natural areas. The
fragmented pattern of the natural areas in this subwatershed offers ample opportunity for
the establishment of corridor connections and enhancement of existing natural areas
including Moulton Wetland West, a large core area. In areas where natural areas are
narrow and irregular it is important to enhance these areas reducing the amount of forest
edge and increasing the interior resulting in an increased ability to support a larger
diversity of flora and fauna.
The Lowbanks Drain Subwatershed Restoration Strategy identifies three zones with
specific stewardship and restoration recommendations (Table 10 and Figure 21).
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