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

LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSHED PLAN
Table 11: Hoover Drain Subwatershed Restoration Strategy
Restoration Opportunities Recommended Restoration Strategies
Riparian Wetland Upland and Ecological Linkages
1. headwaters receive cover from
wetland therefore priority should
be placed on establishing and
enhancing riparian habitat south
of the Gord Harry Conservation
Trail.
riparian buffers will help to
reduce sediment and cool the
water to enhance water quality
and fish habitat as well create
corridors that will connect
fragmented natural areas
providing cover for wildlife
protect existing wetlands (e.g.,
create a buffer of trees and shrubs
between the wetlands and the
agricultural activities)
enhance wetlands in areas where
the wetness index and soil
drainage permit; priority should be
given to areas adjacent to existing
wetlands(e.g. very high restoration
suitability exists between Moulton
Wetland West PSW complexes
and north section of unevaluated
wetland west of watercourse)
restoration suitability mapping
indicates very high suitability exists
for creating a Critical Function Zone
(CFZ) between Moulton Wetland
West PSW complexes and the
northern edge of the unevaluated
wetland by means of infilling. This
will provide for a variety of critical
functions for wetland-associated
fauna (e.g. nesting habitat) as well
as increase interior size which would
support a larger diversity of flora and
fauna
the main branch south of the
Gord Harry Conservation Trail is
managed as a municipal drain
therefore establishment of
riparian corridors(e.g. deep
rooted grasses & shrubs) should
consider future maintenance
activities (refer to engineers
report and drainage BMP
practice recommendations )
All restoration measures should, where possible, benefit Species at Risk and provincially rare species
Carolinian and native species should be used for all projects
Project Opportunities
NPCA Lake Erie North
Shore Geomorphic
Assessment Study (NPCA
2009b)
Recommended Action for Public and Private Lands
1. Lakeshore Road (HvDMa): This section of watercourse is managed as a municipal drain; Hoover Creek
Drain. It has been channelized and lacks any depositional features along the stream bed which indicate little flow
diversity within the channel. Bank instability is present in the form of bare soil extending up the steep bank, and
possibly slumping. Relatively deep unconsolidated sediment is deposited along the channel bed. Few to no
pools exist along the bed but there is stagnant water present throughout the field site. The plant arrowhead, as
well as aquatic vegetation in the form of a vine was identified along the bed of the channel throughout the field
site. The presence of algae was also noted during a site visit in 2008. The riparian buffer along this reach is
poor along the left bank and therefore will influence bank stability. A number of small tributaries and possibly
rills/gullies exist along the watercourse. Measurements taken at channel cross sections would indicate that the
watercourse at this field site has moderate to minor entrenchment which results in flood waters having limited to
no access to the floodplain. Therefore, the energy within the flow is contained in the channel.
Recommendations for this site include not grading the channel banks too steep during the dredging process so
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