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

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LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSHED PLAN<br />

Promote Good <strong>Shore</strong>line<br />

Stewardship<br />

Blue Flag Beaches<br />

Integrated Roadside<br />

Vegetation Management<br />

(IRVM) Program<br />

Ecological Linkages<br />

between Natural Areas<br />

Riparian Buffer Education<br />

Program<br />

Wetlands are Worth It<br />

Program<br />

Environmentally<br />

Responsible Maintenance<br />

Practices for Golf Courses<br />

Agricultural Best<br />

Management Practices<br />

Program<br />

Abandoned Well<br />

Decommissioning Program<br />

community to reduce ecological impacts to aquatic systems and to prevent sediment from returning to the drain.<br />

Any future maintenance of this watercourse should be done in accordance with Best Management Practices for<br />

drains. To review examples of current BMP mitigation measures, refer to Appendix I.<br />

Work with partnering stakeholders to promote shoreline that have been maintained naturally or restored to find a<br />

balance between natural processes and shoreline protection measures.<br />

Work with partnering agencies to mitigate water quality issues and work towards Blue Flag Beach status. Blue<br />

Flag status meets high standards with respect to water quality, environmental management, environmental<br />

education and safety and services (Blueflag.ca) and is known globally. Blue Flag beaches have the potential to<br />

increase tourism in the area.<br />

<strong>Niagara</strong> Region and municipalities should work together to expand <strong>Niagara</strong> Region‟s IRVM Program. IRVM<br />

integrates the use of native vegetation with appropriate management techniques to produce a cost-effective,<br />

environmentally sound management alternative for roadside weed and erosion control while providing numerous<br />

ecological benefits (e.g. buffer strips). Focus of program expansion should be directed to main roads and roads in<br />

areas with a high shallow intrinsic susceptibility.<br />

Opportunity potential is present for creating ecological linkages between natural areas creating larger contiguous<br />

natural features. Such areas have the potential to enhance movement of flora and fauna between natural areas<br />

as well as provide habitat and ecological diversity for a wide range of species.<br />

Many landowners keep their properties manicured or plant crops to the edge of the creek. The NPCA‟s program<br />

aimed at educating landowners about the benefits of buffer zones along watercourses should be extensively<br />

promoted. In addition, landowners should be made aware of and encouraged to participate in the Conservation<br />

Authority‟s Water Quality Improvement Program. This program provides grants to a maximum of 75% of the cost<br />

of a project with caps between $2,000 and $10,000.<br />

Wetlands provide important water quality and ecological functions in a watershed by augmenting low flow, acting<br />

as natural filtration systems and helping to reduce flooding by acting like giant sponges and absorbing excess<br />

water. The Wetlands are Worth It Program through NPCA‟s Water Quality Improvement Program aims to assist<br />

landowners that are interested in restoring, protecting, rehabilitating and creating wetland habitat on their property<br />

by providing grants to a maximum of 75% of the cost of a project with a grant ceiling of $10,000.<br />

By integrating golf course management practices with wildlife management, such as incorporating enhanced<br />

natural areas into the landscaping, golf courses have the potential to offer a wide range of habitat for wildlife. In<br />

addition, encouragement of environmentally responsible maintenance practices, if not already adopted, will be<br />

beneficial to water quality and the aquatic habitat. Investigation into the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program<br />

for Golf Courses should be explored for golf courses if such a program has not already been adopted. In addition,<br />

environmentally friendly practices should be encouraged (e.g. chemical free practices).<br />

The NPCA‟s program aimed at educating landowners about the benefits of rural and agricultural best<br />

management practices should be extensively promoted. In addition, landowners should be made aware of and<br />

encouraged to participate in the Conservation Authority‟s Water Quality Improvement Program. This program<br />

provides grants to a maximum 75% of the cost of a project with caps between $5,000 and $12,000 depending on<br />

the project.<br />

Abandoned wells that are not properly decommissioned (capped and sealed) pose a threat to groundwater<br />

resources by providing a direct route to groundwater. The NPCA has a well decommissioning program in place for<br />

its jurisdiction. Grants are available for the decommissioning of unused water wells only. Priority is given to<br />

hydrogeologically sensitive areas, projects located in areas with a high density of domestic water wells, and areas<br />

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