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

More documents

Recommendations

Info

LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSHED PLAN Oil Mill Creek Restoration Strategy Oil Mill Creek subwatershed is primarily drained by municipal drains; Oil Mill Creek Drain is a series of Class F drains. The watercourses in this subwatershed have not been evaluated in terms of importance for fish habitat and the NPCA does not conduct water quality sampling in this portion of the study area. However, the MNR has identified the Lake Erie shoreline in this area as fowler‟s toad habitat, a federally and provincially threatened species, of which Niagara is one of only three areas in Canada where this SAR is found. Geomorphic assessments were conducted on 2 sites within Oil Mill Creek Drain. Both of the sites had areas of bank instability but only the upstream site had relatively deep unconsolidated sediment deposited along the channel bed. There are a number of small tributaries entering the main channel, as well as bare soil exposed along the banks. These two factors may be contributing to the sediment along the channel bed (NPCA 2009b). Like most subwatersheds in the study area, land use in Oil Mill Creek is primarily agricultural with some strips of residential areas and a public along the shoreline; Humberstone Centennial Park Beach. Large sections of watercourse flow through agricultural fields with little to no riparian buffers. 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. In terms of natural heritage features, numerous wetlands and wooded areas are scattered throughout the study area offering an abundance of opportunity for linkage and ecological corridor creation. Like other subwatersheds a challenge of Oil Mill Creek will be the establishment and preservation of riparian habitat when maintenance activities are necessary on the municipal drains to facilitate in proper drainage of the agricultural fields. However, these riparian habitats are important linkages between natural areas. The Oil Mill Creek Subwatershed Restoration Strategy identifies one zone with specific stewardship and restoration recommendations (Table 20 and Figure 31). 206
LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSHED PLAN Table 20: Oil Mill Creek Subwatershed Restoration Strategy Restoration Recommended Restoration Strategies Opportunities Riparian Wetland Upland and Ecological Linkages 1. priority should be the establishment of riparian buffer strips in areas with little to no existing riparian existing riparian should be maintained large sections of watercourse flow through agricultural fields and along roadways with little to no riparian; buffer strips will help to reduce sediment and contaminant loads from adjacent land uses, and cool the water to enhance water quality and fish habitat. watercourses are managed as municipal drains 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) wetland restoration suitability mapping indicates very high wetland restoration suitability for most of the subwatershed including wetland-riparian suitability providing important linkages between fragmented natural areas to facilitate in the movement of flora and fauna between natural areas: see map therefore focus should be on enhancement and filling in gaps creating larger contiguous natural blocks and creating ecological linkages between natural areas create/enhance wetlands in areas where the wetness index and soil drainage permit; priority should be given to areas adjacent to existing wetlands and high groundwater recharge areas protect and enhance existing wetlands (e.g., create a buffer of trees and shrubs between the wetlands and the agricultural activities) high suitability for upland restoration surrounding southern complexes of Oil Mill Creek Wetland Complex; focus should be on enhancement of this feature creating a Critical Function Zone that would provide for wetland-associated species that extend beyond the wetland limit very high suitability for enhancement surrounding 3 small wooded areas on east side of subwatershed creating one large natural block. Opportunity exists to connect to watercourse and with riparian creation connect to fragmented natural areas existing natural areas should be preserved 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 Recommended Action for Public and Private Lands NPCA Lake Erie North 1. Vimy Road (OMCMa): This section of watercourse is managed as a municipal drain; Oil Mill Creek Drain. Shore Geomorphic Assessment Study (NPCA 2009b) It has been channelized and lacks any depositional features along the stream bed which indicates little flow diversity within the channel. Bank instability is present in the form of bare soil extending up the bank, as well as slumping. Bank protection structures exist along both banks at this field site. These structures consist of concrete blocks laid on top of each other forming a wall, as well as riprap lining the bank. There are numerous culverts found within this site and the water flows through some of these culverts for relatively long distances. A large amount of the buffer zone consists of a manicured lawn and the lack of large woody vegetation impacts habitat 207
Page 1 and 2:
LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSHED PLA
Page 3 and 4:
Page 5 and 6:
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55 and 56:
Page 57 and 58:
Page 59 and 60:
Page 61 and 62:
Page 63 and 64:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156: LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSHED PLA
Page 205: LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSHED PLA
Page 257 and 258:
Page 259 and 260:
Page 261 and 262:
Page 263 and 264:
Page 265 and 266:
Page 267 and 268:
Page 269 and 270:
Page 271 and 272:
Page 273 and 274:
DRAFT LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSH
Page 275 and 276:
Page 277 and 278:
Page 279 and 280:
Page 281 and 282:
Page 283 and 284:
Page 285 and 286:
Page 287 and 288:
Page 289 and 290:
Page 291 and 292:
Page 293 and 294:
Page 295 and 296:
Page 297 and 298:
Page 299 and 300:
Page 301 and 302:
Page 303:
show all

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

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?