Upper Welland River Watershed Plan - Niagara Peninsula ...

UPPER WELLAND RIVER WATERSHED PLANExecutive SummaryThe Welland River watershed is the largest watershed within the Niagara PeninsulaConservation Authority‟s jurisdiction and encompasses over 80 percent of the CanadianNiagara River Area of Concern (AOC). The Welland River has been the focus of muchrehabilitation with over 200 restoration projects being completed by the NPCA andpartnering agencies. The Upper Welland River Watershed Plan study area is comprisedof 40 percent of the total Canadian Niagara River AOC and includes the upper region ofthe Welland River; upstream of Wellandport with its respective tributaries. This studyarea supports a unique environmental character and subsequent set of watershedissues. Contributing to the distinctiveness of this watershed are, for example, theBinbrook reservoir, the unique development pressures, such as for example, the AirportEmployment Growth District in the upper watershed, and the predominantly rural natureof the watershed..The Upper Welland River watershed is also rich in ecological diversity with oneCarolinian Canada signature site; the Caistor-Canborough Slough Forest, and severalprovincially and locally significant Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest. The study areaalso boasts 18 federally listed Species at Risk by the Committee on the Status ofEndangered Wildlife in Canada, 12 provincially rare species, and numerous provinciallysignificant wetlands and natural areas which can be found throughout the watershed.The Upper Welland River Watershed Plan study area encompasses approximately 480square kilometres of land and includes nearly 3000 kilometres of watercourse. The studyarea includes Local Management Areas 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 as identified in theNWS (RMN 2006a) and falls within the municipal boundaries of the Township ofWainfleet and Township of West Lincoln and extends into the boundaries of the City ofHamilton and Haldimand County (Figure 1). The subwatersheds that form the UpperWelland River Watershed Plan study area include Welland River West, West WolfCreek, Little Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek, Buckhorn Creek, Elsie Creek, Oswego Creek, MillCreek, Moores Creek, Wilson Creek, Sugar Creek Drain, James Drain, Michner Drain,Chick Hartner Drain, and Unamed Creek. Individual restoration strategies have beenprepared for each of the main subwatersheds to protect the unique characteristics ofeach system.Land use in the Upper Welland River watershed is characterized mainly by agriculturewith a focus on poultry and egg production, and grain and oilseed. There is one majorconcentration of urban land uses (residential, commercial, industrial) within the AirportEconomic Growth District in the City of Hamilton. Smaller urban areas include MountHope and Binbrook, also within the City of Hamilton.The Upper Welland River watershed offers numerous recreational opportunitiesthroughout the watershed with 7 conservation areas that offer passive recreationalopportunities; Binbrook Conservation Area, Canborough Conservation Area, ChippawaConservation Area, Hedley Forest Conservation Area, Port Davidson ConservationArea, Oswego Creek Conservation Area and Ruigrok Tract Conservation Area. TheWelland River also offers ample of recreational opportunities for fishing, boating andnature observation.ii