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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-58-98 DN: PD-5&96 ' THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CL/1RINGTON REPORT Meeting: General Purpose and Administration Committee File # Date: Monday, May 4, 1998 Res. #t~'Q~-~S$ -9 Report #: PD-58-98 FILE #: PLN 17.2.2.4 By-law # Subject: BOWMANVILLE CREEK AQUATIC RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN FILE NO.: PLN 17.2.2.4 Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD-58-98 be received for information; and 2. THAT the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority be forwarded a copy of this report and a copy of Council's decision. 1. BACKGOUND 1.1 In the fall of 1997, the Planning and Development Department received correspondence from the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority requesting staff's participation on a Steering Committee for a Fisheries Management Plan for the Bowmanville Creek. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans are also partners in the project. In April 1998, CLOCA announced that scope of the study had broadened and that an Aquatic Resources Management Plan (ARMP) for the Bowmanville Creek and its watershed will be prepared. An ARMP is similar to a Fisheries Management Plan, however, includes an examination of, among other things, terrestrial vegetation, groundwater recharge and discharge areas, effects from existing and future land uses on aquatic resources and recreational potential. 1.2 No other ARMP's have been prepared or are currently underway in CLOCA's jurisdiction. The Authority had established criteria to select a single watershed from b44 REPORT NO.: PD-58-98 PAGE 2 the four other watersheds in its jurisdiction. The Bowmanville Creek watershed was chosen because it was the least urbanized, it is the largest drainage area, it possesses the most groundwater recharge and discharge, the highest ratio of cold:warm water streams and it possesses the highest fisheries potential. This ARMP will act as a template for other such projects in CLOCA's jurisdiction. 2. THE STUDY PROCESS 2.1 Preliminary Terms of Reference have been prepared which will guide the study process (see Attachment #1). The Plan will examine the aquatic resources of the Bowmanville Creek watershed at the watershed, subwatershed and reach level and design management directives and policies based on the resource attributes of the watershed. Components of the ARMP will include: • Historical fish community information • Assessment of current fish and benthic invertebrate communities • Land use patterns within the watershed • Submergent, wetland, riparian and tableland vegetation cover information • Groundwater recharge and discharge areas • Identification of aquatic resources issues • Aquatic resources management directives and principles • An implementation and monitoring strategy • A community education and stewardship program 2.2 The project is managed by CLOCA, and is supported by a Technical Committee, consisting of specialists in biology, geo-morphology/hydrology, mapping and GIS specialists. The Committee is responsible for data collection, analysis, identifying management options, preparing the draft management plan and public input. A Steering Committee, with participants from CLOCA, MNR, DFO, Region of Durham Planning Department, Municipality of Clarington Planning and Development Department, Trent University, Sir Sanford Fleming College and Durham College has been established to guide the project. The Committee is responsible for overseeing the preparation of the Plan, establishing goals and ' 645 REPORT NO.: PD-58-98 PAGE 3 objectives, assisting with policy development, ensuring public involvement and reviewing and endorsing of final plan. The Steering Committee has met once and will continue to meet every five months throughout the process 3. STATUS OF THE PROJECT 3.1 Considerable information from existing data sources has been gathered thus far. Field work is underway and will continue through the spring and summer months. The summary and analysis will be prepared by the end of 1998, a draft report will be submitted in March 1999 and the final Plan will be submitted in June 1999. There are three public meetings scheduled throughout the process. The first public meeting is scheduled for early June, 1998 and will be held in Bowmanville. The date and venue for the meeting has not been confirmed. 4. CONCLUSION 4.1 The ARMP will contain policy directions for the management, conservation, protection and rehabilitation of aquatic resources in the watershed. The Plan will likely make recommendations that will effect land use policies at the regional and local level. Staff will continue to participate in the process and will report to Council when the recommended Plan is released and we can ascertain whether changes to the Clarington Official Plan will be required. Respectfully submitted, Reviewed by, Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Director of Planning & Development CRS*FW*cc April 22, 1998 Attachment - Terms of Reference W.H. Stockwell, Chief Administrative Officer. 646 Bowmanville Creek Aquatic Resources Management Plan Preliminary Terms of Reference Introduction The Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) in partnership with the Aurora District Ministry of Natural Resources and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is undertaking an Aquatic Resources Management Plan (ARMP) for one of the watersheds within the CLOCA jurisdiction. The ARMP will be developed in accordance with municipal, provincial and federal fish management policy directives. It will act as a template for further aquatic resource data co]lection and to provide direction in land use planning adjacent to aquatic resources. CLOCA proposes to undertake the creation of the ARMP under the powers granted them under the Conservation Authorities Act. (1) R.S.O. 1990, Chapter 27, Section 20 "The objects of an authority are to establish and undertake, in the area over which it has jurisdiction, a program designed to further the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources otherlhan gas, ail, coal and minerals. " (2) R.S.O. 1990, Chapter 27, Section 21 (1); R.S.O. 1996, c.1, Schedule M, Section 44 (1,2) "For the purposes of accomplishing its objects, an authority has power, (a) to study and investigate the watershed and to determine a program whereby the natural resources of the watershed may be conserved, restored, developed and managed,•... (n) to collaborate and enter into agreements with ministries and agencies of governmeru, municipal councils and local boards and other organizations;... " The ARMP uses the Federal Fisheries Act as the basis for its fish management directives. The objective of the Federal Fisheries Act is to achieve a "net gain of productive capacity" and "no net loss" of fish habitat. The ARMP is being developed in accordance with provincial fish management initiatives (outlined in SPOF II) that emphasize conservation, rehabilitation and partnerships. The ARbIP will be developed in accordance with Ontario's Wetland Policy Statement that provides protection for provincially significant wetlands. The plan will examine the aquatic resources of the individual watershed at the watershed, sub-watershed, and reach level to design management directives and policies based on the resource attributes of that watershed. Management options will be applied at a watershed level. Where site, reach or sub watershed specific conditions exist, management directives may be applied on an area specific basis. Components of the ARMP will include: • historical fish community information _ • assessment of current fish and benthic invertebrate communities • land use patterns within the watershed • submergent, wetland, riparian and tableland vegetation cover information • groundwater recharge and discharge areas • identification of aquatic resources issues • aquatic resource management directives and principles • an implementation and monitoring strategy • a community education and stewardship strategy - 647 5. System with the least number of municipalities within the watershed. 6. System with the greatest area of groundwater recharge and dischazge. 7. System with most area of Conservation Authority owned lands. 8. System normally having migratory salmonid runs. 9. System with highest ratio of Coldwater to wazmwater habitat. 10. System having highest sport fisheries potential. 11. System with widest range offish species. Selection Criteria Scoring and Ranking Table Bowmanville Creek scored 42 points and ranked #1 according to the criteria. Bowmanville Creek therefore becomes the Template Aquatic Resource Management Plan study area. 649 Technical Advisory Committee Will consist of specialists in biology, geo-morphology/hydrology, mapping and GIS specialists, planners, and support staff including clerks, communications specialists, and others. These groups will be responsible for: • communications -workshops and public information meetings • collection and review of current and historical data • preparation of scientific and technical documents to support decision making • creation ofpublic documents to be used in soliciting public input • identification of aquatic resource issues • identification of aquatic resource management options • presentation of options to public for input • refinement of options to resolve issues • creation of draft Aquatic Resource Management Plan • presentation of draft plan and solicitation ofpublic input • writing of final Aquatic Resource Management Plan. • provide input to CLOCA policies with regard to CLOCA's Natural Heritage Strategy Goals and Objectives of the ARMP All words or sentences that have been bolded are updates to the Goals & Objectives from December 1997. oals: Maintain, protect and enhance healthy, self sustaining aquatic ecosystems in the Bowmanville Creek watershed. 2. Establish an Aquatic Resource Management Plan (ARMP) at a watershed level that is in accordance with Municipal, Regional, Provincial, Federal and International directives. 3. Develop Authority policies for the protection of fish habitat and to guide ]and use planning. 4. Support integrated resource management throughout the watershed. Develop a framework for completing other aquatic resource management plans within CLOCA's jurisdiction. 6. Identify opportunities for restoration and enhancement within the watershed. 7. Identify and support opportunities for public and private stewardship within the watershed. b51 PROPOSED SCOPE OF INITIAL REPORT OR DRAFT PLAN Introduction This section will describe the need for the development of an ARMP in CLOCA's jurisdiction. This section provides the scope of the project including the goals and objectives. A brief description of the watershed is presented here. Methodology This section will contain a detailed description of the technical protocols used to collect fish and benthic invertebrate samples. Ontario Stream Protocol Assessment will be utilized to assess the condition of the watershed. The sources and methods for collecting data that already exists will also be outlined in this section. Limitations of the techniques used in the study will also be explained. All historical and present data collected to assess the condition of the watershed will be categorized into three areas: -biological -chemical -physical Biological Conditions Riverine Habitat The historical condition of the watershed including species lists will be provided here. Historical fish data will be divided into native and non native species. The current fish community of the Bowmanville Creek watershed will be described according to the data collected over the 1998 field season. Current fish communities will be assessed according to the Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol which involves the use of a back pack electrofishing unit. Trends in the biological communities that have taken place over time will be described based on historical and current biological data. Benthic invertebrate community sampling will be a significant component of baseline data collection for the ARMP. Benthic invertebrate data will be collected via BioMAP protocol. Results from benthic invertebrate sampling will be used to describe the general health and condition of the watershed. The majority of baseline data collection for the ARMP will take place in this habitat type. As a result, many of the management options and policy recommendations developed through the ARMP process will pertain to this habitat type. Lacustrine Habitat Areas that are not wadeable will be sampled with techniques such as seine nets, trap nets, minnow traps or hoop nets. If resources are available, aquatic invertebrates may be sampled in lacustrine substrates and water columns. 653 Instream Barriers Any barriers that aze not currently mapped that are encountered during sampling will be added to current records. Barriers to fish movement within the watershed will be assessed according to their function and their impact on fish communities. Recommendations will be made according to this assessment. Stormwater Ouanti v Control Data collection conducted for the ARMP will be used as a basis for creating guidelines by which stormwater control facilities are designed and constructed. The presence of cold water fish habitat and groundwater rechazge areas may affect stormwater control designs. Stormwater quality and quantity will be a focus of stewardship and education initiatives spurred by the ARMP. Baseline data collected for the ARMP will be utilized in conjunction with provincial guidelines for stormwater control facility design and placement. Water Flow Water flow chazacteristics will be described based on gauging station data where available. The hydrologic cycle and its impacts on the flow regime in the Bowmanville Creek will be described. The impacts on the stream from various land uses and water taking for human needs will be listed. Hydrological trends occurring due to long term geological forces and weather patterns will also be described. Stormwater Runoff All storm water outlets noted in the field will be recorded. A permanent monitoring site has been established on Bowmanville Creek to measure the impacts of a recently constructed stormwater control facility. The benefits of incorporating stormwater control facilities into development plans will be listed in the document. Adjacent Land Use Patterns Land use within and adjacent to the floodplain areas of the Bowmanville Creek will be identified through air photo interpretation and according to previous land use studies. Chemical Components BioMAP Water quality will be measured by the types of benthic invertebrates that are found in the stream reaches that are sampled for the ARMP. The relative abundance of the species of the benthic invertebrates sampled will be used to measure organic enrichment, dissolved oxygen levels and general stream health. Any point source pollution inputs will be noted at sampling areas will be included in the ARMP. Industrial Effluent Background information will be reviewed to create a synopsis of the volume and nature of industrial inputs to the Bowmanville Creek. Point sources of industrial effluent inputs to the Creek will be mapped. 655 Land Use Planning Land use planning principles will be listed as they pertain to the management and protection of aquatic resources in the Bowmanville Creek watershed. The specific areas to be discussed will include, but will not be limited to: • identification of critical associated uplands • on line ponds • development within the floodplain • buffer zones • golf courses • stormwater control & treatment • drainage ditches • ground water recharge and dischazge areas • high water table aeeas Recommendations Recommendations for the management, conservation, protection and rehabilitation of Bowmanville Creek's aquatic resources may fall under the following aeeas: • monitoring • ecological restoration -habitat - populations • education strategy • environmental stewazdship strategy • dam mitigation • native species reintroduction • management of non native invasive species • interpretive strategy for aquatic natural heritage • land acquisition Implementation The two following implementation committee groups will form to complete implementation tasks: Mazketing Group -search for funds to create a foundation for implementation programs and projects Action Group -coordinates implementation of the following types of programs and projects • education • interpretation • aquatic resource monitoring • ecological restoration • stewazdship ~t 657