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Thermal Effects of the Water Reclamation Centre Discharge on the East Holland River

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Thermal Effects of the Water Reclamation Centre Discharge on the East Holland River Upper York Sewage Solutions Environmental Assessment Thermal Effects of the Water Reclamation Centre Discharge on the East Holland River Prepared for: The Regional Municipality of York Prepared by: Conestoga-Rovers & Associates DECEMBER 2013 REF. NO. 050278 (87) 1195 Stellar Drive, Unit 1 ORK EGION O Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 7B8 Y R N . 74270 050278 (87) Page 1 York Region No. 74270 Thermal Effects of the Water Reclamation Centre Discharge on the East Holland River Upper York Sewage Solutions EA Executive Summary The main objectives of the Thermal Effects of the Water Reclamation Centre Discharge on the East Holland River study are: . To investigate the effects of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge on the thermal regime of the East Holland River . To study the effects of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge on the river ice regime in the East Holland River Study Area The stretch of the East Holland River (study area) considered for the thermal study includes the lower portion of the East Holland River from Holland Landing to the confluence with the West Holland River and the main branch of the Holland River from the confluence to Cook's Bay/Lake Simcoe. Given the preferred location for the Water Reclamation Centre outfall is the south side of Queensville Sideroad at the East Holland River. The area potentially affected by the Water Reclamation Centre discharge will be the lower portion of the East Holland River. For purposes of this study, the lower portion of the East Holland River and the main branch of the Holland River are referred to as the "East Holland River". The potential effects of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge on the thermal and ice regimes of the East Holland River were studied and assessed by utilizing an advanced dynamic numerical modelling approach. Thermal and river ice hydrodynamic models were built and the effects of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge assessed by comparing the results of the models generated by scenarios without and with the Water Reclamation Centre discharge. The Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code Model (EFDC) was used to assess potential water temperature effects in the river, and the Corps of Engineers – QUALity – Width averaged 2D (CE-QUAL-W2) model was used to assess the potential river ice effects. Data Compilation The EFDC and CE-QUAL-W2 are data intensive models. The required inputs include hydrological parameters (flow rates, water levels, water temperatures), meteorological parameters (wind speed and direction, air temperature, dew point, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, global solar radiation, and cloud cover), and effluent characterization (discharge rate, effluent water quality). Available flow rate, water level, and water temperature data from monitoring stations were used in this study to characterize the ambient conditions in the East and West Holland Rivers and Cook's Bay/Lake Simcoe. In terms of effluent characterization, for modelling purposes, a monthly average discharge was constructed ranging from a maximum month flow of 52 million litres per day (MLD) (1.3 of Annual Average Day Flow (AADF)) occurring in the typical wet weather months of March/April to a minimum month flow of 33 MLD (0.82 of AADF). This distribution was based on the seasonal variability of wastewater flow conditions that typically occurs in Ontario in relation to wet weather periods and dry weather periods. Effluent wastewater temperatures for the Water Reclamation Centre discharge were developed by examining available historical data for existing wastewater 050278 (87) Page i York Region No. 74270 Thermal Effects of the Water Reclamation Centre Discharge on the East Holland River Upper York Sewage Solutions EA treatment facilities; including three facilities close to the Upper York Sewage Solutions (UYSS) study area and potential Water Reclamation Centre site location (i.e., upper York Region). Limited meteorological data were available within the Holland River watershed for the numerical modelling. Global solar radiation and precipitation data were obtained from Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) stations Scanlon2 (LSEMS106) and Newmarket (LS0108). The remaining data (wind speed and direction, air temperature, dew point, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, and cloud cover) were obtained from the closest Environment Canada (EC) climate stations. Thermal Model Implementation The EFDC and CE-QUAL-W2 models were spatially calibrated and validated with water surface elevations, flow velocities, and water temperatures measured on December 1, 2011 and December 8, 2011. The simulation period was November 11, 2011 – December 10, 2011 to cover the two field monitoring events. Furthermore, the EFDC model was temporally calibrated to continuous hourly water temperature data collected near the Water Reclamation Centre discharge location for the period from April 8, 2012 to March 31, 2013. The CE-QUAL-W2 model was temporally calibrated to ice thickness data collected at three monitoring stations in the East Holland River during the winter 2012 – 2013. Modelling Results As a simplification of the potential flow discharge conditions and considering the relative magnitude of potential water reuse quantities to the Water Reclamation Centre annual average day design flow (40 MLD), water reuse quantities have not been included in the modelling scenarios. Therefore, the results would reflect maximum Water Reclamation Centre flow (i.e., 100 percent) to the receiver in the year 2031, despite the likely diversion of some Water Reclamation Centre treated effluent for water reuse. For the dynamic scenarios with Water Reclamation Centre discharge, a monthly average discharge was constructed ranging from a maximum month flow of 52 MLD occurring in the typical wet weather months of March/April to a minimum month flow of 33 MLD. The EFDC and CE-QUAL-W2 models produce results that are distributed in time and space. As such, the results are presented as a time-varying comparison of water temperatures and ice thicknesses without and with the Water Reclamation Centre discharge at different locations downstream of the proposed discharge, as well as spatial snapshots of the study area at different times of the year. The time-varying comparison of water temperatures and ice thicknesses without and with the Water Reclamation Centre discharge was constructed at eight locations downstream of the proposed discharge location (50 m, 100 m, 250 m, 500 m, 1,000 m, and 2,500 m downstream of Queensville Sideroad; 250 m downstream of the confluence of the East and West Holland Rivers, and at the mouth of the river at Cook's Bay/Lake Simcoe). The EFDC and CE-QUAL-W2 models were used to predict the potential effects of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge on the seasonal distribution of water temperatures and ice regime in the East Holland River, respectively. 050278 (87) Page ii York Region No. 74270 Thermal Effects of the Water Reclamation Centre Discharge on the East Holland River Upper York Sewage Solutions EA Thermal effects and benefits of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge include the following: . Water temperatures in the East Holland River would increase during the winter months (December through March) and decrease during the summer months (June through August) because the effluent temperature would be higher than the ambient water temperature in winter and lower in summer. The effect of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge on the ambient water temperatures would be relatively minor in the spring (April through May) and fall (September through November) periods when the effluent and ambient temperatures are similar. The maximum change in water temperatures would be observed near the proposed discharge location, where the daily water temperatures may increase up to 5.8°C in winter and decrease by up to 7.3°C in summer. The mean monthly temperatures are expected to increase by up to 4.1°C in winter and decrease by up to 3.8°C in summer. The potential effect of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge on water temperature would gradually diminish downstream of the proposed discharge location. The affected section of the river would extend from the proposed discharge location to the confluence of the East and West Holland Rivers. Downstream of the confluence the potential effect of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge would be minimal, if any. The Water Reclamation Centre discharge would provide a moderating effect on water temperatures during summer low flow, high temperature receiver conditions. The section of the river from the proposed discharge location to approximately 1 kilometre (km) downstream would be most affected by the Water Reclamation Centre discharge; the section from 1 km downstream to the confluence would be moderately affected; and the section from the confluence to Cook's Bay/Lake Simcoe minimally affected by the Water Reclamation Centre discharge. River ice effects of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge include the following: . Ice thickness in the river is predicted to decrease during the winter period, as evidenced by open water. The areas near the proposed discharge location would experience the largest area of open water. Depending on atmospheric conditions, it is predicted that the areas in the East Holland River within 1 to 4 km downstream of the proposed discharge location may experience ice-free conditions during the winter by 2031 and with full 40 MLD discharge from the Water Reclamation Centre. The potential effect of the Water Reclamation Centre discharge on ice thickness is predicted to gradually diminish downstream of the proposed discharge location. In the areas about 1 to 4 km downstream of the proposed discharge location the river ice would form again, but the ice thickness would be reduced. Near the confluence of the East and West Holland Rivers the effect of the discharge is predicted to be minimal, if any. The seasonal ice duration is predicted to be shortened by the Water Reclamation Centre discharge. In the winter of 2010-2011, at the location 2.5 km downstream of the proposed discharge location, the ice duration is predicted to be reduced by 7 days, from 94 days to 87 days.
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