Deshkan Ziibi) Shared Waters Approach to Water Quality and Quantity
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THE THAMES RIVER (DESHKAN ZIIBI) SHARED WATERS APPROACH TO WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY Written and published by the Thames River Clear Water Revival The Thames River (Deshkan Ziibi) Shared Waters Approach to Water Quality and Quantity Final Draft, December 2019 SUGGESTED CITATION Thames River Clear Water Revival. 2019. The Thames River (Deshkan Ziibi) Shared Waters Approach to Water Quality and Quantity. Final Draft. 248 pp. CONTACT INFORMATION www.thamesrevival.ca Project Manager, Thames River Clear Water Revival Upper Thames River Conservation Authority 1424 Clarke Road, London, ON N5V 5B9 519-451-2800 Note: The Thames River Clear Water Revival Steering Committee partners have agreed that this document will be designated as a FINAL DRAFT until all the Steering Committee partners have the opportunity to endorse the Approach. The signed endorsement of partners that have recommended the Approach be adopted, and agree to continue to collaborate to voluntarily implement solutions to water issues in the Thames River watershed, may be found in Appendix I. Note: Throughout this document, glossary terms are presented in bold italics. i The Thames River (Deshkan Ziibi) Shared Waters Approach to Water Quality and Quantity Final Draft, December 2019 COMMEMORATION to GEORGE HENRY-BA, LARRY FRENCH-BA, and JAKE ALBERT-BA Note: “-Ba” is the Ojibwe equivalent to “the late” in English. Nminaaj'aa maaba Mangidaas, George Henry-ba, ma'iingan dodeman miinwaa Larry French- ba, jijaak dodeman, gaa-getnaamendamowaad ji-naadmowaawaad niw Anishnaaben Deshkan Ziibiing. Gii-dbaajdaanaawaa Anishinaabe'aadziwin maa nankiiwaad Steering and First Nations Engagement Committees. Gzhe-mnidoo miinwaa ki gii-mnaaj'aanaawaa gaa- gnoodmawaawaad iw nbiish. Neniizh da-mesnigaazawag. We would like to honour the unwavering effort made by George Henry-ba, Wolf Clan, and Larry French-ba, Crane Clan, both of Deshkan Ziibing, to bring forth the concerns of their community regarding the health of Deshkan Ziibi. They generously shared their Indigenous worldview through their participation in the Steering and First Nations Engagement Committees. They honoured the Creator and Mother Earth by speaking up for the river. They will both be missed. Ndamkwenmaanaa Jake Albert-ba, Kiinowaachegehjig miigiisiik-ba (Many Eagles Man that leave their mark), Ma'iingan doodeman, Deshkan Ziibiing bi-njibaa. Gii-baapi, gii- minwaangozi, gii-gzhewaadzi, miinwaa gii-kendaasa. Antler River Guardian from the 4 Directions (ARGFT4D) eshki-kinoomaagozid, gii-zaagtoon eyaad gojiing ji-kinoomaagzid kiing. Gii-bi-niigaaniid oodi eni-bboong. Gii-wiindmowaan eshkiniiginjin gaa-dbaajdang gaa- zhiwebak ARGFT4D miinwaa ge ezhi-gnawendang nbiish. Eshki-maajtaad ARGFT4D, gii-nkweshkwaawaan raptors, Canadian Raptor Conservatory enjibaajig. Ow migizi, Rocco zhinkaaza. Miinwaa ge chi-mzise, Jake zhinkaaza. Naasaab noozwinan eyaamwaad, ow mzise, emaamo-mdaazhenmaad ow bneshiinh. Gii-zaagtoon ow chi-mzise ezhinaagzid. Miinwaa ge epiichi-gchi-piitendaagzid ezhi-bmaadzing. Wenjda go gii- zaagtoon wii-wiisinid. Gii-miijin shkonjiganan gii-bwaa-miijiwaad Antler River Guardians. Bmakzhiwed, gnawaabmaad, gii-noondaagzi "Hey niitaawis! Aaniish ezhinaagok oodi yaayin shpiming?!" Chi-mzisens gii-zhinkaanigoon, emaamo-shkiniigid aawi ARGFT4D biiweziimag. Eniigaaniid chi-mzise aawi eni-niibing. Mii dash Chi-zaawi-mzise gii-zhinkaanigoon oodi North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). Gegeti niigaaniiwi, chi-maamiikwendam. Gii- maajii-noondaagzi oodi NAIG wii-chi-maamiikwendamwaad oodi chi-nsaaknigewaad. Aapji go mdaazhendaan bmakzhiwed, miinwaa yaad nbiing. Wenpanad gii-yaad NAIG Team Ontario Canoe/Kayak team. Niibing enakiid oodi Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario ge Special Olympics Ontario, gii-zoongde'ed wii-wiindmowaad ezhi-znagendang nendmowining eshkiniiginjin. Miinwaa ge, gii-naadmowaan ebkaanzinjin wii-mno- nendmowaad gewiinwaa. Wenjda go zoongde'e miinwaa ge gii-nbwaakaa. Gii-zaag'aan biiweziimag miinwaa wiijkiwenyan. Kina wiya gaa-kenmaawaad Jake da-mna- dbaajmaawaad. Gaagnig pane da-mesnigoon. Chi-miigwech Jake-ba! ii The Thames River (Deshkan Ziibi) Shared Waters Approach to Water Quality and Quantity Final Draft, December 2019 We would like to commemorate Jake Albert-ba, Kiinowaachegehjig miigiisiik-ba (Many Eagles Man that leave their mark), Wolf clan, of Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. He was funny, adventurous, kind and smart. He was an Antler River Guardian from the 4 Directions (ARGFT4D) student in the first year of the program. His love and passion for the outdoors and learning from the land was always apparent. He went on to be Team Leader for the program the following year. He presented to youth groups his own age and many other audiences on ARGFT4D experiences and water stewardship. During the first year of ARGFT4D, the group met some raptors from the Canadian Raptor Conservatory. The bald eagle was named Rocco, and the turkey vulture was named Jake. As they shared the same name, Jake said the turkey vulture was his favourite bird. He loved how the vulture looked and how it was so important for the circle of life. As a growing man, he loved to eat and would eat the other Antler River Guardians’ left overs if they weren’t going to eat them. When canoeing on the river, he would see a turkey vulture in the sky and yell out “Hey Cousin! How’s it look from up there?!” His nickname started out as Baby Vulture, as he was the youngest in the ARGFT4D family; he went on to be Leader Vulture the next year when he was the team leader, and then Golden Vulture when at the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). Jake was a natural born leader, loud and proud; he started a cheering circle at the NAIG to get Team Ontario pumped up at the opening ceremonies! He was passionate about canoeing and loved being on the water. He made the NAIG Team Ontario Canoe/Kayak team with ease. As a summer student working for the Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario and Special Olympics Ontario, he bravely shared his struggles with mental health with other youth, as well as helped others with mental health issues. He was a very courageous and selfless young man. He loved his family and friends with all of his heart and was very loyal. Everyone who knew Jake has their own stories and memories to share. He will be forever missed. Chi-Miigwech Jake-ba! iii The Thames River (Deshkan Ziibi) Shared Waters Approach to Water Quality and Quantity Final Draft, December 2019 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THAMES RIVER CLEAR WATER REVIVAL STEERING COMMITTEE First Nations Four of the eight First Nations whose traditional territory overlaps the watershed have actively participated on the Steering Committee: Aamjiwnaang First Nation Bkejwanong Walpole Island First Nation Caldwell First Nation Chippewas of the Thames First Nation The Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation and Munsee Delaware Nation have been invited to participate, while Eelünaapéewi Lahkéewiit (Delaware Nation at Moraviantown) and Oneida Nation of the Thames participated in the early development of the TRCWR. Federal Departments Environment and Climate Change Canada Provincial Ministries Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Conservation Authorities Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority Upper Thames River Conservation Authority Municipalities City of London FIRST NATIONS ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE Aamjiwnaang First Nation Bkejwanong Walpole Island First Nation Caldwell First Nation Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Oneida Nation of the Thames The Steering Committee would like to thank the participants in the First Nation Engagement Committee, the Water Quality Technical Committee, and the Water Quantity Technical Committee for their valuable input into this document. iv The Thames River (Deshkan Ziibi) Shared Waters Approach to Water Quality and Quantity Final Draft, December 2019 PREAMBLE While this undertaking was originally envisioned as a water management plan, our First Nations partners championed a more holistic approach, incorporating aspects of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) and an awareness of the River’s spirit, in addition to western science and management objectives. This intent is reflected in the title of this document: The Thames River (Deshkan Ziibi) Shared Waters Approach to Water Quality and Quantity. This document is one component of an over-arching watershed initiative called the “Thames River Clear Water Revival.” The following is what we understand to be a very general overview of the First Nations in the watershed, but is not necessarily comprehensive or definitive. The Anishinaabek People (Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Bkejwanong Walpole Island First Nation, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, and Caldwell First Nation), the Haudensaunee (Oneida Nation of the Thames), and the Wendat (Huron) have lived in the area since before Europeans arrived. Delaware Nation at Moraviantown, which is the settlement of the Lenape (Lunaapeew) People, was founded in 1792. A survey of the Caradoc Reserve in 1830 notes that approximately 160 Munsee-Delawares, another Lenape People, were living north of the Thames River. The Anishinaabek People refer to the Thames River as Deshkan Ziibi (which means Antler River in Ojibwe / Anishnaabemowin language). The river has also been called Askunessippi (Antlered River) by the Neutrals and La Tranchée (later