Annual Report 2018
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KETTLE CREEK CONSERVATION AUTHORITY 18 ANNUAL 20 REPORT THE KETTLE CREEK WATERSHED The Kettle Creek watershed is hourglass in shape and drains 520 square kilometers of land in the heart of the Carolinian Zone on the north shore of Lake Erie at Port Stanley. Kettle Creek drops approximately 141 metres over its 80 kilometre length. This steep drop in elevation can cause flash flooding, fluctuating base flows and a high degree of erosion. The main branch of Kettle Creek originates at Lake Whittaker, an 11 hectare spring-fed kettle lake. The watershed is comprised of three subwatersheds: Dodd Creek, Upper Kettle Creek, and Lower Kettle Creek. There are seven member municipalities associated with the Kettle Creek watershed: Central Elgin, London, Malahide, Middlesex Centre, St. Thomas, Southwold and Thames Centre. UPPER KETTLE CREEK SUBWATERSHED DODD CREEK SUBWATERSHED LOWER KETTLE CREEK SUBWATERSHED ~50,000 TREES 13,000 KILOMETRES22 PLANTED ANNUALLY VISITORS IN 2018 OF HIKING TRAILS UPPER KETTLE CREEK SUBWATERSHED WHAT IS A WATERSHED? A watershed or drainage basin is an area of land that drains into a river or a lake. The boundary of a watershed is based on the elevation (natural contours) of a landscape. A drop of water that lands anywhere inside this boundary will eventually end up draining into Kettle Creek before emptying into Lake Erie. This determination of boundaries is based on the natural shape of the land and therefore the watershed can fall across many municipal boundaries. INDEX Flood Forecasting and Low Water Response 5 Spotlight: 2018 Watershed Report Card 7 Outreach and Education 9 Planning and Regulations 11 Stewardship 13 Forestry 15 Conservation Lands 17 GIS/IT Technologies 21 Financial Statements 22 3 Ice jam in Port Stanley 9.75m 211m3 PER SECOND FEBRUARY, 9, 2018 FEBRUARY 20, 2018 MAX FLOW IN MAX ICE COVER ON MAX WATER LEVEL KETTLE CREEK ON LAKE ERIE 95.07% FEBRUARY 20, 2018 4 FLOOD FORECASTING AND LOW WATER RESPONSE Across Canada, the winter began early Flood prone areas throughout the with a polar vortex that unleashed watershed experienced high water frigid air, cold wind chills, and record levels and flooding. The main concern breaking temperatures across the was ice jamming in the Village of country. Despite a cold La Niña at Port Stanley where water could back the start of the year, temperatures up quickly with little notice. Staff across Canada were 0.04°C above the provided constant on-the-ground field baseline average. Overall, 2018 was observations to the Municipality of the fourth-warmest year observed Central Elgin as the ice jam moved since nationwide recording began 135 through Port Stanley. years ago. In June, a comprehensive inspection A January thaw prompted Kettle Creek of the Dalewood Dam was completed Conservation Authority (KCCA) to by WATECH Services. The inspection issue its first flood warning on January concluded that the dam is generally 12, 2018. The watershed received an in good condition with some areas of average of 40mm of rain over two days deterioration noted. In November that combined with melting snowpack 2018, new stone protection was and double digit temperatures installed along the upstream caused a major runoff and flooding embankment to prevent further event. There was also significant ice erosion. in the system. To help prevent an ice jam, the Municipality of Central For up-to-date flood information, Elgin brought in heavy equipment to watershed residents and businesses help break up the ice. A second flood can visit the KCCA website at warning was issued on February 20, www.kettlecreekconservation.on.ca, or 2018, following three consecutive connect with KCCA socially on Twitter days of mild temperatures and 45.5- and Facebook. 67.25mm of rain. GET SOCIAL WITH KCCA @kettlecreekca 5 Dan Patterson Conservation Area 30 BENTHIC OVERALL SAMPLES WATERSHED GRADE 14 FISH SPECIES ANALYZED 2018 IN 2018 WATERSHED IDENTIFIED IN REPORT 19 MUNICIPAL C CARD DRAINS 6 SPOTLIGHT: 2018 WATERSHED REPORT CARD On March 22, 2018 Conservation Fortunately, KCCA’s tree planting program Authorities (CAs) across Ontario released is offsetting the negative rate of change, updated Watershed Report Cards (WRC). which is indicative of how critical planting Watershed Report Cards are used by CAs 50,000 trees a year is to the watershed. as a means of reporting on watershed health through the use of environmental Groundwater is the water found beneath indicators. The report card allows CAs and the earth’s surface in layers called aquifers. partners to monitor changes to watershed Within the Kettle Creek watershed, health and better target programs to the groundwater quality is an A grade. Nitrate issues identified in the watershed. and chloride concentrations are better than the drinking water guidelines in all WRCs use environmental health indicators monitored wells. divided into three resource categories: surface water quality, forest conditions Environment Canada recommends 10 and groundwater quality. These categories percent wetland cover in a watershed to relate to two key Conservation Authority support wildlife species. Within the Kettle business functions: protecting and Creek watershed, wetland coverage is only enhancing water quality, and preserving 1.34 percent, giving the watershed an F and managing natural areas. KCCA also grade. The Dodd Creek subwatershed has includes a fourth category: wetland cover. the lowest wetland cover with less than half a percent, making it an area of priority Nutrient loading of phosphorus is a key for restoration and wetland creation. factor contributing to the D grade for surface water quality in the Kettle Creek Since the release of the last Watershed watershed. In the last five years, 97.9 Report Card in 2013, the Kettle Creek percent of the phosphorus samples watershed has maintained a C grade collected have exceeded the Provincial overall meaning the health of the Water Quality Objective of 0.02 mg/L. watershed remains fair. To address the High levels of phosphorus can contribute issues highlighted in the Watershed to harmful algae blooms, low oxygen Report Card, KCCA is working with local, conditions and overall habitat loss and provincial, and federal government degradation. agencies, community organizations and local landowners to improve Environment Canada recommends 30 the environmental conditions of the percent forest cover in a watershed to watershed. Ontario’s Conservation support wildlife species. The current forest Authorities report on watershed cover in the Kettle Creek watershed is 14 conditions every five years. To learn more percent with grades ranging from D to C about Ontario’s Watershed Checkup, and depending on the subwatershed. Based on compare KCCA’s results with the rest of 2015 aerial photography, the watershed is Ontario, please visit: losing 7.32 hectares of forest per year. www.watershedcheckup.ca. 7 Early Learning Centre campers release Snapping Turtles OUTREACH AND EDUCATION LANDSCAPES ON THE LAKE In August, the hatchlings were safely In June, KCCA partnered with the released back into Dalewood Reservoir Thames Valley District School Board and with the help of campers from the Early local artists to facilitate an art focused Learning Centre day camp. conference on the shores of Lake Erie in Port Stanley for 50 St. Thomas GO WILD GROW WILD high school art students. This event Staff assisted Carolinian Canada with the allowed students to connect with their organization of the Go Wild Grow Wild local environment and use nature to Expo. Staff led exhibitor registration inspire their artwork. Students learned and organized site logistics for the Expo. about and used a variety of mediums The Expo drew over 100 exhibitors, including photography, lino printing and featured 25 speakers and workshops and watercolour to create a collaborative attracted over 3,000 attendees. art piece that pairs nature and art. This event was showcased at the AD Latornell CAROLINIAN FOREST FESTIVAL Conservation Symposium in November. KCCA coordinated the 11th annual Carolinian Forest Festival which engaged GET OUT IN NATURE over 2,000 grade 6 and 7 students With funding from Ontario’s Healthy to learn about forest ecosystems Kids Community Challenge, staff led and species at risk through hands- eight outdoor education programs for on activities linked to the Ontario children attending the Early Learning Curriculum. Centre and City of St. Thomas summer camps. Each program had a different SOCIAL MEDIA theme and included outdoor activities KCCA’s social media community such as birdwatching, hiking and continues to grow using the hashtag exploring Dalewood Conservation Area. #LoveMyWatershed. In 2018, KCCA’s Facebook account was KCCA’s fastest In June, staff saved 150 Snapping turtle growing and most engaging social media eggs from nests located in unsafe areas platform and experienced a growth of within the watershed. With help from 40% with over 1,000 followers. KCCA’s Upper Thames River Conservation Twitter account has 1,200 followers and Authority, the eggs were incubated and Instagram has over 800 followers. monitored. 9 Lake Erie aerial photo captured with the KCCA UAV PLANNING AND REGULATIONS Ontario’s long-term prosperity, Conservation Authorities also have environmental health and social provincially delegated responsibilities well-being depend on reducing the for natural hazard policies of the potential for public costs or risk of Provincial Policy Statement (PPS). Ontario’s residents from natural or With this responsibility, KCCA human-made hazards. reviews and comments on municipal planning applications with regard One objective of Ontario’s planning to its responsibilities for natural and development policies is to direct hazard management. Through pre- development away from areas of consultation with proponents and natural or human-made hazards member municipalities, natural hazard where there is an unacceptable risk of constraints are discussed and avoided public health or safety, or of property up front in most cases. damage, and not create new or aggravate existing hazards.