3-1 3.0 Physical, Natural and Socio-Economic Environment

Kingston Reinforcement Pipeline 3.0 PHYSICAL, NATURAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 3.1 BEDROCK GEOLOGY The Frontenac Axis, which underlies the Kingston area is a south east-trending arch of Proterozoic crystalline basement, part of the Grenville Province of the Canadian Shield, that connects the Algonquin Dome with the Adirondack Dome in New York. To the northeast and southwest, respectively, it is flanked by Flat-lying to gently dipping Cambro-Ordovicain sediments of the St. Lawrence Platform and the Lake Ontario Homocline. It forms a resistant bedrock sill over which the St. Lawrence River flows northeastward from Lake Ontario, creating the “Thousand Islands” (Helmstaedt, 2004). Rocks typical of the area can be seen in outcrops and rock cuts along Highway 401. They predominantly consist of limestone and granite. 3.2 PHYSIOGRAPHY AND SURFICIAL GEOLOGY The study area lies within the physiographic regions of the Napanee Plain and Prince Edward Plain. The Precambrian Bedrock underlying the study area consists of clastic metasediments and intrusive igneous rocks. These basement rocks are overlain by a nearly horizontal sequence of Paleozioc sedimentary rocks which consist of the Potsdam Formation (sandstones and siltstones), Shadow Lake Formation (shales, sandstones, and arkoses), and the Gull River Formation (limestone and other carbonates) (Chapman and Putnam, 1984). Quaternary deposits (unconsolidated soil overburden) within the study area are Wisconsonian and recent in age and consist of glacial, glaciofluvial, glaciolacustrine, and postglacial sediments. The majority of the study area is underlain by exposed bedrock or a shallow soil cover generally less than 1 m thick overlying Paleozoic strata. The area consists of limestone and clay plains with shallow overburden made up of fine grained silt and clay sediments deposited during the glacial period over till soils and sedimentary bedrock (MTO 1990). The majority of the area is underlain directly by exposed bedrock or a shallow soil cover generally less than 1m thick. However, overburden thickness can vary up to 30 metres (Canadian Department of Agriculture, 1966 and Golder, 1990). 3.3 HYDROLOGY The Gull River Formation is the primary aquifer in the study area. Aquifer recharge is primarily from precipitation that percolates through bedrock fissures (Golder, 1990). Most properties in the southern portion of the study area are serviced by municipal water lines. Most of the homes north of the 401 (former Kingston township) are on a water well system, and obtain water through individual wells utilizing the primary aquifer. The MOE well record data for the former Kingston and Pittsburgh Townships indicates that there is no surficial aquifer and that the confined aquifer is located at a depth ranging between 6 to 40 m. 33830 - December 2004 3-1 SENES Consultants Limited Kingston Reinforcement Pipeline The combination of shallow soil cover and the existence of near surface discontinuities in the carbonate rock render the groundwater resources within the region highly susceptible to contamination. In discussions with the MOE, no water or water quantity problems have been reported in the wells found in the study area (Golder, 1990). Principle drainage in the area is toward the Little Cataraqui Creek which empties into Lake Ontario. 3.4 WETLANDS Two wetland complexes appear in the study area. The Collins Creek Inverary Lake Wetland Complex is a Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) of 202.9 ha, made up of two individual wetlands, composed of two wetland types (62% swamp and 38% marsh). The MNR has valued the Lower Collins Creek Wetland as a Class 2 PSW complex. Collins Creek is a meandering, warm water stream with an extensive flood plain area that flows south from Collins Lake to Collins Bay on Lake Ontario. In the area north of the 401, the creek is characterized as a wet meadow marsh and open water marsh. South of Highway 401, Collins Creek follows a meandering profile through an extensive flood plain. The Wetland Complex provides habitat for provincially and regionally significant birds and herpetiles. These include map turtle, red black salamander, mud puppy, black-crowned night heron, and black tern. The Complex provides habitat for more common species of herpetofauna including species such as frogs, toads, wetland snakes, and turtles (Ecoplans, 1994). Existing documentation confirms that no significant vegetation occurs in the Lower Collins Creek Wetland Complex (Delcan, 2001). The Little Cataraqui Creek Wetland Complex also occurs within the study area. It is a provincially significant, coastal wetland complex, made up of three individual wetlands, composed of two wetland types (28% swamp and 72% marsh) (Boxall, 1992). It is 360 ha in size. The MNR has evaluated the Complex as a Class 1 provincially significant wetland (MNR, 1992). The Wetland Complex provides habitat for provincially significant fauna including black-crowned night heron, Caspian tern, and black tern. In addition, the complex provides feeding habitat for osprey. The Complex contains no provincially significant flora. The Little Cataraqui Creek is a low gradient watercourse, and its headwaters are situated to the north of Glenburnie. Upstream of Highway 401, the Creek has been impounded for flood 33830 - December 2004 3-2 SENES Consultants Limited Kingston Reinforcement Pipeline control and recreational purposes (Delcan, 2001). The Creek has experienced significant flooding in the past, and it is seasonally flooded between 2 to 3 weeks per year (Delcan, 2001). As a result of the presence of the Industrial Park and Highway 401 corridor, the wetland has been disturbed significantly over the past several years. 3.5 AREAS OF NATURAL AND SCIENTIFIC INTEREST (ANSIS) AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SIGNIFICANT AREAS (ESAS) One ANSI is located in the study area. The Cataraqui Clay Ridges is a regionally significant Earth Science ANSI that occurs to on the western portion of the conservation authority lands. No further information was available on this ANSI. 3.6 VEGETATION The study area is located within the southern limits of the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence physiographic region (Huron-Ontario subregion) (Rowe, 1972). Within this region forests typically reflect a composition of red and white pines, yellow birch and eastern hemlock, as well as sugar maple, red maple, red oak, white elm and basswood. Other species are also found depending on the soils and microclimate of the area. Vegetation in the study area can be classified into two types according to locations north (rural landscape) and south (urban landscape) of Highway 401. URBAN LANDSCAPE South of Highway 401, the landscape is urban, and vegetation is largely confined to street trees and residential landscaping. The notable exceptions to this are the natural areas surrounding the Little Cataraqui Creek valley and wetlands that extend north of highway 401. Other areas having vegetation are public parks, cemeteries and other large land holdings. RURAL LANDSCAPE North of Highway 401, the landscape is dominated by agricultural and rural residential land uses. There are no extensive forest tracts remaining as a result. The area is described by Rowe (1972) as being the Huron-Ontario forest sub-region, the northern boundary of which coincides with the point of contact of the limestone of the peninsula and the granite of the Precambrian shield. Sugar maple, beech, basswood, ashes, yellow birch, red maple and red, white and bur oaks are common dominant species in this region, along with a range of less dominant species including eastern hemlock, white pine, and balsam fir. Large tooth aspen and white birch are often found in areas of regeneration. 33830 - December 2004 3-3 SENES Consultants Limited Kingston Reinforcement Pipeline Agricultural uses are focused along Sunnyside Road and Bur Brook Road, resulting in the majority of lands north of the 401 and within the study area as being forested, although many of these forests are bisected by roads, residences, and utilities right-of-ways (oil, gas, electricity). Many agricultural fields have been left fallow and have regenerated over time and there are a number of pine plantations that have been planted, which add to the extent of forest cover in the area. The Conservation Authority lands themselves, have a combination of fallow fields, upland forests and areas of regeneration and plantations. The majority of the forests on the Authority lands are found surrounding the area of impoundment of the Little Cataraqui Creek. 3.7 WILDLIFE Migration of wildlife may be taking place by mammals along woodlots or hedgerows in an east- west direction. Some north-south migration may be taking place through watercourse culverts, bridges and underpasses. In some locations in the study area there are woodlots located directly north and south of the Highway; however, there is little provision for avian or mammal migratory linkage between them (Delcan, 2001). The following sections outline the significant wildlife species previously noted in other studies within the study area. Lower Collins Creek Wetland Complex From existing reports, significant wildlife species have been documented within and outside of the study area. These are: • The black tern, a provincially significant species. Negative changes in water regimes. Could result in loss of nesting habitat; • Black-crowned night heron; • Black tern; and, • Caspiantern. The black tern is provincially significant and has been identified to have a nesting site less in the Lower Collins Creek

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