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Lambton Shores Tributaries Watershed Report

2011

Maria Strybos, Muriel Andreae, Erin Carroll, Jessica Van Zwol 2

Table of Contents 1. Introduction ...... 6 1.1 Lake Huron: The Sweetwater Sea ...... 6 1.2 Watershed Planning Approach ...... 8 2. Watershed Landscape Features ...... 9 2.1 Lake Huron Hydrodynamics ...... 9 Climate Change ...... 11 2.2. Location ...... 11 Topography ...... 12 Physiography ...... 12 Bedrock Geology and Surficial Geology ...... 12 Soils ...... 13 2.3 Beach Ownership and Management ...... 13 Septic Systems ...... 13 Main Ipperwash ...... 14 West Ipperwash ...... 15 Kettle Point ...... 15 Lake Valley Grove ...... 15 Cedarview Beach ...... 15 Glendale Beach ...... 16 Lake View Haven Beach ...... 16 4. The Socio-Economic Landscape ...... 16 4.1 History ...... 16 4.2 Demographics ...... 17 4.3 Industry ...... 17 4.4 and Official Plans ...... 18 4.5 Land Use ...... 18 5. Natural Areas ...... 21 5.1 Carolinian Life Zone ...... 23 5.2 Beaches, Dunes and Recreational Waters ...... 23 5.3 Wetlands and Other Natural Areas ...... 23 5.4 Wildlife ...... 25 Provincially Rare Plants ...... 26 3

Significant Breeding Birds ...... 26 Amphibians, Reptiles, Mammals ...... 26 5. Beach Quality Issues and Concerns ...... 27 5.1 Beach Quality and Aesthetics ...... 27 Blue Flag ...... 29 5.2 Community Feedback: Aquafest 2011 & Surveys ...... 30 5.3 Round-Table Meeting ...... 32 5.4 Issues and Concerns ...... 34 Water Quality ...... 34 Lack of washrooms and Litter ...... 35 Algal Fouling and “Black Muck” ...... 35 Plastic Nurdles ...... 37 Motor Vehicles on the Beach ...... 37 Avian Species ...... 38 Pets...... 39 Agriculture ...... 39 Invasive Species ...... 39 Invasive Species: Phragmites ...... 40 Invasive Species: Zebra and Quagga Mussels ...... 40 6. Aquatic Monitoring...... 41 6.1 Nutrients ...... 41 6.2 Parameters ...... 42 6.3 Microbiological contamination ...... 44 6.4 Beach Sampling Protocol and Results...... 46 6.5 Beach BTEX Sampling ...... 47 6.6 Surface Water Quality: Inland Tributaries ...... 49 6.7 B.M. Ross Engineering Monitoring In Lambton Shores ...... 50 6.8 Lambton County Community Health Services Department Beach E. coli ...... 54 7. Next Steps...... 55 7.1 Water Quality Management ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. 7.2 Management Options ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. References ...... 56 Appendix ...... 63 4

List of Tables Table 1: Number of livestock operations located within Lambton Shores subwatersheds, identified by windshield survey. Categories refer to operation size...... 20 Table 2: Natural area cover in Lambton Shores, compared to recommended and SCRCA area values...... 22 Table 3: Significant natural areas in Lambton Shores ...... 24 Table 4: Species of Concern and at Risk in Lambton Shores, as found in ARKPP CAP...... 25 Table 5: Species at risk identified in Important Bird Area...... 26 Table 6: Additional concerns of beach users, as described in comment sections...... 32 Table 7 Results from Brainstorming Session at round-table meeting on November 10, 2011 in Thedford, arranged in priority sequence according to dot exercise...... 34 Table 8: Management categories and issues identified in the Lambton Shores watershed...... 33 Table 9: Results of informal black muck analysis under 20X microscope...... 37 Table 10: Forms and impacts of phosphorus and nitrogen monitored in water quality sampling. .... 42 Table 11: Parameters included in beach and tributary monitoring in 2011 SCRCA sampling season...... 43 Table 12: Measured variables at four beach sites in 2011. E. coli values reported as geometric means, while averages are reported for conductivity, temperature, pH, Do and TDS...... 46 Table 13: Minimum, average and maximum BTEX sample values in 2011 season...... 48 Table 14: Shashawanda Creek water quality averages from COA sampling 2008-2011. Bolded values exceed guidelines...... 49 Table 15: Water quality re