Southern Stream Monitoring and Research Team - Project Update

Please use this chart to highlight and projects (monitoring/research) that your organization has been involved in during the past field season. Identify the methods or protocols used and the type of data collected. Challenges and opportunities could include information on how your work could benefit the SOSMART or how you feel the SOSMART could assist.

Organization Contact Monitoring/Research Watershed(s) Methods/Protocol Brief Summary/Status Challenges/Opportunities Activity Dr Douglas Holdway Caged fish study in Oshawa Creek Caged rainbow In progress, MSc student analyzing his data and Chemical analyses – Received data set Faculty of 905 721 8668 x2606 Oshawa Creek; passive trout; various another just starting assessment of toxicity of on previous chemistry from CLOCA Science, UOIT Douglas.Holdway@uoit. samplers deployed in enzymatic Harmony Road waste dump leachate ca another branch to biomarkers being assess waste dump assessed leachate impacts. Jeff McNeice and Ian Stream electrofishing Black, Harmony OSAP Revisiting sites sampled in 2002. Kelsey and Farewell CLOCA Creeks

Jeff McNeice and Ian Spring spawning Black, Harmony Visual Majority of effort directed at Rainbow trout and white sucker were Kelsey survey and Farewell observations, GPS, Black/Harmony/Farewell documented. When comparing CLOCA Creeks, Lynde Photos information with OSAP data it appears Creek, Pringle that rainbow trout continue to spawn Creek, Robinson in Harmony Creek (heavily urbanized, Creek, Darlington lack of SWM) but we see little to no Creek, Tooley recruitment. Creek, Westside Plans to also conduct brook trout spawning survey in the coming weeks. Jeff McNeice and Ian Temperature Black, Harmony Temperature 74 temperature loggers were deployed. The Lack of thermal classification Kelsey Monitoring and Farewell Loggers majority of loggers were used in the methodology for Ontario. STATE CLOCA Creeks, Black/Harmony/Farewell watershed and the seems to be the leading resource. headwaters of Bowmanville Creek. Loggers are Creek still in the stream, will be left in until December (headwaters), to detect groundwater contributions Pringle Creek, Soper Creek, Oshawa Creek (pond), Bennett Creek, Warbler Creek Jeff McNeice and Ian Biological Water Black, Harmony OBBN Data collected, need to analyze Kelsey Quality and Farewell CLOCA Creeks, Bowmanville Creek Jeff McNeice and Ian Barrier Survey CLOCA with Adding to existing information Kelsey emphasis on BHF CLOCA

CLOCA Jeff McNeice and Ian Durham Region Coastal Wetlands Boat Electrofishing Kelsey Coastal Wetland in CLOCA, Monitoring TRCA, GRCA, and Bay of Quinte Citizens’ Joyce Chau Changing Currents Various (Credit, Adapted TRCA • Program includes training, teacher-led in class • Getting the equipment/data back Environment Program: Don, Duffins, benthic monitoring lesions, monitoring event, and individual data • Opportunity to partner with local Watch water quality Etobicoke, protocol analysis CAs for schools and individuals monitoring (BMI) with Humber) • This program will continue in 2009 with • Reporting on disparate data from high schools in spring schools different locations and fall Citizens’ Joyce Chau Check Your Watershed Cobourg Creek & OSAP/CYWD • 2007 – The technical report is near finished • Opportunity to applying CYWD to Environment Day: Bronte Creek protocol • 2008 – The data needs to be prepped for and all ORM watersheds Watch Low flow survey of entered into the discharge data sheet • Inconsistencies with site codes (in partnership small streams with • 2009 – Looking for partners for 09 • Opportunity to be applied to OSIS with GRCA, volunteers during • Opportunity for assistance with CH, CSSP) summer low flow data entry/analysis/facilitation between partners • Securing funding/sustainability Citizens’ Joyce Chau Ontario Lakes for the District Developed by Dr. • The technical and summary report for the • Starting to measure P from streams Environment Future: Municipality of Neil Hutchinson at 2008 sampling season is near completion feeding into the lakes – assistance Watch Lake water quality Muskoka Gartner Lee and will be posted on the following with some standardized protocols (Working with monitoring (TP, T Limited website: is appreciated. the Muskoka Coliform, E.Coli, http://www.citizensenvironmentwatch.org/wqi/m • Opportunity to expand to other Lakes Clarity) with cottagers uskoka_lakes/ cottage associations Association) from May to September • We intend on continuing this program next year with the MLA. OMNR Science Les Stanfield Analyzing headwater Duffins, new procedures for Geology and land use are the most important Expand methods to other areas but Information data on discharge Harmony, use of Crest Stage predictors of stream response. The amount of require validation of Manning’s Section following storm events Oshawa and gauges and rainfall is less important equation in headwater streams in varying geology and Ganaraska Rivers techniques to land use conditions attribute Manning’s equation coefficients for each stream Mark S. Poos (Ph.D Redside dace research Rouge River, Fish community Near completion. Scheduled for completion as of Opportunities: Currently investigating University of candidate) in and monitoring done Humber River, assessments done September 2009. pilot project in new techniques for Toronto, collaboration with Don River, using depletion visualization of 3D stream Department of Toronto Region Duffins Creek. surveys with seine morphology and statistical testing of Ecology and Conservation Authority nets. Habitat suitability of various stream forms to Evolutionary (C. Tu, D. Lawrie) assessment done redside dace. If this project advances Biology using OSAP. well, it could eventually be expanded to other species and into a new OSAP module. Rachel Martens Headwater (benthic 14 Mile, OSAP – hydraulic We collected the info for the study and sent it to Chopping through ice. SO much rain. [email protected] drift/hydraulic response McCraney Ck response TRCA and Uof W. Odum is currently looking Access to sites. Lots of data collected. Conservation 905 336-1158 x 275 study) – in conjunction Stationary benthic through samples. Time requirement. Too much flow so Halton with TRCA, MNR and nets nets flow off or overfill. It was really U of W interesting to see the changes in the 4 stations from winter to fall. Lots of great data. Rachel Martens Check your Watershed Bronte OSAP Big contrast from 2007. 2007 we had a lot of dry Volunteers not showing up. The Conservation [email protected] Day stations. 2008 only a few. biggest rainfall of the year – almost Halton 905 336-1158 x 275 flood conditions an hour after the event finished. Crews getting to the right stations

Rachel Martens Long term Urban Burlington OSAP and OBBN So much water – not baseflow, turbid Conservation [email protected] environmental and Oakville and -channel conditions. Fit in some extra fishing Halton 905 336-1158 x 275 monitoring annual stations morphology for Master Plans studies. Urban throughout CH -site ID stations are really flashy and change -Fishing so quickly. Accessing Private -Benthic property. Rachel Martens Temperature analysis Urban stations STATE and Debris jams washing away temp Conservation [email protected] Stoneman methods loggers. Lost a few. Halton 905 336-1158 x 275

Conservation Rachel Martens WWTP monitoring – 16 Mile Creek Electrofishing – Data will be worked up in the winter. All the benthic boxes were found this Halton [email protected] effluent study – Multi OSAP year. The concrete channel /WWTP Conservation 905 336-1158 x 275 year study Benthic boxes really alters the conductivity so its Halton hard catching the fish

Conservation Rachel Martens Reservoir Kelso Lake, Boat fishing – 1000 New species observed. Kelso fishing was for a Getting the boat down into Hilton Halton [email protected] electrofishing Mountsberg, second transects dam repair EA and Parks Master Plans for the Falls – very steep and rocky. 905 336-1158 x 275 Hilton Falls Mountsberg and Hilton Falls Conservation Areas. Conservation Rachel Martens Spawning Surveys 16 Mile Creek Walking sections of Lots of Chinook this fall. Lots of Rainbows in Only found 1 brown trout redd. Halton [email protected] Bronte Creek the creek the spring. Chinook seemed to start earlier this 905 336-1158 x 275 fall than normal. Conservation Rachel Martens Red Side Dace 16 Mile Seining Checking old RSD sites Seineing is not always very easy to do Halton [email protected] monitoring in narrow and bushy reaches. Fish get 905 336-1158 x 275 through seine net. Beth Gilbert Paul Helm Monitoring Humber, Rouge, Storm event based -Tributaries ongoing since 2006 Determining relative contributions of MOE, U of T contaminant Etobicoke, sampling and grab - Air ongoing since 2007 contaminants from tributary, air and TRCA, City of concentrations in 6 Mimico, Don, sampling for rivers -STPs new for 2008 STP sources Toronto GTA tributaries, 3 Highland and STPs Large volume sampling is required to STPs and ambient air STPs: Highland, Polyurethane foam achieve level of detection Ashbridges, disk for passive air Humber sampling MOE & CAs Pradeep Goel Provincial Water 36 Conservation -8 samples per year; -Ongoing since 1964 Provincial scale program with design Quality Monitoring Authorities ice free season -Reviewing suitability of network to address based on site specific water quality Network >400 monitoring -grab sampling climate change considerations stations approach Large scale ambient water quality monitoring network Todd Howell –Coastal Duffins, -Grab sampling and 2008 sampling season Achieving multiple objectives with MOE, CAs, Study: Characterization Carruthers, composite sampling 2009 sampling to be determined with partner multiple partner agencies City of Toronto of water quality in Ganaraska, 16 agencies tributary-affected and Mile, 20 Mile, developed areas of the Oakville Creek nearshore and linkages with the offshore Todd Howell Cladophora, fecal Ajax-Duffins Specialized Oct 2007 until Oct 2009 Determining significance of literature MOE & Wilfrid Jan Thomas indicators, and Creek microbiology reported association between nuisance Laurier pathogen monitoring in techniques benthic algae, cladophora and fecal nearshore and beach pollution indicators Application of advanced microbiological techniques to environmental samples to help answer questions in a Great Lakes setting Toronto and Scott Jarvie Regional Watershed Mimico Creek OSAP Data collected at program sites on a 3 year Meta Data into OSIS Region 416-661-6600 Monitoring Program – Don River schedule. 2008 completes the third sampling for Conservation [email protected] Fish Community and Highland Creek these watersheds Complete brook trout spawning Authority Habitat Petticoat Creek surveys at select sites

Invasive species monitoring

Link aquatic communities to Terrestrial Natural Heritage quality Toronto and Thilaka Krishnaraj Regional Watershed Etobicoke Creek TRCA modified Annual sampling of approximately 150 sites Incorporate freshwater mussel surveys Region 416-661-6600 Monitoring Program – Mimico Creek Travelling kick and throughout 9 watersheds. into OSAP protocol Conservation [email protected] Benthos Humber River sweep Authority 150 sites Don River Highland Creek Rouge River Petticoat Creek Duffins Creek Carruthers Creek Toronto and Jeff Vandenberg TRCA Erosion Control various OSAP – fish, Data collected to provide baseline data at sites Adds data to Toronto Watersheds Region 416-661-6600 Sites pre-construction habitat requiring erosion control works Conservation [email protected] monitoring Authority

Toronto and Cheryl Goncalves Benthic Algae Humber River MOE/TRCA in Partnership with MOE to further develop algae Opportunity to expand use of this tool Region 416-661-6600 Biomonitoring Etobicoke Creek development (periphyton) as a biomonitoring tool in Ontario in Ontario. Further develop and refine Conservation [email protected] Don River 2008 field work involved field testing and a Water Quality “index” based on Authority/Minis Highland Creek QA/QC of sample collection protocol – data periphyton species/communities try of The Rouge River analysis not yet completed Environment Share results with other agencies/groups conducting monitoring

Develop algae module for OSAP? Toronto and Jeff Vandenberg Natural Channel Various OSAP Data collection to assess the effectiveness of Region 416-661-6600 Design Monitoring various natural channel design projects in Conservation [email protected] Toronto watersheds Authority

Toronto and Jeff Vandenberg Stream Water Mimico Creek Digital Temperature loggers collected and downloaded. Region 416-661-6600 Temperature Don River Temperature Conservation [email protected] Highland Creek loggers – May Need to calculate thermal stability. Also use box Authority Petticoat Creek through October plots to show seasonal temperature patterns.

Data collected on 3 year cycle with other fish and habitat Toronto and Angela Wallace Surface Water Quality Etobicoke Creek Monthly grab Partnership with MOE (PWQMN) and the City of Region 416-661-6600 Monitoring Mimico Creek samples, weather Toronto. 34 sites total Conservation [email protected] Humber River independent, lab Authority Don River analysed for Highland Creek conventional wq Rouge River parameters, metals Petticoat Creek and E. Coli Duffins Creek Carruthers Creek Toronto and Nelson Amaral Regional Watershed Don River Monitoring at Used to assess changes to geomorphic conditions Compare results with channel morph Region 416-661-6600 Monitoring – Fluvial Highland Creek control cross- at approximately 50 sites in these watersheds. data collected through OSAP Conservation [email protected] Geomorpholgy Mimico Creek sections set up by Authority Parish Geomorphic Also use rapid stability indicies (RGA, RSAT) in 2002 Toronto and Jamie Duncan Baseflow Monitoring Etobicoke Creek GSC Protocol Program includes more than 1400 stations 80 of Region 416-661-6600 Mimico Creek (Hinton) which are indicator stations monitoring annually Conservation [email protected] Humber River Authority Don River Highland Creek Rouge River Petticoat Creek Duffins Creek Carruthers Creek Toronto and 416-661-6600 Duffins Heights Project Duffins Creek OSAP, Digital measure effectiveness of BMPs (may include pre, Opportunities for similar work in Region @trca.on.ca Temperature during & post development monitoring) future in Seaton Lands (Duffins), Conservation loggers Mayfield West (Etobicoke Creek) Authority Water level transducers Crest Stage Gauges Laura Del Giudice Headwater Study Duffins, Rouge, -new/testing, no -2008 field season complete, detritus/invert data - C: funding - $10,000-20-000 funding Toronto and 416-661-6600 x5334 -understanding the Humber, recognized processing and analysis underway gap for 2009 Region [email protected] importance of Etobicoke, standards -plans for 2009 under development -O: study expansion – plans to expand Conservation headwater streams as McCraney, 14 study to understand seasonal fish use Authority seasonal and indirect mile – applicable -C: protocol development fish habitat to all of S. Ont Environment Lise Trudel Analysis of chloride Humber, Don, OSAP fish and Environment Canada is funding an analysis of Agencies with data on chlorides, as Canada Bruce Kilgour levels, fish Rouge, Highland benthic data water quality, fish and benthic community data well as fish or benthos are welcome to Kilgour & Bahram Gharabaghi communities and (TRCA historical collected between 2000 and 2008 to explore participate. Time trends in biological Associates benthic communities in collections) temporal variations and how they might be and water quality conditions will be University of Toronto-region related to implementing the code of Practice for developed for each location for which Guelph tributaries pre and post Road Salts. Project is to start early December. there is data. implementation of the Code of Practice for Road Salts (2004). CVC Loveleen Clayton or Integrated Watershed Credit River Fish – OSAP for Purpose: to determine watershed health Adrienne Ockenden Monitoring Program streams, hoopnetting in ponds, lake efishing Status: ongoing with boat Benthics – CVC developed kick & sweep Water quality & sediment quality – PWQMN, other Groundwater quantity – Groundwater quality – Terrestrial (forest & wetlands) – EMAN, CWS, other Terrestrial (riparian) – in development Geomorphology – CVC developed Meteorology – precip, wind Surface Water Quantity – gauging stations, other

CVC Luke Harvey Effectiveness Credit River Generally same as Purpose: measure effectiveness of BMPs (may Monitoring above include pre, during & post development (NW Brampton, monitoring) Fletchers, Credit River tribs) Status: ongoing (2 with 5 yr timeframes, 1 ongoing)

CVC Jackie Thomas Credit River Event Credit River TRCA led initiative Purpose: to characterize water quality (loads) and Sampling pathogen inputs into Lake Ontario, during runoff • Partnership events to assist with drinking water source with TRCA, protection studies and investigations of the near MOE shore zones of the lake during the 2008 special year of study.

Status: 1yr program

CVC Luke Harvey or Jackie LID Monitoring Credit River Flow, Water Purpose: to measure the effectiveness of on-the- Thomas quality, & ground LID projects (ie performance monitoring) Meteorology TBD Status: in planning stages

CVC Adrienne Ockenden Benthic Invertebrate Credit River OBBN Purpose: to understand spatial/temporal Temporal Study (in variability in Ontario streams; to determine partnership with appropriate periods of sampling OBBN) Status: completion in 2009 Jackie Thomas or Impact Monitoring Sheridan & Same as Integrated Purpose: to determine cause & effect CVC Adrienne Ockenden Cooksville Watershed relationships in a deteriorated system Creeks (CVC Monitoring jurisdiction) Program, except: Water quality – CVC-developed automated water quality sampling

Amanjot Singh Real Time Water Credit River Continuous Purpose: to monitor and model the effects of CVC Quality Monitoring Hydrolab climate change measurements for the following Status: ongoing parameters: Water temperature, Dissolved oxygen, Conductivity, pH, Turbidity Ontario Chris Jones 1. Systematic Reference- Ontario Benthos Papers being written. Ministry of method of condition Biomonitoring Environment, defining criteria modeling work is Network (plus Database is built. Forms will be on-line shortly. Dorset for minimal being done in additional methods Substantial work remains to be done on reporting Environmental impact (i.e., south-western to be described in software Science Centre what qualifies Ontario future manuscripts) as a reference (Nottawasaga, site for Grand, and bioassessments) Niagara and west) 2. Evaluating different reference- condition modeling approaches (i.e., different ways of matching reference- and test-sites 3. Building database and reporting software for Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network Conservation Andrea Hibbert Baseflow (51 sites) Halton Velocity/Area Augment flow data in CH and HCA. Baseflow sites weren’t visited due to Halton/Hamilto 905 854-9229 x230 Hamilton method weather conditions in 2008, less data n CA- SWP than previous years.

Conservation Andrea Hibbert Water Quality (36 Halton Grab sampling; Augment water quality data in CH and HCA. Halton/Hamilto 905 854-9229 x230 sites) Hamilton parameters similar n CA- SWP to PWQMN

Conservation Andrea Hibbert Thermal Classification Halton STATE and Data collected, need to analyze and update stream Lost some loggers with high flows this Halton/Hamilto 905 854-9229 x230 of streams Hamilton Stoneman methods classification. year. n CA- SWP

NVCA Ian Ockenden Surface Water Quality Townline Creek Paired grab samples Determination of impacts to Blue Mountain Interjurisdictional with Grey Sauble watershed CA

NVCA Various PWQMN – event 18 stations Establishing criteria for “precip. based grab samples event” Biomonitoring Various OBBN 2 subsheds annually on 5 year rotational – Severn Reference condition approach NVCA Sound & Innisfil Property access Data management Protocol variation in historical data

Snow Valley OBBN Impact monitoring of development projects Selection of appropriate indices NVCA Spring Lakes following establishment of baseline

Tottenham BioMAP – (Ekman Impact monitoring attached to the CofA Fluid protocols NVCA Angus sampling @ Angus) Beavers New Tecumseth WWTP monitoing NVCA Ian Ockenden & Fred Temperature Various Summer logger Rotational with biomonitoring sites & Establishing a standard method of Dobbs Monitoring deployment stewardship initiatives analysis NVCA Ian Ockenden & Fred DO Monitoring Innisfil Creek Summer logger Establishing affects of low flows and water Standard protocols Dobbs deployment takings on DO & with stewardship initiatives NVCA Fred Dobbs Electrofishing Various Presence/absence Following a long hiatus slow reintegration of EF Staffing/funding exploration of new into monitoring program & with stewardship locations initiatives NVCA Ryan Post Innisfil Creek Innisfil Creek Baseflow, Establishing a IWMS for a high taking system, What protocol to base threshold flows Integrated Water biomonitoring, WQ including monitoring to establish environmental- on? Management Strategy monitoring, PTTW, science based threshold flows DO & temperature logging NVCA Ryan Post NEC Baseflow Study Pretty, Mad, Pine, Current meter, temp Determining BF contribution at key geological Funding to maintain momentum Boyne, Upper loggers boundary (Amabel-Clinton cabothead) Nottawasaga Rivers