BRONTE CREEK WATERSHED STUDY Progreston Dam, Bronte Creek Conservation Halton March 2002 VISION STATEMENT Our vision for the Bronte Creek is a healthy creek in a healthy watershed. A watershed that supports a rich diversity of plants and animals in extensive, interconnected forests, wetlands, meadows, valleys and Niagara Escarpment features within both the rural and urban landscape. Through sustainable human activities, carefully planned development and stewardship initiatives, there will be a place for nature, community, agriculture and recreation. Our citizens will be stewards protecting, enhancing and restoring the watershed for future generations. Developed by the Bronte Creek Stakeholders The Bronte Creek Watershed Study Acknowledgements On behalf of the stakeholders, the members of the writing team would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people for their generous contributions to the production of the study: George Atkins Long time Bronte resident at “The Woodlands” Rob Baker University of Toronto Victor Cairns Fisheries and Oceans Canada Murray Charlton Environment Canada Gary Cousins County of Wellington Peter Crockett City of Hamilton Geza Gaspardi LGL Limited Doug Geiling Fisheries and Oceans Canada Leo Gohier Former Region of Hamilton-Wentworth Ron Griffith University of Guelph Erling Holm Royal Ontario Museum Brenda Law Puslinch Township Alan Magi City of Burlington Bill Mann Town of Milton Brian McCarry McMaster University Suzanne McInnes Region of Halton/Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority Mel Iovio Town of Milton Pat Parker Former Town of Flamborough Bill Pearce Former Region of Hamilton-Wentworth Cathy Plosz City of Hamilton Ted Salisbury Town of Oakville Mary Ellen Scanlon City of Hamilton Brian Smith Former Town of Flamborough John Struger Environment Canada Al Thachuk Ontario Ministry of the Environment Trudy Watson-Leung University of Toronto Brad Whitcombe Puslinch Township Brian Whitehead Ontario Ministry of the Environment Ho Wong Region of Halton Watershed Planning Staff Conservation Halton Conservation Halton Foundation The stakeholders would also like to thank the following agencies and municipalities for providing funding and in-kind support for the study: Fisheries and Oceans Canada City of Burlington Ontario Ministry of the Environment Town of Oakville Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Town of Milton Region of Halton Puslinch Township City of Hamilton EcoAction Community Funding Former Region of Hamilton-Wentworth Summer Experience Program Former Town of Flamborough Summer Career Placement, HRCD Wellington County Science & Technology Youth Internships Program Conservation Halton acknowledges the valuable contribution of base mapping data provided for this study by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Data published in this report are produced by Conservation Halton under license with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources © Queen's printer for Ontario, March 2002. i The Bronte Creek Watershed Study Bronte Creek Stakeholders The following people have given of their time, expertise and experience to provide the ideas and direction for this study. Martin Bateson Town of Milton Dave Boddington Bronte Creek Provincial Park Bill Christmas Izaak Walton Fly Fishers’ Club Nick Coleman Canadian National Railway Karen Cormack Cedar Springs Community Dean Cormack Cedar Springs Community Victor Enns Bronte Resident Ron Finlay Friends of Bronte Creek Provincial Park Teresa Giangregorio City of Burlington Ken Glasbergen Hamilton Fly Fishers and Tiers Carolyn Hart Region of Halton Doug Hatch Echo Springs Water Company Stan Haworth Courtcliffe Park Steering Committee Philip Krakar Hamilton-Wentworth Federation of Agriculture Mike Lansdown Friends of Bronte Creek Provincial Park Warren May Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Jennifer McDonald Region of Halton Bill McIlveen Halton Ecological and Environmental Advisory Committee Irene McIlveen Halton North Peel Naturalists Club Barb McKay Township of Puslinch Rosalind Minaji City of Burlington Brian Morrison Credit River Anglers Association Brian Peterkin Halton/Peel Stewardship Council John Pisapio Niagara Escarpment Commission Amy Rolf van den Baumen Oakville Heritage Trails Project Paul Savoie Fisheries and Oceans Canada Mary Ellen Scanlon City of Hamilton Terry Schwan Hamilton-Wentworth Stewardship Council Ed Segsworth Halton Federation of Agriculture Rob Shamess City of Hamilton Duncan Smith Oakville Heritage Trails Project Robert Stevens Crosswinds Golf Club Paul Sullivan Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Lower Lakes Sea Lamprey Assessment Unit Rob Thun Town of Oakville John Thurston Money’s Mushrooms Charlie Tilt Halton Federation of Agriculture Nancy Tilt Bronte Resident Art Timmerman Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Sandy White Lowville Golf Course Jean Williams Conservation Halton Chair ii The Bronte Creek Watershed Study Writing Team Members Brenda Axon Manager Watershed Planning Services Robert Edmondson Director, Watershed Management Services David Featherstone Ecologist David Gale Watershed Planner Ray Guther Manager Watershed Engineering Services Jarold Holland-Hibbert GIS Specialist Sheila O’Neal Stewardship Restoration Technician Jo-Anne Rzadki Stewardship Coordinator Sherwin Watson-Leung Assistant Ecologist Steve Holysh/Heather Malcolmson Hydrogeologist, Region of Halton Landowner Contact Staff Zoë Bond Adam Duskocy Jessica Winkler Special Note of Thanks The stakeholders and writing team wish to recognize the contribution of Ed Segsworth, who passed away during the course of the study. Ed, a Halton farmer, was always actively involved in the community representing the interests of farmers. He was past president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Halton Federation of Agriculture, and continued to represent the farming community through his involvement as a stakeholder on the Bronte Creek Watershed Study. He died on November 7, 2001. iii The Bronte Creek Watershed Study TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………..……………………………………………………………… vii INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………………………… 1 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Climate ………………………………………………….………………………………… 3 Physiography and Surficial Geology ………………………………………………………. 3 Soils………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Ecological and Cultural Heritage ………………………………………………………….. 6 THE WATERSHED OF TODAY CARING FOR WATER ………………………………………………………………… 9 Hydrology and Stream Morphology ……………………………………………… 9 Surface Water Quality …………………………………………………………….. 12 Groundwater ………………………………………………………………………. 14 CARING FOR NATURE ………………………………………………………………… 17 Natural Heritage …………………………………………………………………… 17 Aquatic Habitat ……………………………………………………………………. 22 Aquatic Ecosystem Health ………………………………………………………… 26 CARING FOR COMMUNITY …………………………………………………………. 27 Urban and Rural Development …………………………………………………… 27 Flood Damage Centres ……………………………………………………………. 28 Agriculture ………………………………………………………………………… 30 Stewardship ………………………………………………………………………... 31 THE VISION FOR TOMORROW Vision Statement …………………………………………………………………………… 33 Guiding Principles ………………………………………………………………………… 33 REGENERATION PLANS Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………….. 35 Regeneration Actions Applicable to the Entire Watershed ……………………………….. 36 Lower Bronte Creek: Regeneration Plan…………………………………………………... 39 Upper Bronte Creek and Strabane Creek: Regeneration Plan……………………………… 44 Indian Creek: Regeneration Plan..………………………………………………………….. 50 Mount Nemo, Willoughby and Lowville Creek: Regeneration Plan …..………………….. 54 Mountsberg Creek: Regeneration Plan …………………………………………………….. 61 Kilbride and Flamboro Creek: Regeneration Plan………………………………………….. 67 Limestone Creek: Regeneration Plan………………..……………………………………… 73 v The Bronte Creek Watershed Study TAKING RESPONSIBILITY Implementation Actions and Strategies ……………………………………………………. 79 GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS ………………………………………………………… 85 TABLES 1. Natural Areas and Associated Designations …………………………………………………… 20 2. Aquatic Ecosystem Health …………………………………………………………………….. 26 3. Lower Bronte Creek Subwatershed Regeneration Actions …………………………………….. 42 4. Strabane and Upper Bronte Creek Subwatersheds Regeneration Actions ……………………….. 48 5. Indian Creek Subwatershed Regeneration Actions …………………………………………….. 52 6. Mount Nemo, Willoughby and Lowville Creek Subwatersheds Regeneration Actions ………. 58 7. Mountsberg Creek Subwatershed Regeneration Actions ………………………………………. 64 8. Kilbride and Flamboro Creek Subwatersheds Regeneration Actions …………………………. 70 9. Limestone Creek Subwatershed Regeneration Actions………………………………………… 76 10. Implementation Actions and Strategies ……………………………………………………… 78 FIGURES 1. The Bronte Creek Watershed ………………………………………………………………….. viii 2. Physiography …………………………………………………………………………………… 2 3. Soil Type ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 4. Bronte Creek Subwatersheds ………………………………………………………………… 10 5. ESAs and Ecological Linkages ………………………………………………………………… 18 6. Fisheries Habitat ………………………………………………………………………………... 23 7. Aquatic Ecosystem Health …………………………………………………………………….. 25 8. Regeneration Plan Index ……………………………………………………………………… 34 9. Lower Bronte Creek Subwatershed Regeneration Plan ……………………………………….. 43 10. Strabane and Upper Bronte Creek Subwatersheds Regeneration Plan …………………………… 49 11. Indian Creek Subwatershed Regeneration Plan ………………………………………………... 53 12. Mount Nemo, Willoughby and Lowville Creek Subwatersheds Regeneration Plan ………….. 59 13. Mountsberg Creek Subwatershed Regeneration Plan …………………………………………. 65 14. Kilbride and Flamboro Creek Subwatersheds Regeneration Plan …………………………….. 71