Hydrogeological & Geochemical Evaluation of the Eastern Minesing Wetland in Support of the Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly Ryan Post, NVCA │ [email protected] │ November 2015 Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) • Genus (or Group): Somatochlora • Somato – body, physical home of the soul • Chlora – green • Brilliant emerald green eyes • Dark brown & metallic green body • Body: 60-65 mm long • Wingspan: 90-95 mm • Inhospitable habitat • Hard to identify • 8 similar species in Simcoe County 2 Range and Larval Habitat Requirements • Restrictive • Springwater • Slow moving • Shallow (few cm) • Ca2+ & Mg2+ dominated wetlands • Undisturbed marsh or fen overlying dolomite bedrock https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2010/04/23/2010‐8808/endangered‐and‐ threatened‐wildlife‐and‐plants‐final‐revised‐critical‐habitat‐for‐hines‐emerald 3 MNRF HED Project Objectives • Address key knowledge gaps for the recovery of Hine’s Emerald dragonfly: 1. Groundwater discharge and recharge areas, 2. Groundwater levels and 3. Groundwater chemistry 4 http://files.ontario.ca/environment‐and‐energy/species‐at‐risk/stdprod_099155.pdf Minesing Wetlands & HED Generalized Location (with 500m buffer) HED: A Groundwater Perspective 6 GW Recharge & Discharge: Snow Valley Upland and the Fen 7 Minesing Wetlands Groundwater Monitoring Program • Network: • 28 MWs at 15 locations established in 1996 by Bradford (1999) • 15 MWs at 9 locations installed in 2013 by NVCA • 2 drilled MWs at 2 locations installed 2014 by NVCA • Each location consists of: 1. Standpipe screened just below the surface of the peat 2. Piezometer screened at approximately 2-3m, just above mineral soil. 8 Minesing Wetlands Monitoring Program – Field Work/Data Set • Static manual water level (1997, 1998, 2009-2015) • Level loggers (2009, 2014, 2015) • GW quality sampling (1997- 1998, 2010, 2013-2015) 9 Minesing - GW Flow Context Monitoring Well Correlation Coefficient (R) T6-3A_13 0.957 T6-3B_13 0.951 T6-4 0.993 T6-5A_13 0.992 Geochemical Characterization Cations 12 Geochemical Characterization Anions 13 Geochemical Characterization Sodium concentration Geochemical Characterization glufosinate concentrations Common HED Habitat Characteristics • Common habitat site characteristic is the presence of sheetflow and/or contained rivulets (Lee et al., 2006 and Aley et al., 2007). • Juxtaposition of areas with standing water and drier mounds caused by microtopographic variation. • Bradbury et al. (2012): calcium/magnesium bicarbonate type, and is relatively pristine with respect to common contaminants such as nitrate and chloride. • GW & SW were found to be isotopically similar. 16 Minesing HED Habitat Summary • Slow moving sheetflow • Geochemically: calcium-bicarbonate/alkaline • Gramaniod fen: predominance of ground level vegetation • Consistent GW response to precipitation • Symbiotic relationship with Digger Crayfish 17 Next Steps* 1. Scenario testing of % impervious surface in the Snow Valley Uplands to determine impacts to the fen 2. Potential habitat suitability analysis 18 Additional Information • Project report (2015) • Hydrogeochemical characterization of the eastern Minesing Wetlands (2012) • Integrated Minesing Wetlands Monitoring Program - 2009 Results (2010) Available at www.nvca.on.ca/watershed- science/groundwater under ‘Special Groundwater Projects’ 19 Acknowledgements • MNRF- SAR Stewardship Fund • Dr. John Spoelstra (Environment Canada) • Dave Featherstone • Stephanie McPhie • Michael Saunders • Lorraine Adderley • Ryan Mueller 20.