GREENHILL, HANNON, UPPER DAVIS & UPPER OTTAWA CREEKS STEWARDSHIP ACTION PLANS STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE TOUR NOTES *Denotes additional information resulting from discussions during the tour 1. Hamilton Escarpment ESA The Hamilton Escarpment ESA is immediately to the north of the Greenhill subwatershed and runs along the escarpment boundary. See Hamilton Escarpment ESA Natural Areas Inventory Site Summary provided. Why Protect ESAs? Hamilton, like many other municipalities, identifies significant natural areas in its Official Plan as a means to protect natural areas and ecological functions. These areas are an important part of what makes Hamilton a great city. Hamilton has a wealth of significant natural areas that improve the quality of our air, water, and lives. Also, the Provincial Government, through the Planning Act, Provincial Policy Statement, Niagara Escarpment Plan, and Greenbelt Plan, requires that municipalities develop policies to protect natural heritage features. By identifying Core Areas and providing policies to protect and enhance them, the City of Hamilton ensures that these areas and the important functions they provide are preserved for the benefit of everyone. The above is information from the City of Hamilton Website: City of Hamilton. “Environmentally Significant Areas Impact Evaluation Group." http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PlanningEcDev/Divisions/Planning/CommunityPlanning/NaturalH eritage/ESAIEG/?WT.mc_id=ESAIEG&WT.hamilton_redirect_friendly=1, City of Hamilton. 2012. There are three ESA’s in Greenhill, Hannon, Upper Davis and Upper Ottawa Creeks subwatersheds. All three ESA’s are included in the City of Hamilton Natural Heritage Strategy Core Areas; All three are included in the Greenbelt Plan designated as Niagara Escarpment Commission; All three are included in the Niagara Escarpment Plan; the designations varying between Escarpment Protection, Escarpment Natural and Urban; Portions of all three ESA’s are included in the Niagara Escarpment Plan – Development Control Area; Numerous significant plant and animal species have been found in these ESA’s. *The plant communities within the Hamilton Escarpment ESA within urban areas are disturbed and contain a large number of invasive and non native species. These species are potentially out-competing native species and are decreasing the biodiversity of the area. This may reduce the potential for these areas to support faunal species. Stewardship recommendations would be to manage invasive species and in-fill plant with native species. 2. Albion Falls There are two reasons we have so many waterfalls in Hamilton, the Niagara and Eramosa escarpments. Of the 138 waterfalls all but 6 are created by the Niagara Escarpment. The remaining 6 waterfalls are created by the Eramosa Escarpment. The Eramosa Escarpment is a lesser known escarpment that runs parallel to the Niagara Escarpment about 1 km south. There are 6 waterfalls in the GHDO subwatersheds, 21 in the Red Hill watershed. Melt water and recession of glaciers formed the Niagara Escarpment and its valleys. Gorges like this one at Albion Falls have been carved out by the melt water. GREENHILL, HANNON, UPPER DAVIS & UPPER OTTAWA CREEKS STEWARDSHIP ACTION PLANS STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE TOUR NOTES Albion Falls is 19m high and 18m wide. It is a Complex Classical Cascade (Form, Dimension and Type). Its source water is Red Hill Creek (Hannon and Upper Ottawa subwatersheds). Site access and enhancements have been constructed for local residents and tourists to enjoy. Access and enhancements include: parking, trails and viewing platforms. Albion Falls is designated as a Regional Earth Science Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI). It also falls within the Red Hill Creek Escarpment Valley ESA. See Red Hill Creek Escarpment Valley ESA NAI Site Summary provided. ANSIs are areas of land and water that represent significant geological (earth science) and biological (life science) features. Earth science ANSIs include areas that contain examples of rock, fossil and landform features in Ontario. These features are the result of billions of years of geological processes and landscape evolution. Life science ANSIs are areas that contain examples of the many natural landscapes, communities, plants and animals found in the 14 natural regions of the province. The Ministry of Natural Resources identifies ANSIs that are 'provincially significant' by surveying regions and evaluating sites to decide which have the highest value for conservation, scientific study and education. In 1792 a grist mill was erected near Albion Falls in Barton Township by William Davis. Not far from the grist mill, a saw mill was also built to serve a small but growing community. This community hosted three hotels, a general store, and a blacksmith shop. The grist mill changed hands several times over the years, but by the early 1900’s the small vibrant village called Albion Mills was all but forgotten. Albion was a poetic version of the name ‘Britain’. Albion is the oldest known name of the island of Great Britain. Not far from the original location of the mill in King’s Forest Park is one of the mill stones with a commemorative plaque. Albion Falls was once seriously considered as a possible source of water for Hamilton. Rocks for the Albion Falls area were used in the construction of the Royal Botanical Gardens’ Rock Garden. Natural gas springs in the gorge used to fuel lamps in the village of Albion Mills. In the 1930’s residents would light the gas and cook hot dogs down in the gorge. Where the Red Hill Trail crosses the creek you can smell sulphur springing up out of the creek bed as well. *The large stones at the base of Albion Falls were once at the part of the waterfall but were forced off the falls during an intense storm in 2009. 3. King’s Forest Restoration The King’s Forest area has been identified as an area for key habitat restoration efforts as recommended in the Red Hill Valley Project Landscape Management Plan. It has been observed by local residents that Norway spruce and Red pine plantation as well as invasive species are being removed, leaving native deciduous trees and shrubs in place. The Landscape Management Plan cites efforts to maintain or restore forest and talus communities along the Niagara Escarpment and maintain linkages for wildlife, particularly vulnerable species. The connection at the Escarpment is considered most important due to the provincially and regionally significant functions of the Escarpment natural corridor. The Landscape Management Plan also describes plans for the Kings Forest Area during and after the construction of the RH Valley Parkway. “The King’s Forest Area includes a range of special habitats; including floodplain and slope forest Carolinian communities, as well as dry meadows. At the foot of the Escarpment significant butterfly GREENHILL, HANNON, UPPER DAVIS & UPPER OTTAWA CREEKS STEWARDSHIP ACTION PLANS STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE TOUR NOTES meadows occur on the dry sandy soils of the sand scarps. These meadows occur along the proposed alignment of the Parkway. King’s Forest contains the only forest interior habitat (more than 100m from an edge) in this area of the City of Hamilton. This area is important to area sensitive breeding bird species, which is important for breeding of migrant bird species. The proposed creek realignment will necessitate some clearing of this habitat, with a reduction in interior habitat until the re-vegetation reaches maturity. Reintroduction of flooding into portions of the valley will result in changes to forest composition, and should be beneficial to existing high quality groundcovers, associated with the historic channel. A key objective in this area is the reinforcement of habitat linkages between the Escarpment and the Creek corridor.” (Red Hill Valley Project Landscape Management Plan, 2003.) *A restoration area is approximately 300m north of the Albion Falls parking lot, following the regional trails. The pines were originally planted to stabilize sandy soil in the area. Buckthorn shrubs are being removed, allowing for the natural regeneration of serviceberry and chokecherry. 4. Mount Albion Stormwater Management Pond Mount Albion SWM pond was constructed in 2005. It was intended to treat a portion of the flow generated from Upper Ottawa and Hannon subwatersheds. It is now intended as a water quality pond for development in Upper Ottawa subwatershed proposed after 2002. It is an off-line facility. Its design allows a portion of storm flows into the facility for treatment while normal base flow by-pass the facility. The pond has been damaged numerous times during storm events due to the high velocities and volume of water acting on the pond banks. Some aspects of the pond are currently being considered, including: relocating the inlet, examination of the breach mid-berm, identification of the amount and quality of sediment accumulated at the facility, enhancements/modifications to the outlet, and review of creek stability. Additional capacity to accommodate the anticipated volumes of water is also under consideration. *Damage was observed at the pond inlet and outlet caused by storm events and improper pond maintenance. The function of stormwater ponds for addressing water quality and quantity issues was discussed. The installation of oil grit separators at the lot level in new developments was also discussed as a measure for ensuring stormwater water quality. Dredging was discussed as a form of maintenance for SWM ponds. Some discussion around whether or not fish would inhabit the SWM pond arose. Fish can be dropped in by birds and/or come in during times of high water. There was discussion related to the atypical location of the pond in a floodplain, typically SWM ponds are at a higher elevation and the natural flood storage of the floodplain would also be utilized. 5. Felker’s Falls ESA See Felker’s Falls Escarpment Valley ESA Natural Areas Inventory Site Summary provided. Felker’s Falls is 22m tall and 6m wide. It is a Terraced Ribbon Waterfall.