Natural areas iNveNtory 2006–2009 Volume 2 Table of Contents Abstract Acknowledgements Volume 1 1.0 Executive Summary ……………………………………………………………………….…… 1-1 1.1 The Need ……………………………………………………………………………..… 1-1 1.2 Natural Areas in the Study …………………………………………………………… 1-2 1.3 Project Design …………………………………………………………………………. 1-3 1.3.1 ……………………………………………………………………….……………. 1-3 1.3.2 …………….………………………………………………………………….…… 1-3 1.3.3 ……………………………………………………………………….……………. 1-3 1.4 End Products ……………………………………………………………………….….. 1-4 1.5 Project Implementation …………………………………………………………..…… 1-4 1.5.1 Management Team …………………………………………………………… 1-5 1.5.2 Field Crew ……………………………………………………………………… 1-5 1.5.3 Project Committees …………………………………………………………… 1-5 1.6 Methodology ……………………………………………………………………….…… 1-6 1.6.1 Site Selection – Landowner Contact ………………………………………... 1-6 1.6.2 Wonderful Volunteers ………………………………………………….……... 1-7 1.7 Methodologies …………..……………………………………………………………... 1-7 1.7.1 Ecological Land Class (ELC) ……………………………………….............. 1-7 1.7.2 Data Entry and Compilation ………………………………………................ 1-8 1.7.3 Natural Area Sites and the Organization of Management Unit …………... 1-9 1.7.4 GIS Methodology for Delineation of the Community Series Polygons ….1-10 1.7.5 Wetland Evaluation Methodology of the Ministry of Natural Resources ..1-11 1.8 Project Funding ………………………………………………………………………. 1-14 1.9 Project Results and Recommendations …………………………………………….1-14 1.10 Significant Species …………………………………………………………………....1-16 1.11 Final Report Format ………………………………………………………………….. 1-17 2.0 Watershed Geologic Characterization ……………………………………………………….. 2-1 2.1 Southern Portion of the Study Area …………………………………………………. 2-1 2.1.1 Bedrock Geology ……………………………………………………………... 2-1 2.1.2 Surface Geology ………………………………………………………………. 2-2 2.2 Northern Portion of the Study Areas ……………………………………………….... 2-3 2.2.1 Bedrock Geology ……………………………………………………………... 2-3 2.2.2 Surface Geology …………………………………………………………….... 2-4 2.3 A Description of Geologic Features within the Study Area ……………………….. 2-5 2.3.1 The Onondaga Escarpment ……………………………………………….... 2-5 2.3.2 The Wainfleet Bog and Humberstone Marsh ……………………….……... 2-7 2.3.3 The Haldimand Clay Plain ………………………………………………….... 2-8 2.3.4 The Lake Erie Shoreline ……………………………………………………... 2-9 2.3.5 The Erigan Channel ……………………………………………………….... 2-10 2.3.6 Post Glacial Lake Wainfleet ………………………………………………... 2-11 2.3.7 The Dunnville Sand Plain …………………………………………………... 2-11 2.3.8 Drainage on the Haldimand Clay Plain ………………………………….... 2-12 2.3.9 The Niagara River …………………………………………………………... 2-13 2.3.10 The Fort Erie Moraine …………………………………………………….... 2-14 2.3.11 The Vinemount, Fort Erie and Niagara Falls Moraine……………………. 2-14 Natural Heritage Areas Inventory, 2010 i 2.3.12 The Fonthill Kame-Delta ………………………………………... 2-15 2.3.13 The Short Hills ………………………………………... 2-16 2.3.14 The Lake Iroquois Plain and Bench ………………………………………...2-17 2.3.15 The Lake Ontario Bluffs ………………………………………... 2-18 2.3.16 The Lake Ontario Baymouth Bars and Lagoons ……………………... 2-19 2.3.17 The St. David’s Buried Gorge ………………………………………... 2-20 2.3.18 The Niagara Gorge and Glen ………………………………………... 2-20 3.0 Watershed Hydrologic Characterization 3.1 Climate ……………………………………………………………………..…………... 3-1 3.2 Topography …………………………………………………………………………….. 3-1 3.2.1 Lake Ontario Drainage Basin ………………………………………………... 3-2 3.2.2 Niagara River Drainage Basin ……………………………………………….. 3-2 3.2.3 Lake Erie Drainage Basin ……………………………………………………. 3-2 3.3 Streamflow 3.3.1 Twenty Mile Creek, the Welland River and Oswego Creek ……………... 3-3 3.3.2 Twelve Mile Creek …………………………………………………………….. 3-4 3.3.3 Four Mile Creek ……………………………………………………………….. 3-4 3.4 Baseflow Characterization …………………………………………………………..... 3-4 3.5 Additional Streamflow Comments ……………………………………………………. 3-5 3.5.1 Niagara-on-the-Lake Watershed Planning Area …………………………... 3-5 3.5.2 Lake Erie North Shore Watershed Planning Area ………………………… 3-5 3.5.3 Central Welland River Watershed Planning ……………………………….. 3-5 3.6 Hydrogeology ………………………………………………………………………….. 3-6 3.6.1 Aquifer Units …………………………………………………………………... 3-6 3.6.2 Water Table Aquifers …………………………………………….…………... 3-6 3.6.3 Deeper Aquifers ……………………………………………………………….. 3-6 3.6.4 Surface Water and Groundwater ………………………………………….... 3-6 3-7 Wetlands …………………………………………………………………………..…… 3-7 4.0 Soils of the Niagara Region …………………………………………………………………... 4-1 5.0 Natural Heritage System 5.1 Planning for Natural Heritage ……………………………………………………….... 5-1 5.2 Land Use ……………………………………………………………………………….. 5-2 5.2.1 Settlement ……………………………………………………………………... 5-2 5.2.2 Hydro-electric Generation …………………………………………………..... 5-2 5.2.3 Transportation …………………………………………………………….…....5-4 5.2.3.1 Shipping ………………………………………………………………..... 5-4 5.2.3.2 Railway ………………………………………………………………...... 5-4 5.2.4 Agriculture ……………………………………………………………………... 5-5 5.2.5 Aggregate Extraction ………………………………………………………..... 5-6 5.2.6 Recreation and Tourism ……………………………………………………... 5-6 5.3 Changes to the Landscape as a Result of Major Infrastructure ………………….. 5-7 5.3.1 Surface ……………………………………………………………………….... 5-7 5.3.2 Woodlands …………………………………………………………………..... 5-8 6.0 Community Series Analysis …………………………………………………………………... 6-1 6.1 Wooded Communities ………………………………………………………………... 6-2 6.1.1 Wooded Community Series Codes ……………………………………….... 6-2 6.1.2 Wooded Communities Analysis …………………………………………….. 6-3 6.2 Wetland Communities …………………………………………………………….….. 6-5 Natural Heritage Areas Inventory, 2010 ii 6.2.1 Wetland Community Series Codes …………………………………….…... 6-6 6.2.2 Wetland Communities Analysis …………………………………………….. 6-6 6.3 Successional Communities …………………………………………………………... 6-8 6.3.1 Successional Community Series Codes ….………………………………... 6-8 6.3.2 Successional Communities Analysis ……………………………………...... 6-9 6.4 Unique Communities ………………………………………………………………...... 6-9 6.4.1 Unique Community Series Codes ….……………………………………... 6-10 6.4.2 Unique Communities Analysis ……………………………………............. 6-10 6.5 Conclusion ……………………………………....................................................... 6-11 Example of ‘Community Series’ ELC mapping ……………….………………...... 6-13 7.0 Rare Vegetation Types of the Niagara Region, Ontario: A Preliminary Checklist ……… 7-1 7.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………………………...... 7-1 7.2 Ecological Land Classification (ELC) ……………………………………………...... 7-1 7.3 Status of Vegetation Types and Plant Species (Ontario & Niagara Region) ….... 7-2 7.3.1 Ontario Rank (S-rank): Vegetation Types and Vascular Plant Species ... 7-2 7.3.2 Ontario Status (MNR) – Vascular Plant Species …………….................... 7-3 7.3.3 Niagara Region Status – Ecosites and Vegetation types ……….……...... 7-3 7.3.4 Niagara Region Status – Vascular Plants ………………………………...... 7-3 7.4 Rare Vegetation Types in the Niagara Region: A Preliminary Checklist ………… 7-3 7.4.1 Beach / Bar ………………………………...………………………………...... 7-4 7.4.2 Sand Dune …………………………………………………………………...... 7-5 7.4.3 Niagara Escarpment – Cliff and Talus ……………………….…………...... 7-6 7.4.4 Cliff …………………………………………….……………………………...... 7-7 7.4.5 Talus ……………………………………………..…………………………...... 7-7 7.4.6 Alvar ………………………………………….……………………………...... 7-9 7.4.7 Calcareous Shallow Soil Savannah ……………………………………...... 7-10 7.4.8 Tallgrass Prairie, Savannah and Woodland …….……………………...... 7-11 7.4.9 Deciduous Forest ……………………………..…………………………...... 7-12 7.4.10 Coniferous Swamp ………………………………………………………...... 7-15 7.4.11 Deciduous Swamp ………………………………………………………...... 7-15 7.4.12 Thicket Swamp ……………………………..……………………………...... 7-16 7.4.13 Bog …………………………………………..……………………………...... 7-20 7.4.14 Marsh …………………………………………..…………………………...... 7-21 7.5 Summary and Recommendations ………………………………........................... 7-23 Table 1: Summary of Significant Vegetation Types in the Niagara Region ……. 7-29 Table 2: Plant Community Summary (ELC Ecosites and Vegetation Types) …. 7-37 8.0 Study Site Summaries (Grouped by Municipality) 8.1 Fort Erie 8.2 Grimsby 8.3 Haldimand 8.4 Lincoln 8.5 Niagara Falls 8.6 Niagara-on-the-Lake 8.7 Port Colborne 8.8 Pelham 8.9 Thorold 8.10 Wainfleet 8.11 Welland 8.12 West Lincoln Natural Heritage Areas Inventory, 2010 iii Volume 2 9.0 Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Niagara Region ……………………………..………… 9-1 10.0 List of Regionally Rare Plants as taken from Oldham 2010 …………………….……… 1 of 8 11.0 Birds of the Niagara Region Report ………………………………………………….…….. 11-1 Followed by: Table 1 Species whose abundance does not change with the seasons in Niagara ….. 1-1 Table 2 Species that are occasional or extremely rare in Niagara …………………..…. 1-4 Table 3 Species whose abundance changes with the seasons in Niagara …....……… 1-10 Table 4 Numbers of squares reporting possible, probable and confirmed breeding for the first and second Atlases ....................................................................... 1-19 12.0 Reptile and Amphibian Study, 2006-2008 ...................................................................... 12-1 Table 1 Summary of Background Records of Herpetofaunal Species from the Niagara Study Area ...............................................................................… 12-4 Table 2 Recommended Niagara Regionally Significant species in addition to COSEWIC or COSSARO/SARO designations of Species at Risk .........… 12-41 Table 3 Species incorrectly identified to exist in the Niagara Study in the references indicated (Appendix 1) ................................................................. 12-49 Followed by: Appendix 2 Species Observation Maps .............................................................… 12A2-1 13.0 A Preliminary List of the Butterflies (Lepidoptera)