GRCA Minutes Grand River Conservation Authority, 400 Clyde Road, Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5W6 Tel: (519) 621-2761 Fax: (519) 621-4844 Internet: www.grandriver.ca January 2008 Acquiring new natural areas The media reported that the Grand at Dunnville is "the third foulest river" Volume 14 – No. 1 One way that the GRCA helps pro- in Ontario, and Emerson said that this mote watershed health is by acquiring is consistent with the annual water GRCA land that is environmentally signifi- quality report that goes to the GRCA cant. board. General Membership The GRCA owns over 19,000 The Grand River is nutrient-rich, Chairman - Alan Dale hectares of land, which includes three partly because of its geology and part- per cent of the land, eight per cent of 1st Vice-Chairman - Jane Mitchell ly due to the land uses within the the forests and 18 per cent of the habi- watershed. Intensive agriculture and 2nd Vice-Chairman - Vic Prendergast tat for species at risk in the watershed. urban growth are key factors that con- tribute to the overall negative impact Townships of Amaranth, East Of all the GRCA's land, only 420 on water quality, especially down- Garafraxa, East Luther Grand Valley, hectares has been acquired since 2000 stream of wastewater treatment plants Melancthon and Southgate - and all of this is natural heritage wet- and in the southern reach near Lake Tom Nevills lands, such as wetlands or hazard Erie. Townships of Mapleton and lands beside rivers and streams. Most of the GRCA's municipal part- Wellington North - Pat Salter When the GRCA buys land, it is ners are working on wastewater man- usually with funding assistance from Township of Centre Wellington - agement plans and the GRCA is also the Ontario Heritage Trust, the Nature Shawn Watters planning to update the water manage- Conservancy of Canada or Ducks Town of Erin, Townships of ment plan for the watershed. This will Unlimited. Sometimes land is donat- Guelph/Eramosa and Puslinch - deal with the combined impacts of ed and this generosity contributes sig- sewage treatment, non-point pollution Brad Whitcombe nificantly to publicly-owned natural sources and removing unnecessary City of Guelph - heritage. dams that slow the water down and Vicki Beard, Mike Salisbury A challenge is that any land owned degrade water quality. Region of Waterloo - by the GRCA needs to be maintained Even if all the municipalities in the Jane Brewer, Kim Denouden, and this comes with a price tag. For watershed met the Ministry of Jean Haalboom, Ross Kelterborn, example, housing that is next to con- Environment discharge standards, Claudette Millar, Jane Mitchell, servation areas needs to be protected there would still be a water quality Wayne Roth, Jake Smola, Bill Strauss, from falling branches and trees, and problem in the Grand River, Emerson Sean Strickland this is a strain on the GRCA's hazard said. The GRCA would like to take a tree budget. Town of North Perth and Township leadership role in setting a higher of Perth East - George Wicke The Grand River Conservation standard for the river. Region of Halton - Foundation and the GRCA have J. Barry Lee raised more than $500,000 in recent Average precipitation expected years for land purchase and steward- City of Hamilton - ship through the generosity of several Precipitation to mid-December is on Anna Kramer commited donors. track to meet or exceed the long-term County of Oxford - average for the month. Alan Dale Environment Canada’s marginal Less than half way through County of Brant - water quality rating no surprise December, average precipitation Robert Chambers, Brian Coleman ranged from a low of 36 per cent of CAO Paul Emerson told the board the long term average at Guelph to a City of Brantford - that he is not surprised by Robert Hillier, Vic Prendergast high of 80 per cent at Conestogo. Cold Environment Canada's recent "mar- temperatures were well below the Haldimand and Norfolk Counties - ginal" water quality rating for the long-term average. Lorne Boyko, Craig Grice Grand River that received lots of media attention. In the northern half of the water- THE GRAND - A Canadian Heritage River shed, over 50 mm of water content see the "River Data" section of the After several meetings, a set of prin- was recorded in most watercourses GRCA website at www.grandriver.ca. ciples to guide future activities during the Dec. 1 snow survey. addressing this issue were developed Having snow on the ground is like Download a copy of the GRCA’s by the three parties. (Aggregate having money in the bank — the river safety booklet for children in the extraction in the province is governed snow will melt at some point and this "River Safety" section. by the Aggregate Resources Act, will help build the reservoirs back up. which the Ministry of Natural Three conservation areas Resources implements and enforces.) The Level 2 low water condition plan to open for winter activities declared on Sept. 26 throughout the The principles acknowledge the Grand River watershed continued into Shade's Mills Conservation Area in importance of water and aggregate December, due to ongoing lack of Cambridge opened for ice fishing and resources to the watershed and the rain, reduced river flows and lower- cross-country skiing in mid- need for more comprehensive and than-average reservoir levels. In a December, which is earlier than usual consistent data collection methods. Level 2, the Low Water Response due to an early arrival of winter The principles also allow for the Team asks water users to reduce their weather. three organizations to work together consumption by 20 per cent. to develop a guide for cumulative For skiers, there are four trails from impact assessment and best practices Rivers and ponds dangerous 1.6 km to 2.7 km in length, for skill in the watershed. places in early winter levels ranging from beginner to expert. The trails are groomed and The GRCA board passed the princi- Cold weather and then warmer tem- track set. Ski equipment is available ples and requested the Ministry of peratures and rain make conditions for rent for $10, but skiers should call Natural Resources to provide oppor- dangerous around rivers and streams. the park at 519-621-3697 to reserve tunities for municipalities and the equipment and check on current con- public to review and comment on the The impact of warm Christmas ditions. Groups should also call ahead guide before it is finalized. Once com- weather will be most noticeable in for bookings. pleted, the ministry will be responsi- urban areas with an increase in flows ble for implementing the guide in pri- in streams and ditches. Parents are Anglers will be able to fish for pike ority areas of the Grand River water- advised to keep their children away and perch. There are no ice huts or shed. from these areas because of the equipment rentals at Shade's Mills. increased danger caused by higher The park will be closed on Christmas, flows, slippery banks and cold water Boxing Day and New Year's Day. temperatures. Shade's Mills is one of three GRCA Localized street flooding is also pos- conservation areas that will be open sible due to obstructed catch basins. for winter activity this year. Pinehurst Lake, near Paris, will offer ice fishing The Grand, Conestogo and Speed and snowshoeing when it opens later Rivers are expected to see moderate in December. Laurel Creek in increases in flows but should remain Waterloo will offer cross-country ski- within their banks. In rural areas, par- ing when it opens. Information on the ticularly the northern part of the opening dates for these parks are watershed, the blanket of snow on the posted at www.grandriver.ca. ground will absorb much of the rain, This issue of "GRCA Minutes" reducing the amount of runoff. Ice-fishing has been cancelled this was published in January 2008. year at two parks — Belwood Lake There is a potential for small ice It is a summary of the Conservation Area near Fergus and December 2007 business con- jams to develop along the Grand Guelph Lake Conservation Area — to which could cause localized flooding. ducted by the Committee of the protect the fish population. The water Whole and the General People should keep off the ice on level in the two reservoirs is low Membership Committee of the rivers and streams where the thick- because of the exceptionally dry GRCA. Space permitting, other ness of ice can vary greatly and ice weather during the summer. noteworthy happenings and top- can erode from underneath, resulting ics of interest have been includ- in big changes in thickness within Aggregate extraction concerns ed. The Grand River short distances. in the Grand watershed Conservation Authority wel- comes the photocopying and dis- In addition, water entering a river tribution of "GRCA Minutes" or from a groundwater spring, storm Concerns about the possible impacts of aggregate extraction below the visit our website at sewer drain or other source can be www.grandriver.ca. warmer than the rest of the water in water table on water quality and the river, creating spots of open water quantity prompted the GRCA to meet or thin ice. with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Stone, For more information on river flows Sand and Gravel Association. THE GRAND - A Canadian Heritage River GRCA Minutes Grand River Conservation Authority, 400 Clyde Road, Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5W6 Tel: (519) 621-2761 Fax: (519) 621-4844 Internet: www.grandriver.ca February 2008 Dale to serve second year Creek Subwatershed is in southwest Volume 13 – No.