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Impacts of an agricultural drain maintenance project on aquatic species at risk in Little Bear Creek

Regional Science Peer Review – Central and Arctic Region

May 11, 2016
Burlington, Ontario and via WebEx/Teleconference

Chairperson: Lynn Bouvier

Context

Little Bear Creek is a tributary of Lake St. Clair and drains into the St. Clair River via the Chanel Ecarte in the Chatham-Kent Region. This Creek is home to several species at risk fishes including Pugnose Shiner (Notropis anogenus), Lake Chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta), Pugnose Minnow (Opsopoeodus emiliae), Grass Pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus), Blackstripe Topminnow (Fundulus notatus), and Spotted Sucker (Minytrema melanops). Little Bear Creek is identified as critical habitat for Pugnose Shiner and is also designated as a municipal drain under authority of the provincial Drainage Act. 

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has submitted a “Drain Maintenance Request” to excavate and remove accumulated sediment from the Little Bear Creek Drain. In-water works are proposed for 29.5 km from the mouth and upstream to Countryview Line, where the remaining drain portions are buried. Excavation will be undertaken by a combination of drag-line crane rigging, and long and standard hydraulic excavators.  A number of culvert and enclosure works are also proposed in the headwater areas of the drain. Small brush and larger trees are also to be removed from the shoreline along the entire length of the drain.

There is a concern that a full clean out, which includes bottom cleanout, spreading of the spoil, removal of vegetation in the channel and removal of slope vegetation (including trees and other vegetation from the top of bank) may negatively impact aquatic species at risk fishes and/or their habitats including critical habitat. Therefore, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Species at Risk Program has requested advice from DFO Science to determine the potential impacts of the proposed clean out activities.

Objectives

The objectives of the meeting are to:

  1. Determine the impacts that the proposed maintenance would have on species at risk fishes in Little Bear Creek.
  2. Provide alternative maintenance scenarios and determine the impact they may have on species at risk fishes in Little Bear Creek.
  3. Provide mitigation measures that could be used to minimize the impacts of maintenance on species at risk fishes in Little Bear Creek.
  4. Provide offsetting scenarios (qualitative) for each alternative drain maintenance scenario.

Expected Publications

Expected Participation

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