Proposed new Everett development threatens the Pine River
The Pine River is a major feeder tributary of the Nottawasaga River, providing clean and cool water, much of it from springs in the important limestone of the Amabel bedrock deep in Dufferin County and the Niagara Escarpment. Studies from the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) both confirm that the Pine River is a major contributor of high-quality cool water that is essential to the health of the Nottawasaga River and is a major component to the area’s World Biosphere status.
The Pine River, due to its excellent water quality and healthy supportive habitat, maintains high runs of migrational Chinook salmon and steelhead, both key contributors to the important $7 billion Great Lakes fishery shared by the United States and Canada. These Pine River salmonid fisheries are now self-sustaining and considered wild populations.
A study undertaken by the Nottawasaga Steelheaders (a volunteer group of anglers, conservationists and concerned residents) in conjunction with the University of Guelph determined that the Nottawasaga River and its tributaries contained at least 18 distinct strains of steelhead. These strains have developed important and sensitive co-adapted gene complexes over many years, which allow them to successfully survive and thrive in many of the Nottawasaga River tributaries including the Pine River. Estimations by the NVCA and Nottawasaga Steelheaders place the runs of steelhead alone in the Pine River, at up to 20,000 steelhead.
The Pine River has now also become a significant contributor of Chinook salmon which have established self-sustaining populations in the river over the last 20 years. Recent studies from the University of Western Ontario in 2012 and the University of Michigan have revealed that 30-40% of salmon caught in Georgian Bay and Lake Huron are of wild Nottawasaga River strains. Due to their migrational and forage hunting instincts they traverse throughout the Lake Huron basin and suggestions are they could likely be found in Lake Michigan as well.
The Pine River, in the vicinity upstream and downstream of the proposed Everett WWTP effluent pipe and re-entry of surface ground water location, has spawning habitat for Chinook salmon as many spawning redds have been observed there by Nottawasaga Steelheaders and other anglers.
The Pine River also contains strong populations of indigenous brook trout which require cold spring-based water to survive. They are very sensitive to temperature change and water quality. Due to development pressures and climate warming, their habitat and numbers have decreased in Southern and Central Ontario. Nottawasaga Steelheaders and anglers have noticed their drop in numbers throughout the Nottawasaga River watershed.
Other species of trout also exist in the Pine including Brown trout, an important recreational sport fish. It has been determined by recent NVCA reports that at least 75 species of fish exist in the Nottawasaga
Observations by the Nottawasaga Steelheaders over the past 20 years have determined that poor water with low or no oxygen conditions in the lower Notty, attributable to land use change and climate warming (Recent [August, 2014] and ongoing findings from a McMaster University study in conjunction with the NVCA) may have altered migrational salmonid (steelhead and chinook salmon) patterns. They are now quickly ascending past the lower sections in search of more suitable water upstream. These important findings point out the significance of the many factors associated with water quality.
The strong expression of these fisheries points to the diversity and strength of the Nottawasaga River and its tributaries such as the Pine River. But that strength is not guaranteed and can easily be undermined if we are not careful and proactive. It is important that we maintain good high-quality water conditions in order to support the sensitive “interdependent” biodiversity and ecology that exists throughout the Nottawasaga River watershed and in the Pine River as it pertains to the growing community of Everett and an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) that would serve the Everett Secondary Plan, with an added 10,000 people.
The proposed WWTP as described by the consultant Greenland in the Class C EA (available on the Adjala Tosorontio Township website) is capable of removing only up to 0.05mg/L of Total Phosphorus (TP) at the effluent pipe. This translates to a diluted level of 0.03mg/L of TP upon entry to the river. The NVCA 2013 Report on the Pine River (available on the NVCA website) states the total phosphorus levels of the Pine River at 0.017mg/L which puts the Pine River at an MOE consideration of a “Policy 1” receiver (Less than the MOEE’s Provincial Water Quality Objective of 0.03mg/L). Higher than desired levels of TP combined with increased temperatures due to factors such as climate warming can increase algae which can interfere with embryo membrane interaction with necessary dissolved oxygen in the water, thus putting the success of spawning steelhead and salmon at risk.
Nitrates, from recent research, are also now believed to be toxic to embryos as well. Discussions surrounding toxicity seem to be around 3.0mg/L and greater. Nitrates are formed upon the nitrification process in WWTP plants. Typically, there are no processes in place to remove nitrates in almost all WWTPs. The Town of Orangeville does have a “de-nitrification” process in place to remove much of the nitrates returning in the effluent.
http://www.creditvalleyca.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Sub-19-Phase-1-WQ1.pdf
As previously mentioned, water temperature, is critical in maintaining all aspects of aquatic life and ecological integrity and balance in the river, including fish. There is no mention about adhering to appropriate water temperatures of effluent water from the WWTP. One means by which to alleviate this problem is a so called “non-point” or soft entry of effluent water through adjacent gravel beds by which water can percolate back into the water and achieve minimal impact to stream temperatures.
There are no plans for storm water retention ponds for this development. This is good in some regards despite the fact that these ponds do mitigate flow fluctuations and associated problems of flooding and erosion. The problem with retention ponds is that they re-introduce warmer than desired water back into the stream. And this can negatively impact stream ecology and species.
As proposed, the Nottawasaga Steelheaders have serious reservations about the new Everett development and the ability of the Waste Water Treatment Plant as planned, not to impact the Pine River and its species.
Gary Christie is president of the Nottawasaga Steelheaders.
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