LETTER: Conservation club ‘strenuously opposes’ Inch Farm plan
The developments are proposed to happen near Highway 11. |
From OrilliaMatters, February 11, 2022
A Letter to the Editor
For 75 years, The Orillia Fish and Game Conservation Club has worked to preserve our natural resources, our soils and minerals, our air, water, forests and wildlife.
This has been accomplished by undertaking many conservation and environmental related projects within the Orillia and surrounding areas including stream and habitat improvements, reforestation projects, wetland preservation and education.
Our club owns and manages the George Langman Sanctuary which is 80 acres of registered wetlands visited by thousands of visitors every year to walk the trails and witness the importance of a purely natural habitat. A habitat which is being diminished at an alarming rate due to urbanization.
Over the past 15 years, the club has also provided over $40,000 in bursaries to students to help with their education and research projects related to conservation and environmental protection.
Even the thought of building a subdivision, much of which is high density, on the Inch Farm property wetland is a very bad idea and should be dismissed due to the environmental risks.
Not only does Simcoe County classify this wetland as a ‘significant ground water recharge area’ and also a ‘highly vulnerable aquifer’ but it is also located at the headwaters of two Silver Creek ‘coldwater’ tributaries well known as brook trout streams by many Orillia fishermen.
While the north tributary has had some fishery setbacks due to water quality issues created from surface water runoff contaminants from Highway 11 and the golf course, it still holds brook trout. But let’s talk about the south tributary, the one the environmental assessment refers to as a’ drainage ditch’ and ‘non-fish bearing’. We are unaware of those who conducted this assessment but this statement is totally incorrect and throws a cloud of suspicion on the lack of credibility on their study.
The water source for the south Silver Creek tributary actually comes from natural springs just below the Rynard Storm Catch Basin and from the large spring water wetlands on the South West side of Uhthoff Line which flows into the stream just below the Rynard Storm Water Catch Basin with a second inflow further west. The water source is sustainable during summer and supports a brook trout population.
The Rynard Storm Water Catch Basin creates a problem for the stream when it releases water in surges into the stream. This impact was escalated in 2008 when the storm water drains in the Walmart plaza were connected to and storm water directed into this Storm Water Catch Basin.
The Jones property, located just below the Storm Water Catch Basin discharge, had a very nice pond incorporated into the stream. By 2012 that pond was filled in from the sediment released from the catch basin when water was discharged and every time the catch basin had to release water the surge continues to erode the stream banks.
In 2013 The Orillia Fish and Game Conservation Club in collaboration with Ontario Streams (a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and rehabilitation of streams and wetlands) and under the direction of the MNRF, undertook the project to restore the stream.
In July/August (low water time) the stream below the dam holding the pond had to be mapped for water depth and channelling and at that time it was electro fished and inspected for the presents of invertebrates. The inspection showed brook trout present and a healthy food supply.
The dam holding the pond had to be removed over several weeks to avoid restricting the downstream water flow with a sediment buildup from water released from the pond. In September, a fish ladder was built below the outflow pipe at the west end of the Jones property to allow fish to move up into the top end of the stream.
The club has continued to monitor the water quality of the stream since 2018 through a cooperative “coldwater’ stream monitoring program managed by Couchiching Conservancy and the population of brook trout is increasing. In fact, some of the later observations are seeing brook trout exceeding eight inches in length.
The water quality is acceptable for a coldwater stream, but suffers from turbidity and an increase in temperature when there is a heavy discharge of water from the catch basin.
This proposal says it plans to direct the runoff from the ‘arterial road’ (which will contain highway salts, oils and chemicals) into the Rynard Catch Basin; a catch basin that is already over capacity with the Walmart plaza runoff, and dump this water and its sediment into the south Silver Creek tributary; the tributary that has just been rehabilitated.
Can we not learn from our mistakes??
Over to the north Silver Creek tributary. Remember that this property, being a wetland, has a very high water table and once the soil, grass and trees are replaced with asphalt, roof tops, and sump pumps that will never stop running, where does the storm water go?
Here’s an idea. Let’s put in two more catch basins alongside the north tributary where it exits Orillia and just before it enters Seven Township. (smaller than the Rynard Catch Basin because we don’t want to give up development property) That way, when the catch basins reach overflow capacity, (and they definitely will) the water will run west into the north tributary and only overflow onto property and create water damage to properties in Severn Township where land elevations are lower.
That’s what The City of Orillia is proposing to do to our friendly neighbours in Severn Township. Unbelievable. With friends like that who needs enemies? Every member of City of Orillia Council had better remember this is an election year and it might be prudent to reconsider this entire project because it will cause a great deal of environmental damage.
Time to take a reality check! We know Orillia needs land to meet provincial expansion requirements but do not sacrifice your environmental protection mandate and destroy habitat important for our future and that of our children.
The Orillia Fish & Game Conservation Club strenuously opposes this project in its present form and encourages the City of Orillia Council to do the right thing and protect our environment and properties of those of its citizens and those of our neighbouring townships.
Gord Pye
Orillia
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