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Monitoring at Credit Valley Conservation
Presented by Jackie Thomas and Luke Harvey
Where are we?
WHAT IS MONITORING?
• Long-term sampling of the same point or reach to track changes over time/space
• Short Term Sampling vs Long Term Monitoring
a) Long Term Monitoring: repeated sampling to look at trends/changes
– e.g. Integrated Watershed Monitoring Program, Effectiveness Monitoring, Impact Monitoring
b) Short Term Sampling: sampling to characterize an area or determine baseline conditions
– e.g. Subwatershed studies, Erin SSMP, In these studies, we sample typically for only 1-2 years
Basic Questions
WHAT IS THE CURRENT CONDITION?
i.e. what state are we in now?
IS THERE A TREND?i.e. improving? degrading? stable?
WATERSHED HEALTH
WHY DO WE MONITOR?
• To measure progress in our watershed corporate goal of “ensuring an environmentally healthy river for economically and socially healthy communities”
• To provide an early warning system
• To effect change
Importance of Monitoring
• Permits to Take Water• Studies and Strategies (subwatershed, SSMPs, Fish
Management Plans, Terrestrial Ecosystem Enhancement Model)
• Flood Forecasting• Modelling (water quality and quantity, terrestrial) • Certificates of Approval (sewage works and waste
management)• Plan Review• Plan Input• Municipal EAs• Report Cards
Parameters we measureDiscipline Area of Focus Indicator
Meteorology Weather Air Temperature, Precipitation
Hydrogeology Baseflow and groundwater levels Recharge rates
Hydrology Flow regimes Temporal trends
Terrestrial • Forests and their flora and fauna• Wetlands and riparian
communities
Forest HealthSpecies HealthWetland and riparian health
Fluvial Geomorphology
Stream form and channel shape Stream stability
Water Quality • Water and sediment chemistry• Benthic macroinvertebrates
species, populations and communities
Parameters of Concern
Community composition
Biology Fish species, populations and communities
Index of Biotic Integrity
Meteorology• Key indicators are air
temperature and precipitation• Four weather stations
throughout watershed plus an additional 5 Environment Canada weather stations in and around the watershed
• An additional 16 tipping bucket rain gauges and 1 Geonor T-200B weighing precipitation gauge
• Six additional air temperature sensors
Hydrogeology
• Key indicator is recharge rates
• Several shallow and deep groundwater monitoring wells in various geology throughout the watershed help determine recharge rates
• Drive point piezometersand baseflow data also help characterize the groundwater
Hydrology
• Key indicator is temporal trends
• Continuous levels and discharge rates from 11 stations partnered with WSC
• Longest active station is Credit at Cataract since 1915, most recent is 2005
Terrestrial Monitoring
• Key indicator is forest health, species health, wetland and riparian health
• 25 forest plots, 19 wetland plots across Credit watershed
• Plus 3 forest and 1 wetland effectiveness monitoring plots in NW Brampton
• Riparian monitoring program initiated in 2009
FOREST HEALTH MONITORINGCategory Indicator Protocol Frequency Years of Data
Ground Vegetation
Annual 2002 (start),2004 – 2009
Regeneration Annual 2002 (start),2004 – 2009
Tree Health Annual 2002 (start) - 2009
Forest Birds Annual 2002 (start) – 2009
Salamanders Annual 2003-2009
BioticIndicators
2002 (start), 2007Every 5 yearsSoil Chemistry
2005 (start) – 2009Annual Decomposition
2005 (start) – 2009AnnualSoil Temperature
AbioticIndicators
Category Indicator Protocol Frequency Years of Data
WetlandVegetation
Annual 2003 (start) – 2009
Anurans (frogs and toads)
Annual 2003 (start) – 2009
BioticIndicators
Wetland Health Monitoring
Fluvial Geomorphology
• Key indicator is stream stability• 6-8 sites assessed per year• 10 cross-sections including 3 permanent
done at each site• Data collected includes longitudinal profile,
bank information, substrate type and size, sub-pavement data, Rapid Assessments
Water Quality• Key indicators are parameters
of concern for water and sediment chemistry, community composition for benthics, mean daily maximums for water temperature
• Water chemistry grab samples collected monthly for PWQMN. Autosamplers utilized for Effectiveness and Impact programs
• Stationary kick and sweep method to collect benthics once annually
Biology• Key indicator is the Index of
Biotic Integrity (IBI)• Looking at fish species,
populations and communities• Values are assigned to fish
depending on tolerance ratings• The higher the IBI the better
the site condition• Utilize active (seine nets,
backpack, punt unit and boat electrofishers) and passive (hoop nets) techniques to sample fish communities
WHO IS INVOLVED at CVC?
Terrestrial Ecosystem Component
Terrestrial Specialist
Terrestrial Monitoring Specialist
Terrestrial Monitoring Technician
Director,Water Resources
Water-based Component
HydrogeologistsGeomorphology TechniciansWater Quality EngineersBenthics SpecialistWater Resources Engineers
Supervisor, Watershed Monitoring & Reporting
3 Watershed Monitoring Specialists
3 Water Resource Technicians
GIS
Summer Staff
Stewardship
Volunteers
Reception
Central Services
Data Management Technician
Manager, Natural Heritage
Aquatic Component
Fish - Manager, Natural Heritage
Partnerships
MOE
MNR
Volunteers
OBBNPGMN
EMAN
PWQMN
Universities
Water Survey of Canada
Municipalities
Landowners
NGOs
Environment CanadaOther Conservation Authorities
CVC MONITORING PROGRAMS
Integrated Watershed Monitoring Program (IWMP)
• Purpose: to help determine progress in achieving the Watershed Corporate goal of “ensuring an environmentally healthy river for economically and socially healthy communities”.
• Area: watershed-wide• Timeframe: ongoing• Initiation date: 1999• Funding: Member Municipalities• Reports: annual report, every 5 yr trend analysis
(incl. watershed report card)• Currently working on 10 year data analysis
Fletchers Creek Monitoring
• Purpose: To establish baseline conditions, measure temporal changes and assess the effectiveness of stormwater control measures on a subwatershed basis.
• Area: Fletchers Creek• Timeframe: ongoing• Initiation date: 1998• Funding: City of Mississauga, City of Brampton• Reports: annual report, 7 yr trend analysis
produced 2007
Effectiveness Monitoring Strategy
• Purpose: To monitor the effects of urbanization as they are balanced by BMPs and to demonstrate benefits of current BMPs. Also, to learn the most effective means of mitigating the impact of urbanization and land use changes on the natural systems from past and current activities.
• Area: Huttonville, Fletchers and Springbrook Creeks• Initiation date: 2003• Funding: Initial 5 years was developer funded, currently funded by
Region of Peel• Timeframe: ongoing for next few years
• Reports: annual report, 5 yr program review in progress
Credit River Trib Monitoring
• Purpose: To collect background information in order to characterize the current condition of the study area prior to expected development.
• Area: tributaries north of Credit River between Winston Churchill and Mississauga Rd.
• Timeframe: 2007-2009, with intentions of continuing next 2+ years
• Initiation date: 2007• Funding: Developers and Landowners• Reports: annual reports and currently working on 3
year analysis
Impact Monitoring
• Purpose: To monitor cause and effect relationships in deteriorated natural systems.
• Area: currently in Cooksville and Sheridan Creek. Will expand in future to focus on other urban or stressed watersheds.
• Timeframe: ongoing• Initiation date: 2007• Funding: Region of Peel• Reports: annual report
Summary
• Monitoring at CVC is important to help answer the questions of the various programs
• Data from several different disciplines is utilized to help answer these questions
• This wouldn’t be possible without the help and support of the member municipalities.
Member Municipalities
• Region of Halton • Region of Peel • City of Brampton • City of Mississauga • Town of Caledon• Town of Erin• Town of Halton Hills• Town of Mono• Town of Oakville• Town of Orangeville • Township of Amaranth• Township of East Garafraxa
