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10 15 2008 COW Agendai OITA Z N 0 11 0*11"Loin" COMMITTEE • THE WHOLE MEETING AGENDA COUNCIL CHAMBERS 2. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 3. DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF: - "IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACT" None. 5. CONSENT AGENDA: a) Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, minutes of meeting held on August 22, 2008 and Board highlights of meeting held on September 26, 2008. Staff Recommendation: Receipt. b) Dalton McGuinty, Premier, correspondence dated September 30, 2008 re: Motion, Full Exemption of Provincial Sales Tax on Goods and Services for Ontario Police Services. Staff Recommendation: Receipt. c) County of Simcoe, Library Co-operative, Annual Report, 2007. Staff Recommendation: Receipt. 6. COMMUNICATIONS: correspondence received October 7, 2008 re: a) Glen Knox, County Clerk, Corporation of the County of Simcoe, correspondence dated October 6, 2008 re: Bulky Item Waste Collection. a) Mayor H.S. Hughes, correspondence dated August 14, 2008 from Jason and Amanda Brommet, Hononary Wish Chairs and Parents, Wishmaker Parade, The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada re: Simcoe County, Wishmaker Parade, October 18, 2008, 206 Lakeshore Drive, Barrie / Financial Contribution Request. b) Councillor Agnew, correspondence dated October 6, 2008 from Peter and Faye Barrick re: Lauder Road Maintenance, Edgar Estates Subdivision. c) Councillors Agnew and Coutanche, re: OMEGA Brochure, Protecting Your Water & Shoreline Property, Distribution Plan. d) Councillor Allison, correspondence from Association of Municipalities of Ontario re: 2008 AMO/LAS Energy Management Workshops. a) Mike Walters, Director of Watershed Management; Rob Baldwin, Manager, Watershed Science, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, re: Discretionary Budget Items for 2008, Sub Watershed Plan Development and Co-ordination. b) Wayne Wilson, CAO/Secretary-Treasurer, Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority, re: Oro-Medonte NVCA Service Value. c) Report No. TR 2008-23, Paul Gravelle, Director of Finance/Treasurer/Deputy CAO, re: Statement of Accounts, September, 2008. d) Report No. CAO 2008-012, Robin Dunn, Chief Administrative Officer, re: Request for Exemption — Warminster Annual Remembrance Day Parade. e) Robin Dunn, Chief Administrative Officer, re: Corporate Health & Safety Policy [to be distributed at meeting]. None. 10. ENGINEERING& ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES: None. 11. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES: 104 12. EMERGENCY SERVICES: None. 1) 13. RECREATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES: 10 14. IN-CAMERA: a) Scott Cowden, Director of Fire and Emergency Services re: Legal Matter (Report on Incident 2008FD00221). b) Doug Irwin, Director of Corporate Services/Clerk, re: Personal Matter (OMEGA Member). c) Robin Dunn, Chief Administrative Officer, re: Legal Matter (Lake Simcoe Regional Airport). i M0111*1 I • ki RE a m 16. ANNOUNCEMENTS 0 4 wm r MANAMA -• •, i V 01 ILOJ 01:g M blqrAwlwri� a) Jerry Ball, Director of Transportation and Environmental Services, memorandum correspondence dated October 14, 2008 re: Drainage on Line 13 North — Shelswell Farm. 14. IN-CAMERA: d) Robin Dunn, Chief Administrative Officer, re: Property Matter (Ontario Realty Corporation, ORC, Potentially Surplus Provincial Property, Project #7792, Edgar Adult Occupational Centre, 1552 Bass Lake Sideroad West; and Project #7793, Line 2 North). 5C, - I LAKE SIMCOE REGION CONSERVATION AUTHORITY MEETING NO. BOD -08 -08 Friday, August 22 "d, 2008 Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Board Members Present: V. Hackson, Chair Councillor B. Drew, Vice -Chair Councillor S. Agnew Mr. E. Bull Councillor K. Ferdinands Mayor R. Grossi Regional Councillor H. Herrema Councillor B. Huson Councillor J. McCallum Councillor J. O'Donnell Councillor J. Rupke Deputy Mayor G. Wauchope Mayor J. Young Councillor G. Campbell Councillor E. MacEachern Regional Councillor J. Taylor Regrets: Regional Councillor J. Grant Councillor A. Nuttall Mayor R. Stevens - NTllarj 11 *1 Staff Present: D. Gayle Wood, C.A.O. /Secretary- Treasurer B. Kemp, Director, Conservation Lands M. Valcic, Director, Corporate Services M. Walters, Director, Watershed Management P. Davies, Manager, Watershed Stewardship T. Hogenbirk, Manager, Engineering & Technical Services K. Neale, Manager, Corporate Communications K. Christensen, Coordinator, Human Resources B. Booth, Senior Environmental Planner D. Campbell, GIS Coordinator L. McLean, Stewardship Technician G. Casey, Coordinator, Board ICAO, Projects & Services Others: Ms. K. MacKenzie, Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation Mrs. D. Beatty, Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation Mrs. A. Bodley, Big Cedar Water & Sewer Mr. D. Bodley, Big Cedar Water & Sewer Mr. B. Wright, Big Cedar Water & Sewer Mr. H. Brown, Big Cedar Water & Sewer Councillor Bill Pring, Town of Innisfil, Big Cedar Water & Sewer DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST None indicated for the record of this meeting. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by: J. Rupke Seconded by: E. MacEachern BOD- 078 -08 RESOLVED THAT the content of the Agenda for the August 22nd , 2008 meeting of the Board of Directors be approved. CARRIED III ADOPTION OF MINUTES Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors' Meeting BOD-08-08 August 22nd, 2008 - Minutes Page 2 of 8 (a) Board of Directors Seconded by: B. Drew n BOD-079-08 RESOLVED THAT the minutes of Board of Directors Meeting No. BOD-06-08, held on June 27', 2008, be adopted and approved as printed and circulated. CARRIED JV_11TJj &I (a) Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation The CAO announced that the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation has been selected by the Association of Fundraising Professionals to receive the 2008 Outstanding Small Organization Award for Excellence in Fundraising. V HEARINGS There were no Hearings scheduled for this meeting. (a) Big Cedar Point Sewer and Water Committee The Board received a presentation from Mrs. Anne Bodley, Chair, Big Cedar Point Sewer and Water Committee. The purpose of the presentation was to advise of the need for municipal septic and water systems at Big Cedar Point, It was indicated that the faulty septic systems are negatively impacting on Lake Simcoe and threatening the drinking water of the residents. The Board was advised that this project was approved for funding sometime ago, however the promised funding was diverted to other projects in Simcoe County. Approximately $5M is required for this project and to date a Federal funding grant of $1.5M has been received. The Big Cedar Point Sewer and Water Committee requested the assistance of the Authority's Board asking them to write a letter to the appropriate provincial ministries advising of the need for this project and the need for adequate funding support. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors' Meeting BOD-08-08 August 22", 2008 - Minutes Paae 3 of 8 Deputy Mayor Gord Wauchope provided background information on this issue advising that $1.6M has been allocated to assist with the Big Cedar Point area. He further suggested that this Board should be requesting Minister Gerretsen provide financial assistance given the new initiative of a proposed Lake Simcoe Protection Act. Deputy Mayor Wauchope advised that the Town of Innisfil is looking for 1/3 provincial funding, 1/3 federal funding and 1/3 municipal funding of the total project cost in order to lessen the cost to the residents. Councillor MacEachern, understanding there are similar issues around the watershed, suggested the Board put forward a blanket request for the province to review such situations around the watershed shoreline and provide assistance to address and resolve these problems. Mayor Grassi offered assistance through his Town staff who have recently gone through this process and can share their knowledge to move this project forward. Mayor Grossi further requested that a separate letter be written to address the Big Cedar Point issue to ensure it gets attention as the current funding allocation must be used by the end of 2009. Moved by: G. Wauchope Seconded by: B. Drew BOD-08-80 RESOLVED THAT the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority's Board of Directors contact the Minister of the Environment requesting adequate funding for the installation of municipal sewer and water systems throughout the lake Simcoe watershed as part of the proposed Lake Simcoe Protection Plan. CARRIED Moved by: G. Wauchope Seconded by: J. Rupke BOD-08-81 RESOLVED THAT the LSRCA contact the Minister of the Environment requesting adequate funding in order to address the Big Cedar Point Sewer and Water System; and FURTHER THAT staff be authorized to address all such similar requests in the same manner. CARRIED Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors' Meeting BOD-08-08 August 22nd, 2008 - Minutes Page 4 of 8 VII PRESENTATIONS (a) Watershed Showcase The CAO provided the background for the development of the Authority's Watershed Excellence Showcase advising that the concept of showcasing watershed excellence originated with and was approved by the Board in January 2008 with the adoption of the LSRCA's Strategic Plan - Watershed 2010. The Board was provided with a visual presentation of the Watershed Excellence Showcase which included a change to the Authority's corporate logo and the suggestion to replace "Region" with "Watershed" - Lake Simcoe Watershed Conservation Authority. Following the presentation the Board congratulated staff on the presentation and were very supportive of the comments. Board asked that staff not proceed with the proposed changes to the corporate logo and requested a strategic plan regarding re-branding for the Authority be presented at the September Board. The CAO extended congratulations to the Management Team for their work on this initiative. The official launch of the Watershed Excellence Showcase will be October 31, 2008. Moved by: J. Taylor Seconded by: J. McCallum BOD-08-82 RESOLVED THAT the presentation provided by the CAO and Management Team regarding the Authority's work on a watershed excellence showcase be received and staff be directed to present a communications plan to move the watershed showcase forward on the basis that the logo remain the same with the name Lake Simcoe Watershed Conservation Authority placed within the existing logo. CARRIED Moved by: R. Grossi Seconded by: E. MacEachern BOD-08-83 RESOLVED THAT staff provide options for the September Board meeting regarding directions for re-branding the Conservation Authority. CARRIED 'i�, -5 Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors' Meeting BOD-08-08 August 22 "d, 2008 - Minutes Page 5 of 8 VIII DETERMINATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION Item 1, 2i, and 7 were identified for separate discussion. IX ADOPTION OF ITEMS NOT REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION 16• -• •TT- ••e Seconded bAjUjjM= BOD-08-84 RESOLVED THAT the following recommendations respecting the matters listed as "Items Not Requiring Separate Discussion" be adopted as submitted to the Board and staff be authorized to take all necessary action required to give effect to same. CARRIED 2. Correspondence BOD-08-85 RESOLVED THAT the correspondence listed in the June 27 th 2008 Agenda as Items 2(a - h, j-11) be received for information. 3. Monthly Communications Update BOD-08-86 RESOLVED THAT the Monthly Communications Update, for the period June 11' to July 31st, 2008 be received for information. 4. Budget Status Report BOD-08-87 RESOLVED THAT Staff Report No. 41-08-BOD regarding the Authority Budget Status for the seven month period ending July 31, 2008, be received. 5. Application of Ontario Reg 179/06 via Provincial Policy BOD-08-88 RESOLVED THAT Staff Report No. 42-08-BOD regarding the Application of Provincial Plans and Policies through Ontario Regulation 179/06 be received; and THAT staff be directed to have regard for the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, Greenbelt Plan, Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and Provincial Policy Statement when implementing Ontario Regulation 179/06, where possible and on a best efforts basis; and FURTHER THAT staff be directed to notify the regional and local municipalities within the watershed, Conservation Ontario, neighbouring conservation authorities, and Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing of this policy approach. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors' Meeting BOD-08-08 August 22 "d, 2008 - Minutes Page 6 of 8 6. Planninq Statistics/Permit Service Delivery BOD-08-89 RESOLVEDTHAT Staff Report No. 43-08-BOD regarding the monitoring of planning and development application activity be received for information. 8. Scanlon Farm House - Business Plan BOD-08-90 RESOLVED THAT Staff Report No. 45-08-BOD regarding the Scanlon Farm House Business Case be received and approved; and FURTHER THAT Conservation Authority staff continue to work with Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation to secure required funds, services and in-kind support with the Conservation Authority taking on the role of Project Manager as per Alternative E in the proposed Alternatives. X CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION 1 Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses Regulation 179/06 Councillor Agnew referenced work being done in Oro-Mdonte which includes the removal of the existing concrete breakwall and renaturalization of the shoreline and inquired if this could be used as a demonstration site once the work is complete The Director, Conservation Lands advised that the site will be reviewed with Stewardship staff to determine if this would be a good demonstration site and further suggested that Councillor Agnew may wish to submit this project for consideration under the Authority's Conservation Awards. Moved by: S. Agnew Seconded by: G. Wauchope BOD-08-91 RESOLVED THAT applications under Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act and Ontario Regulation 179/06 be received for information. 2. Correspondence (i) Councillor O'Donnell inquired if septics; will be considered for funding under the Lake Simcoe Clean Up Fund which is administered by Environment Canada. The Director, Conservation Lands advised that the correspondence refers to projects that were not approved for the first round of submissions under the Lake Simcoe Clean Up Fund program. However, Environment Canada have suggested ju - Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors' Meeting BOD-08-08 August 22nd, 2008 - Minutes Page 7 of 8 that some project be resubmitted for funding consideration under municipal reinspection programs. The Director reminded the Board that the Authority does currently have a program that offers funding for repairs/replacement of faulty septic systems. Moved by: J. O'Donnell Seconded by: B. HuscZ BOD-08-92 RESOLVED THAT the correspondence listed in the agenda at items 2(i) be received. 7. Carp Die Off - Update The Board dealt with Staff Report No. 44-08-BOD and in consideration of time, requested that the visual presentation be deferred to the September meeting. Moved by: J. McCallum Seconded by: J. Rupke BOD-08-93 RESOLVED THAT Staff Report No. 44-08-BOD regarding Lake Simcoe Carp Die Off and Overview of LSRCA Response be received for information; and FURTHER THAT Staff prepare and provide a summary of expenses for provision to the Board for their September 2008 meeting. K0 . - 0 . : (a) Announcements & Updates There were no Announcement & Updates identified. (b) Proposed Lake Simcoe Protection Act - Comments The Board received the Authority's comments in response to the EBR posting of the proposed Lake Simcoe Protection Act and approved the circulation of the comments to regional and local municipalities for support and endorsement. Moved by: G. Wauchope Seconded by: S. Agnew BOD-08-094 RESOLVED THAT the Board of Directors request Environment Canada provide a full list of projects requested for funding under Phase 1 of the Lake Simcoe Clean Up Fund, indentifying which projects were approved and the reasons for approval and refusal of projects. CARRIED Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors' Meeting BOD-08-08 August 22nd, 2008 - Minutes Page 8 of 8 (c) Lake Levels - Lake Simcoe Councillor McCallum requested the Board to issue a letter to the Trent Severn Waterway to ask that the lake level be lowered sooner rather than later advising that there is a concern regarding the current high level of the lake. Moved by: J. McCallum Seconded by: J. Rupke BOD-08-095 RESOLVED THAT the LSRCA contact the Trent Severn Waterway to express concerns with the current high water levels and request that the levels be returned to historic Lake Simcoe levels for the Fall. CARRIED XII CLOSED SESSION There were no items identified for Closed Session. XIII ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 12:10 p.m. on a motion by J. Young original signed by: original signed by: Councillor Virginia Hackson D. Gayle Wood, CMM III Chair Chief Administrative Officer 5q I Following are the highlights from the September 26th, 2008 meeting of the LSRCA's Board of Directors. Announcements (a) 2008 Ontario Stewardship Ranger Program Chair Hackson shared the award presented to the Authority by The Hon. Donna Cansfield, Minister of Natural Resources, acknowledging the Authority's participation in the Ontario Stewardship Ranger Program. (b) Watershed Excellence Showcase The CAO advised that further to the August Board of Directors' Meeting, staff have started to work on the launch of the Authority's Watershed Excellence Showcase. Invitations have been sent out for this event which is scheduled to be held on Friday, October 31, 2008 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. Chair Hackson requested that the Board Members plan to attend and to encourage their respective Mayor's to also attend. Presentations (a) Carp Clean Up — July 2008 The Board viewed a series of photos taken during the Authority's clean up activities of the dead carp in July 2008. Mayor Grossi extended thanks on behalf of his municipality to the Authority for their leadership and assistance provided during this unfortunate event. (b) Watershed Song The Board viewed a video of children performing the "Watershed Song" which was written by Authority staff leading the Conservation Kid's Summer Nature Program at the Sheppard's Bush Conservation Area, Aurora. Deputations: McNabb Drain — Deither Dabis The Board received a presentation from Mr. Deither Dabis regarding the state of the McNabb Drain in the Township of Ramara. Based on the information received, the Board directed staff to review the photos, file, and options for this matter and to provide a report to the Board at the October meeting. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, 120 Bayview Parkway, Newmarket, ON L3Y 3W3y,; x,infqalsrca.on.ca Web site: www.lsrca.on.ca. ,5�i - io Staff Reports Budget Timelines and Assumptions The Board dealt with Staff Report No. 47- 08 -BOD which outlined the schedule and process for the completion of the Authority's 2009 budget. Agricultural Permits to Take Water The Board dealt with Staff Report No. 48- 08 -BOD regarding the Agricultural Permits to Take Water. Staff advised that they will continue to assist the agricultural community with the completion of their applications. Councillor Rupke asked that if staff have discussions with the Ministry of the Environment regarding flow monitoring that staff put forward a suggestion to monitor flows by hours rather than litres /gallons. Carp Die Off — Update of Expenses The Board dealt with Staff Report No. 49- 08 -BOD regarding the associated costs to undertake the clean up of the dead carp. The costs borne by the Authority are estimated to be $20,365 which were not part of the 2008 budget. Proposed Direction of Re- branding the LSRCA The Board dealt with Staff Report No. 50- 08 -BOD regarding the re- branding of the Authority. The Board approved the recommendation of staff to implement moderate changes over a 3 -12 month period, review and consider modest yet impactful changes such a name and logo and related timing for implementation. Ontario Regulation 179 -06 Application to Lake Simcoe Watershed The Board dealt with Staff Report No. 51- 08 -BOD and approved that staff be authorized to administer permitting and enforcement matters in accordance with Ontario Regulation 179/06 along the Lake Simcoe Shoreline including those lands and waters immediately adjacent to the shoreline below an elevation of 219.15 metres above sea level (MASL). Lake Simcoe Protection Act: The Board held a discussion regarding the proposed Lake Simcoe Protection Act which received second reading on September 22 and 23, 2008. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, 120 Bayview Parkway, Newmarket, ON DY 3W3 ,JnfoCa?lsrca.on.ca Web site: www.Isrca.on.c, l� (Q _C O (1) cD 0 C O L N� I..L O C O C Y N Ri .O C D U- CL D C co m U N O U Y to J U C Y Uo ai Y C O _ N =ate t o C M m ''1^^ cc Vl O O C Z Y cc N U N J ,� co O U C � CU o QJ cc OL C (a .2- L L- L N (3) 70 U � Co a� 0 0 E U C Co O (6 C " -C _ U L C W The Premier of Ontario Legislafive Building Queen's Park Toronto, Ontario M7A IAI Le Premier ministre de !'Ontario Edifice de I'Assembl6e 16gislative Queen's Park Toronto (Ontario.) M7A 1A1 His Worship H.S. Hughes Mayor l A, iqe 148 Line 7 South PO Box 100 Oro, Ontario LOL 2XO ro Thank you for your letter dated September 11, expressing council's support for th4 resolution passed by the City of Owen Sound regarding full exemption of Provincial Sales Tax on Goods and Services for Ontario Police Services. I appreciate your keeping me informed of council's activities. As this issue falls under the responsibility of the Honourable Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance, I have sent a copy of council's resolution to him for his information. I trust that the minister will also take council's views into consideration. Yours truly, �4? September 11, 2008 The Honourable Dalton McGuinty Premier of Ontario Queen's Park, Room 281 Main Legislative Building Toronto, ON IM7A 1AI Re: Motion, Full Exemption of Provincial Sales Tax on Goods and Services for Ontario Police Services Letter of Supporl Dear Premier McGuinty: At its Committee of the Whole meeting of September 3, 2008, the Council of the Township of Oro-Medonte adopted tf-ie following motion with respect to the above-noted matter: "It is recommended that 1. The correspondence received Auigust 21, 2008, re: Request for Support from City of Owen Sound, re: Full Exemption of Provincial Sales Tax on Goods and Services for Ontario Police Services be received. 2. That the Township of Oro-Medor-n to supports the City of Owen Sound's resolution requesting a Full Exemption of Provincial Sales Tax on Goods and Services for Ontario Police Services. 1 And Further That Dalton McGuinty, Premier; Garfield Dunlop, MPP, Simcoe North; the Association of Municipalities of Ontario; and the City of Owen Sound be advised of Council's decision." On behalf of Council of the Township , I would therefore respectfully request that you give favourable consideration to this r-4ecommendation. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Yours respectfully, H.S. Hughes Mayor Cc: Garfield Dunlop, IVIPP Association of Municipalities of Ontario City of Owen Sound !Qn COUNTY OF SIMCOE For the Greater Good 11 ov ®,O- , ? LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE 4:4 :Lei :A' I SICOUNTY OF MCOES 5C - a. LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE Table of Contents Page No. Performance Management Committee 3 Staff as of December 31, 2006 4 Highlights 2007 5 County of Simcoe Library Co- operative 6 Statistical Summary 9 Materials Borrowed Through Rotations 10 Rotations 2006 -2007 Graph 11 Circulation of Simcoe County Materials 12 Circulation 2006 -2007 graph 13 Per Cent of Collection Loaned Chart 14 Interlibrary Loan 15 Interlibrary Loan 2006 -2007 Graph 16 Electronic Data Base 17 Audited Statement 18 LCO -023 -001 PAGE 2 OF 18 SICOUNTY OF MCOE' 5C 3 LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE S- PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (Library) 2007 Councillor Cal Patterson (Chair) — Town of Wasaga Beach Councillor Phil Sled (Vice- Chair) — Township of Severn Councillor Peggy Breckenridge — Township of Tiny Councillor Chris Carrier — Town of Collingwood Councillor Basil Clarke — Township of Ramara Councillor David Guergis — Township of Essa Councillor Harry Hughes — Township of Oro - Medonte Councillor Brian Jackson — Town of Innisfil Councillor James Downer — Town of Midland Councillor Scott Warnock — Township of Tay Councillor Doug White — Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Warden Tony Guergis — Township of Springwater Additional Representation for Museum, Archives and Library Purposes only: David Walker (citizen appointee) Dave Snedden (citizen appointee) Joan Morby (Women's Institute) Chief Administrative Officer— Mark Aiken Warden — Tony Guergis General Manager of Health and Cultural Services — Jane Sinclair LCO -023 -001 PAGE 3 OF 18 SICOUNTY OF MCOE`_S �r Staff as of December 31, 2007 Gayle Hall — Chief Librarian Ardis Harris — Acquisitions Clerk Christine Maxwell — Processing Clerk Jim Small — Book Rotation Clerk Sue Wall — Circulation Clerk J �j LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE LCO- 023 -001 PAGE 4 OF 18 l T- StCOUNTY OF MCOEs `� HIGHLIGHTS 2007 LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE The County of Simcoe Library Co- operative enjoyed a very productive year in 2007. Several of the services offered by the County Library showed significant increases in usage over 2006, including the number of items borrowed through block rotations, the circulation of block materials, and the amount of material lent on interlibrary loan. In addition, the Co- operative added a brand new service — electronic audiobooks. Some of the years highlights are outlined below. • Eighty four block rotations were completed with over 42,000 items circulated. • The circulation of library material increased by almost 12,000 items over the previous year. • Interlibrary loan more than doubled year over year. • Collingwood Public Library joined the Horizon library consortium bringing the total number of participating libraries to seven. • The Co- operative purchased subscriptions to two new electronic databases bringing the total number of subscriptions to eight. • The County Library received a special grant of $9,000 from the Ministry of Culture. In October, the County Library launched its electronic audiobook service. Eight member libraries contributed a total of $20,000 for collection development and an additional $1000 grant was received from the Good For Life Committee of Simcoe County. The digital collection numbered 605 titles by years end, with a combined circulation of 831 checkouts. The collection is accessible on the Internet through the PULSE (Public Libraries Serving E- Media) website pulse.simcoe.ca. The purpose of the Library Co- operative is to supplement and enhance the library services provided by its members to the residents of the County of Simcoe. Credit for its success is shared by a number of groups and individuals. Special thanks go to Simcoe County Council and the Performance Management Committee for their continuing support; to Jane Sinclair, General Manager of Health and Cultural Services, for her insightful counsel; to the Chief Librarians' Committee for their practical advice; and the staff of the County Library for their enduring dedication and hard work. LCO -023 -001 PAGE 5 OF 18 COUNTY OF—. SIMCOE C��1j11��Z��11 1�1�Z 1 �1 iT� i * i GOVERANCE LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE The County of Simcoe Library Co- operative is a unique organization in the Province of Ontario. It is the only public library co- operative in the province and its statutory obligations are set forth in the Public Libraries Act. The Co- operative is funded and operated by County of Simcoe, although the Library also receives a modest annual operating grant from the Ontario Ministry of Culture. MEMBERSHIP Membership in the Co- operative is restricted to public library boards in the County of Simcoe, with the exception of the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. All municipalities in the County contribute to the support of the County Library Co- operative through the general County levy; therefore, all municipal public libraries in Simcoe County are eligible to use the services of the Co- operative. Currently, there are fourteen separate library boards comprising twenty -seven libraries and branches in Simcoe County. Participation in any program or service of the Co- operative is strictly voluntary. SERVICES Block Rotations of Special Collections The County Library selects, acquires and processes material to circulate in blocks to members of the Co- operative. At present, the County Library has nine special collections for block rotation: large print books, videos, DVDs, read - alongs, music compact disks, CD -ROMs, talking books, books on tape and books on compact disks. These materials are assembled into two or three different sizes of blocks for each material type. Blocks are rotated between two and four times a year, depending on the requirements of individual libraries. The blocks are delivered to and retrieved from member libraries via the library van. Electronic Online Databases The County Library purchases annual subscriptions to a variety of commercial online databases that can be accessed by via the Internet. Free access to these databases is provided to the library patrons of all member libraries. The databases cover a wide spectrum of subject areas from current events to history, and from science to literature. Currently, the County Co- operative has subscriptions to eight (8) different databases: Automotive Repair Reference Centre, Canadian Reference Centre, Consumer Health Complete, CultureGrams, Home Improvement Reference Centre, Novelist, Science Reference Centre and Small Engine Repair Reference Centre. Electronic Audiobooks Electronic audiobooks are audiobooks that are in digital format and are accessed via the Internet. In 2007, the County Co- operative contracted with Overdrive to purchase its digital audiobook technology and services. The service permits all County residents, with a valid library card and an Internet connection, to download digital audiobooks to their computers and MP3 players for free. Remote patron authentication software ensures that anyone accessing the collection is a registered patron of a member library. The audiobook collection is accessed through the PULSE (Public Libraries Sharing E- Media) website at pulse.simcoe.ca. LCO- 023 -CO1 PAGE 6 OF 18 COLNTY OF SIMCOE ^� Reference and Local History Collections LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE The County Library has a substantial reference and local history collection comprising over 1,500 items. Titles are available for limited loan to member libraries. Lease Plan The County Library pays for a lease plan for each of its members. The plan allows libraries to select a specified number of items, on an annual basis, to augment their existing collections. At the end of the lease term, the library has the option to purchase the leased material at a discounted rate, or return the material to the vendor. Library Journals The County Library subscribes to twelve (12) different library journals. These journals provide professional advice in library specific fields such as collection development, These journals are routed to individual libraries based on members' preferences. Large Print and Video Pools The County Library is responsible for the acquisition, processing, maintenance and rotation schedules for the Large Print and the Video Pools. The Pool collections are owned and funded by those members of the Co- operative who have decided to join the Pools. At present, there are ten libraries or branches that belong to the Large Print Pool and nine that belong to the Video Pool. Consortium Purchasing The County Library purchases a variety of library supplies in bulk, such as DVD and CD cases, spine label protectors, pockets, etc. and sells them to member libraries at cost. The Co- operative also negotiates the bulk purchasing of computer software and software licenses, such as virus protection, on behalf of member libraries. Library Automation and Systems Administration For many years, the County Co- operative has taken the lead in supporting the automation of member libraries. The databases of seven member libraries — Clearview, Coldwater, Collingwood, Essa, New Tecumseth, Penetanguishene, and Tay — as well as the County Co- operative database, reside on the two County Library servers located in the County Administration Centre. The servers are maintained by the County Information Technology Department. The Chief Librarian of the County Library administers the library software program, provides training to the staff of member libraries and troubleshoots any problems encountered with the software. In 2007, a third server was acquired to host the WebReporter software. This software is used to retrieve statistical information from the library databases and create a variety of reports, charts and graphs on acquisitions, circulation patterns, patrons and collections. Training The County Library provides training and training opportunities for the staff of member libraries. Topics include web -site development, cataloguing, electronic databases and e- audiobooks. County Library staff also provide training sessions on specific aspects of the library software program. LCO -023 -001 PAGE 7 OF 18 COUNTY OF " SIMCOVA STAFFING LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE The Library Co- operative has a current staff of five people — the Chief Librarian and four library clerks. The Chief Librarian administers the library, supervises the staff, selects material for purchase, administers the automation system and liaisons with staff from member libraries. The Acquisition Clerk orders and receives all material acquired by the Co- operative and performs a variety of clerical functions such as answering the phone, filing, and maintaining the records management system. The Cataloguing and Processing Clerk processes all new material, assembles the special collections into blocks and ensures that each item is correctly entered into the database. The two Circulation Clerks schedule rotations, check block material into and out of the library, circulate reference material and pool items, repair large print books and audio /visual material, box material for rotation and operate the Library delivery van. LCO- 023 -001 PAGE 8 OF 18 SICOUNTY OF MCOE, C _.. LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE = STATISTICAL SUMMARY 2007 Total Collection as of December 31, 2006 - 48,265 TYPE Additions Withdrawls Print REFERENCE 9 2 LARGE PRINT 447 186 Audio /visual VIDEOS /DVD 707 274 MUSIC CDS 130 4 CD -ROM 67 1 BOOKS ON CD /BOOKS ON TAPE 414 114 READ ALONGS 68 18 E AUDIO BOOKS 605 0 Total 2,447 599 Total Collection as of December 31, 2007 - 30,071 Materials Borrowed Through Rotations 2007 Large Type Videos DVDs Read Alon s CD- ROMs Bookson Tae Books on CD CD Seasonal Total 18,285 5,840 5,885 1,670 750 4,760 3,145 1,495 258 42,088 Circulation of Simcoe County Lib ary Materials 2007 Large Type Audio Visual Total 17,925 36,727 50,848 105,500 Inte library Loan Service 2007 Requests Received Large Print Audio Visual Referenced Sols VDX Total 2,301 186 221 1,670 24 201 2,301 Electronic Database Usage 2007 No. of Sessions No. of searches Total 3,393 12,688 16,081 E -Media Books Number of titles Total checkouts 605 831 LCO -023 -001 PAGE 9 OF 18 SICOUNTY OF MCOE -S LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE �... MATERIALS BORROWED THROUGH ROTATIONS - 2007 LIBRARY No. Rotations Large Type Videos DVD CD- ROM Books on Tae Read alon s CD Books on CD TOTAL BASE BORDEN 3 790 475 225 55 250 70 0 120 1985 BRADFORD W. GWILLI MBURY 3 110 0 225 35 0 0 0 130 500 CLEARVIEW Creemore 4 0 105 295 0 85 90 135 170 880 Sta ner 4 300 35 305 0 315 80 120 180 1335 Sunnidale 4 410 105 290 0 130 125 135 165 1360 COLDWATER 3 755 250 210 45 190 50 95 120 1715 ESSA Angus 3 1270 15 210 45 300 105 90 120 2155 Thornton 3 1300 380 230 45 245 85 115 135 2535 INNISFIL Stroud 3 0 0 190 0 0 0 0 95 285 Churchill 3 0 0 190 0 0 0 0 95 285 Cookstown 3 0 0 190 0 0 0 0 95 285 Lakeshore 3 0 0 190 0 0 0 0 95 285 MIDLAND 4 1710 0 295 0 0 0 0 0 2005 NEW TECUMSETH Alliston 3 1280 895 230 0 310 0 0 135 2850 Beeton 2 840 730 150 45 230 80 0 85 2160 Tottenham 3 600 235 210 10 125 30 20 120 1350 PENETANGUISHENE 4 1900 0 295 60 425 140 135 155 3110 RAMARA Athedey 3 700 540 210 40 180 80 70 130 1950 Brechin 2 410 360 145 30 135 40 50 85 1255 SPRINGWATER Elmvale 3 330 295 215 45 345 90 90 120 1530 Midhurst 3 0 60 220 50 30 60 90 130 640 Minesing 3 300 165 220 25 110 45 30 125 1020 TAY Port McNicoll 4 1835 40 300 60 450 140 135 170 3130 Victoria Harbour 4 1200 625 295 60 385 140 90 165 2960 Waubaushene 4 1445 813 300 100 450 145 125 170 3548 WASAGA 2 800 0 135 0 70 75 0 85 1165 TOTAL 83 18,285 6,123 5,970 750 4,760 1,670 1,525 3,195 42,273 LCO- 023 -001 PAGE 10 OF 18 countTr OF SIMCOETs 20000 18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE ROTATIONS 2006 -2007 Large Type 2006 ®Large Type 2007 ❑Audio 2006 ❑Audio 2007 (Visual 2006 @Visual 2007 LCO -023 -001 PAGE 11 OF 18 SICO�JNTY OF " MCOETs /.... - LIBRARY �.=�'I CO- OPERATIVE c_-2 CIRCULATION OF SIMCOE COUNTY LIBRARY MATERIALS 2007 LIBRARY LARGE TYPE AUDIO VISUAL TOTAL BASE BORDEN 36 101 1179 1316 BRADFORD W. GWILLIMBURY 0 169 1505 1674 CLEARVIEW Creemore 32 1313 1031 2376 • Stayner 210 4186 1212 5608 Sunnidale 63 660 413 1136 COLDWATER 553 472 836 1861 ESSA Angus 736 4829 1088 6653 Thornton 140 809 1191 2140 INNISFIL 47 704 4273 5024 MIDLAND 7450 0 3969 11419 NEW TECUMSETH Alliston 1133 4843 13421 19397 Beeton 1673 4062 4162 9897 Tottenham 359 2017 2143 4519 PENETANGUISHENE 1361 4340 2348 8049 RAMARA Atherley 141 119 258 518 Brechin 79 61 344 484 SPRINGWATER Elmvale 310 911 1968 3189 Midhurst 2 586 1904 2492 Minesing 131 145 876 1152 TAY Port McNicoll 864 2627 2249 5740 Victoria Harbour 570 1799 1458 3827 Waubaushene 463 1445 1076 2984 WASAGA 1256 279 239 1774 SOLS 187 52 58 297 COUNTY EMP. 129 198 1647 1974 TOTAL 17,925 36,727 50,848 105,500 LCO- 023 -001 PAGE 12 OF 18 COUNTY OF SIMCOE� 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 2006 CIRCULATION 2006.2007 2007 5�- -IS LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE ® LARGE TYPE RAUDIO OVISUAL O TOTAL LCO -023 -001 PAGE 13 OF 18 COUNTY OF " SIMCOES 50848,48% PERCENT OF ITEMS CIRCULATED 2007 17925,17% ?7, 35% 5c- 19 LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE 49,;;1 ® LARGE TYPE IAUD10 ❑VISUAL LCO- 023 -001 PAGE 14 OF 18 L COUNTY OF SIMCOE s 5c - i �I- LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE S-=21 INTERLIBRARY LOAN 2007 LIBRARIES REQUESTS LARGE TYPE AUDIO VISUAL REFERENCE BASE BORDEN BRADFORD 5 3 2 CLEARVIEW 14 7 3 4 COLDWATER 2 2 COLLINGWOOD 6 3 2 1 ESSA 7 4 3 INNISFIL 10 6 2 2 MIDLAND 15 6 7 2 NEW TECUMSETH 10 6 2 2 PENETANGUISHENE 10 2 2 6 RAMARA 3 2 1 SPRINGWATER 9 7 1 1 TAY 2 1 1 WASAGA 9 8 1 STAFF 1998 129 198 1647 24 SOLS VDx 201 132 32 32 5 TOTAL 2,301 318 253 1,700 30 LCO -023 -001 PAGE 15 OF 18 SICOUNTY OF MCOFTS Interlibrary Loan 2006 -2007 5(-.- t � LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE M Requests 2006 a Requests 2007 O Large Type 2006 O Large Type 2007 ®Audio/Visual 2006 MAudio/Visual 2007 LCO- 023 -001 PAGE 16 OF 18 MWOMMM COUlNTY OF SIMCOEfiM# �C- - I ) LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE ELECTRONIC DATABASE USAGE 2007 DATA BASE SESSIONS SEARCHES TOTAL AccessScience 277 277 554 Automotive Repair Reference Centre 600 969 1569 Canadian Reference Centre 484 1399 1883 Consumer Health Complete 213 458 671 Culture rams 184 2070 2254 Health Source Consumer Edition 53 123 176 Home Improvement Reference Centre 88 320 408 Novelist 1281 6191 7472 Science Reference Centre 111 411 522 Small Engine Repair Reference Centre 102 470 572 TOTAL 3,393 12,688 16,081 LCO -023 -001 PAGE 17 OF 18 COUNTY OF SIMCOE^ LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE COUNTY OF SIMCOE LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2007 PAGE 18 OF 18 CORPORATION OF THE COUNTY OF SIMCOE LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE BOARD FINANCIAL: STATEMENTS DECEMBER 31, 2007 f" A, S/` Collins Barrow Chartered Accountants )�c _ a-o % ' Collins Barrow Collins Barrow Kawarthas LLP 418 Sheridan Street Chartered Accountants Peterborough, Ontario K9H 3,19 T. 705.742.3418 F. 705.742.9775 email: peterborough@collinsbarrow.com AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE BOARD, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, INHABITANTS AND RATEPAYERS OF THE CORPORATION OF THE COUNTY OF SIMCOE We have audited the statement of financial activities of the Library Co- operative Board of the Corporation of the County of Simcoe for the year ended December 31, 2007. This financial statement is the responsibility of the Board's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on this financial statement based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform an audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. In our opinion, this financial statement presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial activities of the Board as at December 31, 2007 in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles. Coai�vw $a -1-oiv k zwan1u -;rk LLP Chartered Accountants Licensed Public Accountants Peterborough, Ontario March 28, 2008 Th!s practice is indep— lastly owned and operated by Collins Barrow Kawarthas LLP. The Collins Barrow trademarks are used under license. CORRESPONDEW ul Praxi tY UiUFiA1 AWANCE OF RIDEPiVDENi FIRMS The accompanying note is an integral part of this financial statement. Collins Barrow Chartered Acc:�u hail_ CORPORATION OF THE COUNTY OF SIMCOE LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE BOARD STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES For The Year Ended December 31, 2007 Budget Current Capital Actual Actual 2007 Fund Fund 2007 2006 REVENUES Grants Province of Ontario 18,200 17,713 9,000 26,713 30,298 Other Book sales and other fees 7,510 15,347 - 15,347 19,080 Municipal Contribution County of Simcoe 508,518 434,171 24,733 458,904 393,510 Other municipalities - 190 - 190 190 TOTAL REVENUES 534,228 467,421 33,733 501,154 443,078 EXPENDITURES CURRENT Salaries 205,017 214,027 - 214,027 203,674 Employee benefits 63,991 56,536 - 56,536 58,222 Books 102,708 97,808 - 97,808 112,835 Database 35,385 35,233 - 35,233 26,387 Memberships 1,906 900 - 900 1,664 Mileage 1,236 871 - 871 1,137 Administration 29,536 34,499 - 34,499 35,072 Vehicle expenses 5,184 2,601 - 2,601 3,599 Telephone 515 466 - 466 488 TOTAL CURRENT EXPENDITURES 445,478 442,941 - 442,941 443,078 CAPITAL 88,750 - 58,213 58,213 - TOTAL EXPENDITURES 534,228 442,941 58,213 501,154 443,078 NET REVENUES/ (EXPENDITURES) - 24,480 (24,480) - - NET TRANSFERS FROM (TO) OTHER FUNDS - (24,480) 24,480 - - CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE. - - - - OPENING FUND BALANCES - - - - CLOSING FUND BALANCES - - - - - The accompanying note is an integral part of this financial statement. Collins Barrow Chartered Acc:�u hail_ CORPORATION OF THE COUNTY OF SIMCOE LIBRARY CO- OPERATIVE BOARD NOTE TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For The Year Ended December 31, 2007 SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES )�( - ar This financial statement has been prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for local governments and their boards as recommended by the Public Sector Accounting Board of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. Significant aspects of the accounting policies adopted by the Board are as follows: Fund Accounting Funds within the financial statement consist of current and capital funds. Transfers between funds are recorded as adjustments to the appropriate municipal fund balance. Basis of Accounting Revenue and expenditures are reported on the accrual basis of accounting which recognizes revenues as they become available and measurable; expenditures are recognized as they are incurred and measurable as a result of receipt of goods or services and the creation of a legal obligation to pay. Capital Assets Expenditures made on capital assets are reported as capital expenditures on the Statement of Financial Activities in the period incurred. Government Funding Government funding is recognized in the financial statement as revenues in the period in which events giving rise to the funding occur, providing the funding is authorized, any eligibility criteria have been met, and reasonable estimates of the amounts can be made. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenditures during the period and are based on the organization's best information and judgment. Actual results could differ from these estimates. COUNTY OF SIMCOE MUNICIPAL CONTRIBUTION The Board does not have a fund balance at the end of the year as the County of Simeoe's contribution is adjusted so the revenues equal expenditures for the year. Since the municipal position is zero and the Board's assets and liabilities are assumed by the County, a Statement of Financial Position is not presented. BUDGET FIGURES Budgets established for capital and reserve funds are based on a project- oriented basis, the costs of which may be carried out over one or more years. Although they may not be directly comparable with the current year actual amounts they have been reflected on the Statement of Financial Activities. Budget figures are not subject to audit. Collins Barrow Chartered Accountants The Corporation of the County of Simcoe 6"T" 4 CLERK'S OFFICE Telephone Extension 1246 October 6, 2008 Mayor and Council of County of Simcoe Member Municipalities Dear Mayor and Council: Subject: Bulky Item Waste Collection cw (705) 726-9300 Fax: (705) 725-1285 Beeton Area (905) 729-2294 Administration Centre 1110 Highway 26 Midlitirst, Ontario LOL I XO At its meeting, on September 10, 2008 the Corporate Services Committee considered the attached material from the Town of New Tecumseth and the Township of Tiny and submitted the following recommendation to County Council: "THAT the correspondence from the Town of New Tecumseth and the Township of Tiny regarding bulky item waste collection be referred to the Waste Management Sub-committee and the member municipalities be invited to provide input." d This recommendation was approved by County Council, without amendment, on September 23' , 2008. I wish to advise that the meeting of the Waste Management sub-committee has now been scheduled for Monday, November 3'd, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. in the County Administration Centre. Should your municipality wish to comment on the issue of bulky item waste collection it would be appreciated if your comments could be forwarded to my attention at your earliest conveni- ence. I would also note that representatives of your municipality are welcome to attend the meeting. Thank you for your kind attention to this matter and should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned or Mr. Rob McCullough, Director of Environmental Services. Yours truly, _04 Glen R. Knox County Clerk c.c. Mark Aitken, Chief Administrative Officer Rick Newlove, General Manager of Corporate Services Rob McCullough, Director of Environmental Services Mailing Address: The Town Corporation of the T P.O. Box 910 p 0 Of Aliiston, Ontario New Tecumseth L9R 1A1 ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT Web Address: Administration Centre www.town.newtecumseth.on.ca 10 Wellington St. E. Email: ciark0town.newtecumseth.on.ca Alliston, Ontario r6OCEVOV�0 F 3�� phone: (705) 435 -6219 or (805) 729 -0057 C'� Fsx: (705) 435 -2873 Q�;. Clerk: dJrect Ilne: 705 -035 3900 act 228 2008 August 20, 2008 County of Simcoe Administration Centre 1110 Highway 26 Midhurst, Ontario LOL 1X0 Attn: Glen Knox, County Clerk Re: Resolution for County Bulky Item Decision Dear Mr. Knox, ,l Please be advised that the Council of the Town of New Tecumseth passed the following resolution at their Meeting on August 18, 2008: Item CW -1 a) COUNTY COUNCIL — JUNE AND JULY 2008 2008 -135 Moved by Councillor Egan Seconded by Councillor Norcross BE IT RESOLVED THAT the County Council Report — June and July 2008 of the Mayor dated August 11, 2008 be received; AND FURTHER THAT the Additional Information Memorandum of the Clerk/Manager of Administration & Economic Development dated August 18, 2008 be received; AND FURTHER THAT the following Resolution be approved: "WHEREAS the County of Simcoe has made the decision to discontinue the optional bulky item pick up service across the County; AND WHEREAS a number of local municipalities have expressed their desire to see this service continued; AND WHEREAS New Tecumseth residents have come to rely on this service as part of their waste management service; AND WHEREAS staff in New Tecumseth worked diligently to improve the communication with residents to ensure compliance and minimize complaints in 2008 which resulted in a very successful program; M AND WHEREAS the voucher system which has been proposed as an alternative to the bulky item pick up will result in higher costs and a great administration burden; AND WHEREAS local municipalities are precluded from providing the bulky item pick up service directly; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the County of Simcoe be requested to reconsider its decision to not carry out the optional bulky item service for those municipalities who wish to provide it to their residents or alternatively, permit those municipalities to carry out the collection service." CARRIED You€s truly, : Development iWIRAMI, ffiffi M Meeting Date: September 8, 2008 Moved by: Carried: Seconded by: Defeated: Signed: THAT the Township of Tiny supports the Town of New Tecumseth's request for the continuation of the bulky item collection within the County of Simcoe; AND THAT this resolution be forwarded to the attention of the Clerk of the County of Simcoe. Mayor Harry Hughes Township ofOn,PWegonte 148 Line 7South Oro, ON0LD0 Dear Mayor Hughes, This year, we are thrilled to be a part of the annual Wishmaker Parade on Saturday, October 18, 2008. As honorary chairs of the parade and pledged walkers, we invite you to join us along with our friends and family as we celebrate Alexis' life and show our support for the magic of a wish from The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada. We were fortunate to have our three-year-old daughter Alexis' wish for a trip to Disney granted last December. Her wish was to meet her princesses and she did, just a mere few months before she lost her battle to cancer. Wishmaker Parade is a family-oriented parade or walk that celebrates Alexis' wish and the wishes of countless other children who struggle with high risk, life-threatening illnesses. on behalf of The Children's Wish Foundation we invite you to join uson October 18,2OU8. Please mark your calendar now. |nSimcoe[ounty N/�hmoker Parade viUbe held at Centennial Beach on2O6 Lakeshore Dr�e \nBax�.VVe encourageon|\ne' registration at Other parades will take place in Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener and the regions of Peel, Durham, York, and Northumberland ([obourg). if you are unable to participate, we kindly ask you to consider a financial contribution. For more information about Wishmaker, please contact The Foundation at (905) 427-5353 or 1-800-267-9474. Last year, N/ishmokeraised more than $125 million in communities across the country. Join us on Saturday, October 18 to ensure that the Foundation can continue to grant wishes to hundreds of children each year! Warmest regards, THE CHILDREN'S WISH FOUNDATION OFCANADA Jason and Amanda 8rummet Honorary Wish Chairs and Parents, VVishmakerParade The Children's Wish Foundation ofCanada �n|000Chop|e, � / /z5vv�onav no S � r4ox om / |S /D * ne| 9O5'4275353 pnx� w]bx2/O5Ju - - - -- Original Message - - - -- From: Peter Barrick To: council @oro- medonte.ca Cc: sand.aagnew@oro- medonte.ca Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 12:49 PM Subject: Lauder Road Maintenance Edgar Estates Subdivision Monday, October 06, 2008 To Whom It May Concern: 1 have enquired of the roads department and of our councilman what the status of Lauder Road maintenance is. To the best of my knowledge this road within our subdivision has not yet been assumed by the town. In discussions by telephone as soon ago as September 18, 2008 with our councilman, Sandy Agnew, I have learned that the terms of road assumption are in negotiations and that a form of cash agreement related to needed maintenance is part of the assumption plan. 1 was told during this conversation that there is still no date or time line for this assumption nor definitive maintenance plan. 1 am aware that approximately 1 year ago a series of paired core samples were taken of Lauder Road. These were taken on the north side of the road starting at the 4 line end progressing east to the 3rd curve. 1 am assuming none were taken beyond this point to the Old Barrie Road since no deterioration is showing in the road surface in this area. As a resident of this subdivision and road since November 2003, 1 have watched with great interest at the ineffectiveness of the 3 maintenances done on the road in that time period. The first was to repair the surface of the first paving layer by selective cutting and patching before putting down the second paving coat. Then after the first winter the second paving coat began to crack parallel with the road direction, splitting at the center line. Liquid crack filler was utilized to no avail as each winter the cracks widen. Subsequently a patching process was used to remove pavement, i°adjust the road bed" and repave. These patch areas all show signs of separation and expanding cracks. Separation damage also shows outside of the patched areas. There have been many walking meetings between the developer Best Pro, their engineers, the town and their engineers over the last 5 years and still the road is slowly and steadily deteriorating. it has been my understanding that when the core sampling was done last fall, that this would lead to a definitive plan and maintenance activity on Lauder Road. Another year has passed and no work has been done. The sad part in all of this is that the solution most likely will be based on massive reconstruction of the road bed to deal with the subsurface reasons (probably close to the surface water table issues) for the ongoing pavement separation and splitting. If the town assumes this road without the appropriate financial liabilities to the developer, then the tax payers get to carry the burden. It is obviously too late this year to get into major construction solutions on the road. What I want to know is the plan for the future and now into 2009, to bring this road up to town standards. Sincerely, Peter Barrick Peter and Faye Sarrr"ck 23 Lauder Road RR #1 Shanty Bay, ON LOL 21.0 These AMO/LAS two-day workshops were met with such demand that we are pleased to present the 2008/2009 Energy Workshop line-up! Now is the time to learn more! Each workshop provides participants with a solid foundation to: • Understand the importance of energy management; • Understand the range of energy opportunities that exist in municipal facilities; • Identify the aspects of a successful energy project; • Identify & initiate tactics appropriate to a municipal situation; • Learn how other municipalities have successfully used energy projects to reduce consumption; • Identify and be able to access the various funding/grant resources available from government and utilities for energy projects; and • Initiate the development of an energy plan and energy assessments and audits. Coming soon to a location near you! Register today — further information and registration details available at www,amo.on,ca — Click on 'Events' Workshop 1 - Energy 101: Opportunities & Insights Topics include: energy basics, benchmarking, 'tracking the bill', the Energy Audit, staff awareness, government and utility incentives and so much more... Workshop 2 - Municipal Energy Management: How to Make it Work for You Topics include: funding incentives, success factors for energy management, municipal success stories, 'putting it all together', the anatomy of a project and more... • STRATFORD (Arden Park Hotel) — Oct 28 and 29 • HUNTSVILLE (Deerhurst Resort) — Nov 18 and 19 • PETERBOROUGH (Best Western Otonabee Inn) —Jan 13 and 14, 2009 • CHATHAM-KENT (CK Learning Centre) — Jan 27 and 28, 2009 • MARKHAM (Holiday Inn Toronto-Markham) — Feb 10 and 11, 2009 • LONDON - Special one-day session - AMO CRST Conference — October 26 "Both sessions were fast paced, facilitators excellent, interesting and practical information and a great group from a networking perspective." "AMOILAS has a good thing going here. Keep tip the good work, Pl/ be recommending these workshops to my peers." Aft; Presented in conjunction with IESO and Natural Resources Canada. Canaffi 1 � `D A.� Dt4s Cashing in on t" .�thum makes Lid Energy Savings! 2008/09 AMC) /LAS Energy Management Workshops Registration Farm Workshop sessions are from 8:30 am to 4 pm with reqistration at 8:00 am Location Please type or print clearly. Use one form per registrant. Payment MUST accompany registration. First Name l Wish to Attend Both Workshops Last Name Title O Sept -1 Municipality Address O Sept -38 City Stratford Province Postal Code Phone O Nov 18 Fax E -mail Location Workshop 1 Workshop 2 l Wish to Attend Both Workshops DfyEleo COMPLETE O Se" O Sept -1 O O O O O O O COMPLETE O Sept -38 O Giet-4 Stratford O Oct 28 O Oct 29 Hunstville O Nov 18 O Nov 19 Peterborough O Jan 13 O Jan 14 Chatham -Kent O Jan 27 O Jan 28 GTA - Markham O Feb 10 O Feb 11 Attend one workshop $299.00 + 5% GST ($313.95) Attend both workshops! Bundle and save $50.00 before taxes $550 + 5% GST ($577.50) PLEASE NOTE EXACT WORKSHOP LOCATION WILL BE LISTED ON YOUR CONFIRMATION NOTICE PAYMENT Registration forms CANNOT be processed unless accompanied by proper payment. Fax completed registration forms to (416) 971 -9372 Cheque payable to: Association of Municipalities of Ontario ❑Mastercard RVisa 200 University Avenue, Suite 801 Toronto, ON., M5H 3C6 Card # Name on Card Expiry Date Signature Refund Policy: Cancellations must be made in writing and received by AMO 14 days prior to the the date of the selected seminar. An administration fee of $ 50.00 + 6% GST ($53.00) will apply. All cancellations received after the above date will not be refunded. For registration inquiries please contact Anita Surujdeo at Presented in conjunction .vict, asurujdeo @amo.on.ca or (416) 971 -9856 ext. 344 { #peso 3r �� rower to Ontario, On Demand, ., Natural Resources Canada t � —IS LONDON - Special Cane -day Session Sunday, October 26, 2008 - prior to the AMO CRST Conference AMO /LAS present a one -day offering of our two current Municipal Energy Workshops at the AMO CRST /DSSAB Annual Conference in Londonl This comprehensive full -day workshop is targeted at elected officials and Municipal Administratorsl Ontario municipalities currently spend more than $680 million on electricity and $275 on natural gas annually. As a result, there is no better time to learn more about how to better use energy, learn about savings opportunities, and develop leadership required for successful energy management strategies and plans. This hands -on LAS workshop recognizes the reality that municipalities are at different stages of development regarding energy management. This workshop will provide the necessary tools for your municipality to properly consider and implement successful energy projects and strategies. Participants will receive a detailed workshop package and access to an online toolkit with information about best practices, new technologies, available funding programs... and much more. These workshops are an ideal chance for municipal staff and elected officials to: ✓ Learn about savings opportunities — including new products and technologies ✓ Hear from experts in the energy sector - incl. IESO ✓ Network - meet others facing similar challenges ✓ Hear about successful Ontario municipal case studies ✓ Learn how to define, develop, and implement a successful energy management program Each workshop provides participants with a solid foundation to: • Understand the importance of energy management; • Understand the range of energy opportunities that exist in municipal facilities; • Identify the aspects of a successful energy project; • Identify & initiate tactics appropriate to a municipal situation; • Learn how other municipalities have successfully used energy projects to reduce consumption; • Identify and be able to access the various funding /grant resources available from government and utilities for energy projects; and • Initiate the development of an energy plan and energy assessments and audits. Registration form on Page 2 -�a -4 ONE DAY SPECIAL CRST CONFERENCE WORKSHOP London Please type or print clearly. Use one form per registrant. Payment MUST accompany registration. First Name Please note this is a special one day combination course of Last Name Title $299 + 5% GST ($313.95) Municipality Address City Province Postal Code Phone Fax E -mail London Sunday, October 26th, 2008 Four Points Sheraton Please note this is a special one day combination course of both workshops $299 + 5% GST ($313.95) 200 University Avenue, Suite 801 Toronto, ON., M5H 3C6 PAYMENT Registration forms CANNOT be processed unless accompanied by proper payment. Fax completed registration forms to (416) 971 -9372 Cheque payable to: Association of Municipalities of Ontario Mastercard Visa 200 University Avenue, Suite 801 Toronto, ON., M5H 3C6 Card # Name on Card Expiry Date Signature Refund Policy: Cancellations must be made in writing and received by AM014 days prior to the the date of the selected seminar. An administration fee of $ 50.00 + 6% GST ($53.00) will apply. All cancellations received after the above date will not be refunded. For registration inquiries please contact Anita Surujdeo at asurujdeo @amo.on.ca or ,+ (416) 971 -9856 ext. 344 b�rrm a��i Presented in conj w unction ith 013h I Wv PGSC? Canacta Power to Ontario. On Demand, Hawkestone I Oro Creeks Watershed Plan Update Rob Baldwin Manager, Watershed Science Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan • Required WP's • LSRCA & TRCA dev'p detailed Terms or Reference • Become standard for plans in Lake Simcoe, TRCA and elsewhere 74 1 Plan Status • Field / Technical work 80 -85% completed • Documentation — Begun developing plan components • Public Process — How much — how little? • Awaiting Lake Simcoe Protection Plan to compare / contrast Plan Components • Groundwater Quantity / Quality — Water Budget — Utilized Simcoe County groundwater studies - - Utilized ongoing SWP program / projects • Surface Water Quantity — Draft Hawkestone Hydrological Modeling report — Calibrated design flows l — Extensive baseflow sampling — Established permanent flow gauge Lake Sirncoe fi J MTh W C ®1 wr _ Plan Components • Stormwater / Imperviousness — Detailed analysis of imperviousness by various discrete units (catchments of various sizes) — Completed detailed basin wide stormwater management plan • Surface Water Quality — ACS — Relies on results from ACS — growth modeling — Data from LSEMS, PWQMN, LSRCA sampling 3 u 3a 15 ....... ....... ...... -115 -133 —311 -255 Phosphorus Reduction Necessary to Meet ACS Targets Legend -22W-11035 —189 - r26 1-15 ',)59 L:WRd,:::i.n:Kg) L.dRed, i- 20 Plan Components • Geomorphology ...... ..... — Geomorphic assessment of ...... subwatershed — To be completed if funding available • Aquatic Habitat Fish and fish habitat assessment Riparian condition Benthic invertebrates Water temperature 4 Plan Components Natural Heritage — NHS / Natural Capital — Completed NHS — Phase 1 — Completed Lake Simcoe Natural Capital Report & subwatershed analysis 5 -N +n CouneC'.Purcn 1639.11.{ ' Big Woods Special Policy Areas 0" "'"h--- wn Ix51I.Jx- 1 Iw1 Whites T Project 206055, November 2006 Legend Big Woods Special Pulin' Arta Ecodistrict 3 " - -' - / v ' - ----- ----- Watercourse Subtratershed Wcwdlands Patch? 10(N)ba Woodlnnds Patch ?500ha Nferged Woodland Patch = I (0lha 1856.25 Nfcrgcd Patch Si- fha) 1 j° ,N4 y � 3344.-% _ BEACON EN V I a 0 N ME N T A L 1 U ?.i 5 10 15 ?U 1 �� "4 -` .'PcffiKi•• C Y� �-'A' ftn .I: NAiwhurch- [3'_113.X1 - r ' _ St-M ill, 40.M 'We +e flollanJ /t IIISG.:.{ PaMrt.. miRel if di.lwee �vpannp� =1�. 5 Plan Components • Objectives / Recommendations for Implementation — Policy ideas — Potential objectives — i.e. riparian cover — Restoration Opportunities - r- - The Big Three 1. Nutrient Loading to Lake Simcoe 1. ACS — more coming in Lake Simcoe Act 2. Natural Heritage 1. ORMCP, Greenbelt, Whitebelt, LSA ? ?? 2. Phase 2 Pilot project underway in East Gwillimbury 3. Mater Budget 1. Integration with SW 2. Environmental Flows L Basin Wide Reporting Ir • Lake Simcoe Report Card — Distributed to residents across the basin • Lake Simcoe Annual Monitoring Reports — Annual analysis and reporting of environmental trends within the basin • Lake Basin Wide Report — Final document of LSEMS — used as key foundation of Lake Simcoe Act & Plan Pressures a..von oa en. nraim f ter Lakr Simcor wrerrslwd U�Mpim1 V� � • Clean Water Act — Source Water Protection • Assimilative Capacity Study (ACS) • Intergovernmental Action Plan (IGAP) • Greenbelt Plan • Places to Grow • Interim Regulation on WPCP / Stormwater 7 Lake Simcoe Protection Act • Presently has had 2nd reading and is before committee • Key piece is the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan — available imminently • Consist of series of requirements, regulations, restrictions, etc. • Will require completion of detailed subwatershed plans Information & Tools • Critical Component • Work undertaken to support plans supports much, much more — Municipal EA's — Assessments and analysis — Planning review and decision — Permitting — Stewardship, monitoring, etc. F Implementation • Technical support of Municipal EA's • Technical support for compliance reporting • Natural Heritage System • Official Plan Amendment (OPA) Support • Stormwater Management Strategy Implementation — Growth Planning • Information and tools developed can be used as part growth planning • Provides analysis / results required to evaluate various environmental aspects — Nutrients, water budget, natural heritage, etc. D S WP Integration • SVWP work / programs and ORMCP built on the same information platform — Different end points — same base • Use the same tools, models, information • Are complementary - not in conflict Moving Forward • Plan completion & finalization with respect to Lake Simcoe Act • LSRCA BOD approval • Oro - Medonte endorsement / approval • Develop implementation plans with further public input • Ongoing implementation, monitoring, reporting W11 Hawkestone /Oro Creeks Watershed Plan Update Rob Baldwin Manager, Watershed Science Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority ��Mroe it , ti 11'WN �"� , Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation C O N S E R V A T I O N P L A N I wT �F Plan • Required WP's • LSRCA & TRCA dev'p detailed Terms or Reference • Become standard for plans in Lake Simcoe, TRCA and elsewhere O i� Plan Components • Groundwater Quantity / Quality — Water Budget — Utilized Simcoe County groundwater studies — Utilized ongoing SWP program / projects • Surface Water Quantity — Draft Hawkestone Hydrological Modeling report — Calibrated design flows — Extensive baseflow sampling — Established permanent flow gauge 12- ;P 4 { i I / J,- .r } � J n O F ,ti. Or I r 0 0 I IHbvb REGION CONSERVATION = AUTHORITY HAWKESTONE CREEK WATERSHED HYDROLOGIC MODELLING Plan Components • Stormwater / Imperviousness — Detailed analysis of imperviousness by various discrete units (catchments of various sizes) — Completed detailed basin wide stormwater management plan • Surface Water Quality —ACS — Relies on results from ACS — growth modeling — Data from LSEMS, PWQMN, LSRCA sampling � J n :� F Phosphorus Reduction �~ Necessary to Meet ACS Ta rgets -777 + .� -31 , Le2end r 1113(iz' + Watercourse Waterbody 490 Load Reduction (Kg) ✓�' - - 2513 - <_2260 11 f -26 ++/ 248 ® -2260 - < -1035 Q -1035 - < -529 + Q -529 -< -189 F-1 - 189 - < -26 ;i 615 I I ` +� Q U -<I 9159 Load Reduction ("kg) Ij 12% Load Redaction (% of Total Load -596 �+ 'SG% -756 -22' %o + -29'%. -53U , -17'%. �' -36 + -7111 -� -44'%o S �. l , i u .. + -255 1► t+ /� 9 Tiro + + + + + + + + + '5 4 ueens Pkinter for On6rio;'2067. Retii M� Plan Components • Geomorphology — Geomorphic assessment of subwatershed — To be completed if funding available • Aquatic Habitat — Fish and fish habitat assessment — Riparian condition — Benthic invertebrates — Water temperature a 5:r 0 7• r n F- O� Plan Components • Natural Heritage — NHS /Natural Capital — Completed NHS — Phase 1 — Completed Lake Simcoe Natural Capital Report & subwatershed analysis �K. -7 x.a�r �r'h. Mara Count- vTorest 1639.04 Big Woods Special Policy Areas Oro Norti 1 1-5-7.7-2-2 Project 206055, November 2006 Legend Oro Moraine �` Barnstahle Ba 1850.-18` ". $4, 992 87 Talbot Whites Blg Woods Special Policy Area ,*1�178.38 Ecodistrict J L rl Watercourse l , Sub« atershed f Woodlands Patch > 1000ha Georgina Island Woodlands Patch > 500ha II 936.89 Mcrgcd Woodland Patch = 1000ha 1856.25 Merged Patch Sire (ha) N BEACON ENVIRONMENTAL Blacl:oRtvcr 33-4.1.5-8 � �` 0 2.5 5 10 1 tall 1:450,000 1 Pefferlaw Brook f f. 11 Whitchurch- 13203.81 l` Stouffi-ille 5.167.04 West Holland Holland /� 1856.25 Patches nue rged if distance sepxratin < 1 K 11, . Plan Components • Objectives /Recommendations for Implementation — Policy ideas — Potential objectives — i.e. riparian cover — Restoration Opportunities The Big Three 1. Nutrient Loading to Lake Simcoe 1. ACS —more coming in Lake Simcoe Act 2. Natural Heritage 1. ORMCP, Greenbelt, Whitebelt, LSA ? ?? 2. Phase 2 Pilot project underway in East Gwillimbury 3. Water Budget 1. Integration with SWP 2. Environmental Flows r^ 1 S�b,CO(3 ?I K o� f ter(. `1('khm �� _a Basin Wide Reporting • Lake Simcoe Report Card — Distributed to residents across the basin is Lake Simcoe Annual Monitoring Reports — Annual analysis and reporting of environmental trends within the basin • Lake Basin Wide Report — Final document of LSEMS — used as key foundation of Lake Simcoe Act &Plan .r'S. A report on the health of the Lake Simcoe watershed Lake Simcoe Region u , Conservation Authority Pressures • Clean Water Act — Source Water Protection • Assimilative Capacity Study (ACS) • Intergovernmental Action Plan (IGAP) • Greenbelt Plan • Places to Grow • Interim Regulation on WPCP / Stormwater O 1~ Lake Simcoe Protection Act • Presently has had 2ndreading and is before committee • Key piece is the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan — available imminently • Consist of series of requirements, regulations, restrictions, etc. • Will require completion of detailed subwatershed plans - -%* .4M Information &Tools • Critical Component • Work undertaken to support plans supports much, much more — Municipal EA's — Assessments and analysis — Planning review and decision makin — Permitting — Stewardship, monitoring, etc. ♦ t. — U... 1.. I— Le. t......•,_. d! -: i. ie.6:. Ri +- tC �umw.nu ls. :I a <«asr �ir.. '' -1 •.❑ 6bA a, r.: P z �V VIUV�I ti! .lu�lwx •...: wrn.lirW.C,i:� V EllKµf l I. 7•w111 gY1gIGN1 Y:f•'Y= 0371='.TJm rFn "Ww Awwl '"W :saw :.wa xraoc Implementation • Technical support of Municipal EA's • Technical support for compliance reporting • Natural Heritage System • Official Plan Amendment (OPA) Support • Stormwater Management Strategy y`r�f.0/ Its. � Jr ^ � L y Implementation — Growth Planning • Information and tools developed can be used as part growth planning • Provides analysis /results required to evaluate various environmental aspects — Nutrients, water budget, natural heritage, etc. 2. n F � -ION r� _- e SWP Integration • SWP work /programs and ORMCP built on the same information platform — Different end points —same base • Use the same tools, models, information • Are complementary -not in conflict J xrt I Moving Forward • Plan completion &finalization with respect to Lake Simcoe Act • LSRCA BOD approval • Oro- Medonte endorsement /approval • Develop implementation plans with further public input • Ongoing implementation, monitoring, reporting r� 4, a WATERSHED REPORT Ca4RD A report on the health of the Lake Simcoe watershed Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority -sti Monitoring the Lake Simcoe Watershed Monitoring and protecting the watershed is a very important part of our overall effort to preserve the health of the environment upon which we all depend. The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) works with our partners year -round to provide the best scientific investigation of the health of the watershed and to establish programs for its protection and restoration. This includes continually monitoring, evaluating and communicating the results. One way to inform our community about the health of our watershed is through this report card. The conservation authority, Environment Canada and the Province of Ontario operate monitoring sites throughout the watershed where information is collected to monitor its health. At these stations, we measure: • precipitation, weather and temperature; • the quality and quantity of water that flows through the tributaries (surface water); • the quality and quantity of water below the ground (groundwater); • fish in the lake and in the tributaries; • organisms that live at the bottom of the lake and its tributaries; • land characteristics including forested areas, hardened surfaces & streamside areas; How is the information gathered? • 12 precipitation and climate gauges throughout the watershed; • 12 flow monitoring stations in the watershed; • groundwater monitoring of 14 wells at 11 sites; • thermometers in waterways throughout the watershed; • site visits and an advanced land classification system; • seasonal inventories of fish and other aquatic life forms; • 18 water quality stations within the tributaries; • 12 water quality monitoring stations on the lake. 0200 Labe Sfn=e Region Cimm wtionAudwifty - LEGEND — Lake Monitoring X Flow Station Water Quality Site Groundwater Site Benthic Site Temperature Site ' Fish Site The Lake Simcoe watershed A watershed is the area of land that drains into a body of water such as a stream, river, or lake. The Lake Simcoe watershed is a large area of approximately 3,303 kM2 sweeping north from the Oak Ridges Moraine through parts of York and Durham Regions, Simcoe County, and the cities of Barrie, Orillia, and Kawartha Lakes, crossing 23 municipal boundaries. All this land drains into Lake Simcoe, either directly or through streams and rivers (tributaries), each of which has its own smaller drainage area, called a subwatershed. The Lake Simcoe watershed is a resource of immeasurable value to those who live in, on and around the lake. It provides a source of clean drinking water for eight communities and assimilates waste from 14 water pollution control plants. The watershed is home to 400,000 residents, hosts many thousands of tourists, is considered the "Ice Fishing Capital "of Canada and nurtures a thriving agricultural community. It provides recreation, aesthetic beauty, and habitat for fish and wildlife. The purpose of this report card This report card has been developed to share the results of our scientific evaluation of the lake and its watershed. I t is a progress report that advances the findings published in the State of the Lake Simcoe Watershed Report in 2003. As we monitor the watershed, several features are measured with particular attention. These features are known as indicators because they help to define characteristics of the environment. Indicators can give us early warning by signalling changes in the ecosystem. They help us understand how the health of all the interdependent features of the watershed might be affected by such things as changes in land use, weather, or pollution. This report card was completed by the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority as part of Conservation Ontario's performance measurements and in accordance with standards endorsed by Conservation Ontario, Environment Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. The Province of Ontario is currently leading the development of a Lake Simcoe Protection Act; part of which may include further report card standards. t 7 A watershed is the area of land that drains into a body of water such as a stream, river, or lake. The Lake Simcoe watershed is a large area of land that drains into Lake Simcoe either directly or through streams and rivers (tributaries), each of which has its own smaller drainage area, called a subwatershed. What is an indicator? An indicator is a certain feature of the environment that, because of its special characteristics, Is ableto give us signs whether the environment is healthy, and when it is changing.These indicators can be qualities of the water, plants, animals, soil, or air. OG The importance of a watershed approach As we measure these indicators to understand what they all mean, it is important to keep them in context. The environment is a complicated system where the health of every living thing depends upon everything else. All factors are interdependent. It's only when we examine them together that we understand how changes interact with each other to tell a story about the health of the watershed. Each of the indicators in this report provides meaningful information about one aspect of the health of the watershed. But it's the combination of all these indicators What is a tributary? that tells the larger story. A tributary is a creek, stream or Results for a single indicator can't always be explained by the reasons we first river that flows into Lake Simcoe. suspect. When a stream runs dry, for example, one might assume that too many Each has its own drainage area people are taking water from it. The real reasons might have more to do with that is called a subwatershed weather patterns, shortages of water below the ground, or the fact that the stream because it is part of the larger has a history of low water flow and dries up most summers. By monitoring and Lake Simcoe watershed. recording scientific information over time, we establish patterns that help us understand what is actually happening in the watershed. What the grades mean This report card provides two sets of indicators: tributary indicators and lake indicators. Within this report, a separate page describes each of the tributary indicators and provides a map showing a grade for each subwatershed based on that indicator. The lake indicators are described without grades because, for many of them, simple grade ranges are not practical. If you read that section, though, you will have a good understanding of the relative health of the lake and how it is monitored. Each indicator is explained later in simple terms that describe why each one is important. Tributary indicators Streamside vegetation Forest cover Forest interior Phosphorus concentration Fish community Benthic invertebrates Hardened surfaces Stormwater Lake indicators Oxygen Phosphorus Water clarity Benthic invertebrates Aquatic plants Fish community 60 WATERSHED REPORT CARD 2008 What the grades mean (continued) The grades in this report card are based on established standards that are recognized by such organizations as Conservation Ontario, Environment Canada, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and academic institutions. The grades range from "A" which is the highest grade, to "E, "which is the lowest. The grades for each subwatershed are based on the latest available data and tell you about their condition at the present Monitoring their health will continue, and future report cardswill keep you updated. Although the grades A through E have the same significance throughout, the measuring system is different for each indicator. The amount of phosphorus in the water and the amount Grad es of forest cover, for example, require very different kinds of measurement. Overall, the closer the A = Excellent grade is to an A, the better the indication of a healthy subwatershed. For some subwatersheds, B =Very good grades were calculated as average scores for multiple test sites. C = Good This grading system is a simplified way of reporting complex scientific information. It provides a D =Fair quick understanding of environmental health in a way that is easy to read and easy to E = Poor understand. If you are interested in more detailed information, you may browse our library at: • www.lsrca.on.ca /Studies • www.lsrca.on.ca /Monitoring • http: / /lsems.info /techreports When we established the grade ranges, we tried to keep them realistic. While it would be ideal to have 50% of the watershed covered by forest, for example, this is not likely to happen. So, for the'forest cover' indicator, where 25.6% is thought to be the minimum necessary for balanced health, we gave an A grade to subwatersheds with more than 25.6% forest. Also, an A'grade is not always attainable: forest cover in the small subwatersheds within a city, for example, isvery unlikely to increase where there is little opportunity to reforest. However, in a watershed approach, other opportunities do exist and it's important to continue to pursue those opportunities in order to achieve the best grade possible for the overall health of the Lake Simcoe watershed. This report card represents an important benchmark that we can use to monitor change, evaluate our progress, and identify the issues that require our attention. Taking all factors together in a watershed approach, we can monitor our collective effort to protect the environment and find a balance for the Lake Simcoe watershed. 3 4 5 Barrie Creeks Beaver River Black River East Holland River Georgina Creeks Hawkestone Creek Hewitts Creek 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Maski non ge River Oro Creeks North Oro Creeks South Pefferlaw River Ramara Creeks Talbot River Uxbridge Brook >n r -� WATERSHED REPORT CARD 2008 How Healthy Is Your Subwatershed? If you look at the overall Lake Simcoe watershed map on page 4, you can find the Subwatershed where you live, The table below summarizes the grades for each subwatershed based on the eight indicators that are described in more detail on the following pages. VD: Jnsufhdent data N /A: Not applicable. Stormwater runoff is not an issue in non -urban areas. Streamside Forest Forest Phosphorus Fish Benthic Hardened Storm Vegetation Cover Interior Concentration Community Invertebrates Surfaces Water 1 Barrie Creeks E C E I/D C C E E 2 Beaver River B C D A C B A E 3 Black River A A A B C B A D 4 East Holland River C B C C C B D D 5 Georgina Creeks C A A I/D B I/D B D 6 Hawkestone Creek A A A A C B A N/A 7 Hewitts Creek C C D I/D C B B A 8 Innisfil Creeks D A B I/D C I/D B D 9 Lovers Creek B A B B C C C D 10 Maskinonge River C D E C B D A C 11 Oro Creeks North A A A I/D C A B E 12 Oro Creeks South A A B I/D C A A N/A 13 Pefferlaw River A A A B B C A N/A 14 Ramara Creeks C A A I/D C D A N/A 15 Talbot River D A A I/D I/D I/D A N/A 16 Uxbridge Brook A A A I/D C A A C 17 West Holland River C B C D C B A D 18 White's Creek D B B I/D C B A NIA VD: Jnsufhdent data N /A: Not applicable. Stormwater runoff is not an issue in non -urban areas. WATERSHED REPORT CARD 2008 Tributary Indicators: streamside vegetation What is measured Streamside vegetation measures the amount of natural vegetation growing within 15m on either side of a watercourse; this is a portion of the area that is regulated by the conservation authority. Streamside vegetation provides wildlife habitat and shades thewater, helping to provide a cool or cold water environment. Why it's important Natural vegetation within 15m alongside waterways helps to keep rivers and streams healthy in several ways: • the flow of stormwater is slowed down, causing sediment to be deposited on land rather than in the river or stream; • slower moving stormwater is absorbed into the soil, adding to the groundwater system; • the roots of plants absorb some of the contaminants contained in stormwater, preventing them from reaching the waterway; • erosion of the streambank is prevented; and • vegetation provides habitat for wildlife and shade for fish and other species. What the grades mean Environment Canada's guidelines recommend that 75% of the length of the stream should be naturally vegetated. An A`was given to those subwatersh ed s where more than 75% of the area within 15 metres on either side of its watercourses contains natural vegetation.The lowest grades were given to Barrie and InniAI Creeks, the Talbot River, and White's Creek. I�px �1 t �; � i1k C, 14 LEGEND %of buffer Grade withvegitation R >75D B 65.1-75.0 C 55.1 -650 D 45.1 -550 E 5450 ®20MLake Simwe Region Conservation Authority Tributary Indicators: forest cover What is measured N Total forest cover is the total area of a subwatershed that is covered by natural or managed forests. It also includes swamps, which are wetlands that contain woody plants. The LSRCA has developed a Natural Heritage and Land Use Mapping system to record and measure forest cover for the entire Lake Simcoe watershed. Forest cover is measured as a percentage of the total area of each subwatershed. Why it's important Generally, watersheds with a higher percentage of forest cover are better able to provide a healthier environment in which plants and animals can thrive and contribute toward environmental health. More forest cover usually means that all wooded areas, even the small ones, are healthier. Also, a greater percentage of woodland in a subwatershed provides more opportunity for larger, connected tracts of treed areas. This means more wildlife habitat and an ecosystem that is more robust. What the grades mean Conservation Ontario guidelines recommend a subwatershed receive an A' if it has more than 25.6% forest cover. This would provide enough wooded area to maintain healthy habitats and enough trees to provide the oxygen, soil retention and elimination of carbon dioxide that balanced environment needs. Big woods Big woods are important natural areas within the Lake Simcoe watershed that should be protected. They have two components. The first are the large, dense woodland areas that offer the kind of nesting, shelter and foraging opportunities that are not available in smaller woods, (Animals that need deep wooded areas include the red - shouldered hawk and the southern flying squirrel.) The second are the smaller patches of woodland that can contribute to big woods habitat if they are dense enough and close enough to a large wooded area. A JM 02008 Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority ctutrvu Grade %ofsubwatershed IW A >25b B 18S -25.6 C 119 -18.7 D 5n -118 E <5A Conservation Ontario guidelines recommend a subwatershed receive an A' if it has more than 25.6% forest cover. This would provide enough wooded area to maintain healthy habitats and enough trees to provide the oxygen, soil retention and elimination of carbon dioxide that balanced environment needs. Big woods Big woods are important natural areas within the Lake Simcoe watershed that should be protected. They have two components. The first are the large, dense woodland areas that offer the kind of nesting, shelter and foraging opportunities that are not available in smaller woods, (Animals that need deep wooded areas include the red - shouldered hawk and the southern flying squirrel.) The second are the smaller patches of woodland that can contribute to big woods habitat if they are dense enough and close enough to a large wooded area. A JM 02008 Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Tributary Indicators: forest interior What is measured E While'forest cover'measures the total wooded areaJorest interior' only measures the part of a wooded area that is deeper than 100m from the perimeter. It is calculated as a percentage of the total area of each subwatershed. Why it's important Areaswithin the first 100m from the perimeter of a forest are considered to be'edge'habitat and not suitable for species that require deeper forests. Many of these species are declining as their interior habitat disappears. Certain bird species such as the northern parula, black and white warbler, and blackburnian warbler for example, avoid small fragmented forestswhen breeding. In smaller forests they are subject to predators, parasites, harsh winds, lack of food, and a higher susceptibility to fire and human interference. A low percentage of forest interior is an indication that the forests are fragmented. A higher percentage of forest interior indicates that a subwatershed is more likely to provide habitat for species requiring deep forest areas. What the grades mean Conservation Ontario guidelines recommend an A'if forest interior makes up more than 7.7% of the subwatershed. A higher percentage means more habitat is available for the sensitive species that require forest interior. g�- Frim- Hnhitat r - ---" �i K a t -a r — LEGEND Grade %ofsubwatersbed A >7.7 B 57-7.7 C 3.7 -5b ® 1. E E c1.7 17 fiF j5 6 �t L ©2008 Lake Sim coe Region Conservation Authority Tributary Indicators: phosphorus concentration What is measured CO Water quality samples are taken through the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network, The samples are taken monthly through the ice -free period and are analyzed for different substances, one of which is phosphorus. Phosphorus is a chemical that can negatively affect the health of lakes and streams, and is of great concern in Lake Simcoe. Why it's important Phosphorus is a naturally occurring nutrient that promotes plant growth. In unnaturally high concentrations, plant growth is excessive. When these plants die, they decompose in a process that consumes large amounts of oxygen. A shortage of oxygen forces coldwater fish out of their natural deepwater habitat and up into shallower water where it's more difficult for them to survive. Major sources of phosphorus in the tributaries include fertilizers, soil particles, animal waste and detergents. Phosphorus is carried into watercourses through: • the erosion of soil by wind and water; • stormwater runoff, • discharge from sewage treatment plants, etc. What the grades mean A subwatershed received an'Nif the phosphorus concentration did not exceed the provincial objective of 0.03 mg/L. 02008 Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority LGVLIVLl Grad: Com8m rat ion(mg& • WATERSHED REPORT CARD 2008 Phosphorus, plants, mussels, oxygen and fish Phosphorus is a naturally occurring fertilizer. Before human settlement, the amount of phosphorus being added to Lake Simcoe was about 35 metric tonnes per year. This came from natural sources such as animal waste, soil erosion and decomposing plants. In the 1970s, the level had become unnaturally high at over 100 metric tonnes per year. More than 800 remedial projects in the watershed have contributed to a significant reduction in phosphorus loading. So if phosphorus levels are down, why then has plant growth increased? The answer is that, while phosphorus is a major contributing factor to aquatic plant growth, it is not the only one. The story is more complicated. Zebra mussels The increase in aquatic plants coincides with the introduction of zebra mussels in the mid 1990s. With plenty of food and no natural predators, zebra mussels have flourished in Lake Simcoe. They feed by filtering water to strain out algae and other small pieces of plant material. Each mussel passes about a litre of water through its system per day. Because they have become so abundant, it is estimated that the total zebra mussel population in Lake Simcoe filters nearly 24% of the total lake volume each and every day. This filtering clarifies the water, allowing sunlight to reach deeper into the lake. This sunlight promotes the growth of more plants on the lake bed. In addition, zebra mussels excrete waste products, as all animals do. Their excretions, high in phosphorus, fall o directly onto the soil of the lake bed where they nourish the plants. This additional phosphorus is adding significantly to plant growth. Mussel activity is all happening in near -shore areas of the lake, where the water is shallow.The clearer water, the deeper penetration of sunlight, and the extra phosphorus are causing excess plant growth in these shallower r- waters, which is where they most interfere g ' with recreational activities such as a swimming, boating and fishing. The recent Introductlon of 4j quagga mussels to the lake is expected to intensify this issue. Oxygen When plants and algae die they sink to the bottom and decompose. The process of decomposition consumes oxygen. The result is that a large amount of oxygen is being consumed at the bottom of the lake, which is exactly where young coldwater fish are trying to survive. This is a natural cycle and, when phosphorus levels are low, oxygen levels are still adequate to support the fish. When phosphorus levels are high, plants are excessive and when they die the consumption of oxygen creates a shortage that the fish cannot tolerate. Ten years ago, coldwater fish were unable to spawn in Lake Simcoe due to the lack of oxygen at the lake bottom. Coldwater fish Oxygen levels have improved recently, as a result of many projects to reduce phosphorus. According to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, there is evidence that the coldwater fish are once again able to spawn in their natural habitat. Butyoung fish are still having great difficulty surviving their firstyear because of the oxygen shortages that force them into waters where it is more difficult for them to survive. Water is 7 w A a� ye✓ uxv4a?a ;: too warm Insufficient oxygen Lake Simcoe`s coldwater fish need deeper, colder waters, particularly when they are young. Oxygen concentrations are poor at the bottom of the lake, and thewater temperature is too warm at the top. This forces the young fry into shallower depths where, as it happens, older lake trout and other predators live. Many young lake trout are being eaten before they can mature. So, while lake trout can reproduce in Lake Simcoe, many young are not able to survive to adulthood and the coldwater fish community is still unsustainable. Tributary Indicators: fish community What is measured 3G The health of the fish community is measured using a tool called an Index of Biotic Integrity OBI). This combines a number of important scientific measurements - such as species diversity, abundance, and the presence of key species such as brook trout and mottled sculpin in coldwater habitats and largemouth bass and yellow perch in warm water habitats - and produces a simplified index value. LEGEND 1 Grade Index re Why it's important The health of the fish community says a lot about the health of a river's ecosystem. It is also an excellent way to study change over time. Fish can be extremely sensitive to environmental change - in the same way we are affected by changes in the quality of the air we breathe, fish can be affected by changes in water quality. They are also sensitive to changes in their habitat such as the covering of stream beds by fine silt, the removal of trees from the stream banks, and changes in water temperature. These changes will infl uence the number and types of fish that we find during our monitoring. We monitor the fish communities at several key sites throughout the Lake Simcoewatershed each year to track any changes over time. Each year we also target a series of sites that we don't regularly monitor in order to identify areas under stress. What the grades mean Better grades mean that a subwatershed is a healthy habitat for a diverse community of sensitive fish species. Fish populations in subwatersheds with poorer grades are showing signs of stress - there may be fewer fish and fewer species. The causes of stress can include increasing urbanization, removal of streambank vegetation, inputs of sediment and pollutants, and destruction of habitat. A Exetent B Good C Fair D Poor E No Fish Not Nionitor?d 02008 Lake Slmcoe Region Conservation Authority Why are fish such good indicators? • some fish are more sensitive than others to changes in their habitat. When we monitor a site and find only the less sensitive species, we know the habitat is changing because the more sensitive fish have left the area to find better conditions; • they are easy to collect with the right equipment; • they can live for several years, so the results of our monitoring are not easily influenced by short-term fluctuations in habitat conditions; and they are easy to identify in the field. - M I I - M WATERSHED REPORT CARD 2008 Tributary Indicators: benthic invertebrates What is measured Benthic invertebrates are organisms that live on or in the sediments at the bottom of a water body. They include aquatic insects, snails, clams and worms. Samples of these organisms are taken from several subwatersheds each fall.The results help us understand whether the organisms are under stress from environmental problems. Why it's important Benthic organisms tell us a great deal about the quality of the water in which they live. Since they do not move around very much, the presence or absence of certain species provides good information on water conditions over time. Some species are found in higher numbers in high - quality waters, while others are more abundant in poor - quality conditions. What the grades mean An A'grade indicates a healthy ecosystem that is capable of supporting many types of invertebrates, including sensitive species. These subwatersheds are less likely to be affected by stresses such as lower water quality, pollutants and destruction of their habitat. Source: Ausable Bayheld Conservation Authority k l J 1TTTt: J © 2008 Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Why are benthic invertebrates such good indicators? • since they don't move around very much, they don't leave for better habitat when changes occur and this makes them easy to monitor; • some are more sensitive than others to changes in their habitat. When we monitor a site and find only the less sensitive species, we know the habitat is changing because the more sensitive species are unable to survive, hhh, k " hey are easy to collect; and • they are easy to identify in the lab. Lt It I 11 Grade Index Aoie « i A 2u knt B Very Good C Good D Far E Farly POOr E Ni Not NbnHoled k l J 1TTTt: J © 2008 Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Why are benthic invertebrates such good indicators? • since they don't move around very much, they don't leave for better habitat when changes occur and this makes them easy to monitor; • some are more sensitive than others to changes in their habitat. When we monitor a site and find only the less sensitive species, we know the habitat is changing because the more sensitive species are unable to survive, hhh, k " hey are easy to collect; and • they are easy to identify in the lab. Tributary Indicators; hardened surfaces What is measured Hardened surfaces prevent water from seeping into the ground. They include roads and parking lots, rooftops, and even compacted soils. They are an indicator of land use change in the watershed. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources provided estimates of the percentage of hardened surfaces associated with each type of land use and natural feature. This information was then used along with the LSRCA's Natural Heritage and Land Use mapping to calculate the percentage of hardened surfaces in each subwatershed. Why it's important Because water is unable to seep into the soil, it flows over the hardened surfaces and directly into the stream, picking up dirt, contaminants and speed along the way. This can degrade water quality in the stream, cause sedimentation problems downstream, and damage wildlife habitat. It can also cause erosion, and change the stream's shape and the way it flows. Subwatersheds with lower percentages of hardened surfaces are likely to be healthier. What the grades mean Environment Canada's guidelines recommend that hardened surfaces in urban watersheds should be less than 10% of the watershed area. Our watershed is doing pretty well, with all but three subwatersheds scoring an A or B. Predictably, the major urban areas in Barrie and the Aurora - Newmarket corridor didn't score as well. g. F Grade %ofsubwatershed A <10A 02008 Lake Slmcce Region Con se rvoti on Au th or) ry ` 'y 10 Tributary Indicators: stormwater What is measured I Stormwater (sometimes called runoff) is water from rain or melting snow that flows along the surface of the ground and directly into a stream instead of soaking into the soil. The LSRCA mapped all of the urban areas in the Lake Simcoe watershed to identify where stormwater is being controlled and where these controls are absent. We also looked at where municipal stormwater facilities could be upgraded. Why its important Stormwater washes streets, parking lots and rooftops, picking up dirt and debris, road salts, minor spills, landscaping chemicals and fertilizers. Stormwater carries a significant amount of phosphorus into the tributaries and ultimately into Lake Simcoe. In the past it was common practice to route stormwater directly to streams, rivers or the lake without being treated. Recent efforts have been made to intercept and treat stormwater before it enters waterways or water bodies, although in some older urban areas stormwater still reaches waterways untreated. What the grades mean An'A'is assigned to subwatersheds where more than 70% of the urban area has some level of stormwater control. Subwatersheds with lower grades are mostly those where urban areas were built up before stormwater con trolswere required. Many of these municipalities are currently working on upgrades that will improve water quality. WOO Simcoe Region Conservorion AuCh oriry C j C', Lake Indicators Simple grade scores for the lake indicators are not practical because most of them are only conditions, neither bad nor good. For example, an abundance of aquatic plants, while a nuisance for people, is not necessarily bad for the lake environment, so itwould be impractical to grade it. Water clarity is another example. we mightthinkit looks cleaner, but it does not necessarily mean that the quality of the water is any better. We watch these indicators because they help us understand if the lake is changing over time, and they help us focus our research on the most important issues. Oxygen' What is measured At eight lake monitoring stations, the concentration of oxygen in the water is measured every metre from the surface to the lake bottom.This is done on a bi- weekly basis through the ice -free period. The purpose isto evaluate changes in dissolved oxygen atvarious depths over time. Why it's important Oxygen levels decrease in the deep waters during late summer. High levels of phosphorus In the lake cause abundant growth of aquatic plants and algae. Large amounts of oxygen are consumed when these plants die off, sink to deep waters, and decompose In late summer. The decreased oxygen forces coldwater fish out of their natural deepwater habitat and up into shallower water where it's diFficuit for them to survive. Please see the illustration on page 10. What we found Overall, oxygen levels have been increasing in recent years, and were actually higherthan the 5 mg/L objective established by the Lake Simcoe Environmental Management Strategy during the period 2005 -2007. This objective is believed to be the minimum oxygen level necessary to support the coldwater fish. Higher oxygen levels are consistent with declining phosphorus concentrations. Low readings in Kempenfelt Bay are a concern because that's the prime habitat for lake trout. The bay is also the deepest part of the lake, so dying plant material collects there and causes greater oxygen shortages. i Source: Ontario Ministry of the Environment 2008 4 _ �0 N WATERSHED REPORT CARD 2008 Lake Indicators Phosphorus' What is measured Phosphorus concentrations are measured at eight open lake stations every two weeks during the ice -free period from May to October. The average phosphorus concentration is compared with the water quality objective established by the Province and with a target established by the Lake Simcoe Environmental Management Strategy, Why it's important High phosphorus levels result in excessive growth of plants and algae in the lake. By causing a reduction in oxygen levels, phosphorus has caused the decline of the lake's coldwater fishery. In shoreline areas, the growth of aquatic plants and algae reaches nuisance levels that interrupt swimming, boating and fishing. Phosphorus in the lake comes mainly from urban and agricultural fertilizers, detergents, waste from pets and livestock, septic systems, sewage treatment plants, and airborne particles that blow into the lake or come down with precipitation. What we found Most results over the past four years are below target and, in general, phosphorus concentrations are declining. Only the Cook's Bay station showed levels higher than the target, and only in 2004, During the spring thaw, phosphorus levels are typically higher and test results in three of the past four years show that concentrations can be reduced even further. 2 Sourre: Ontario Ministry of the Environmett2007 G Lake Indicators Water clarity3 What is measured Water clarity is a measure of how far light penetrates into the water. It is reduced by particles in the water that absorb and scatter light. Clarity is measured at S open lake stations every two weeks from May to October. Measurements are compared with long term averages to establish trends. Why it's important Excessively high concentrations of suspended particles can limit the amount of light available to plants and algae. They can lead to lower oxygen levels and can damage gills, causing the suffocation of fish. Particles also interferewith the feeding habits of other aquatic organisms such as freshwater clams. Water clarity can be affected by many factors including rainfall, high winds, boating, dredging, and pollution. While some of these are natural occurrences, others are caused by human activities that can be reduced. What we found Water clarity has been increasing in recent years. The invasion of zebra mussels since 1995 has likely been the major cause. Zebra mussels are so plentiful in the lake now, they collectively filter about a quarter of the entire volume of lake water each day to feed on the plankton. While we may like the appearance of clearer water, it may not be good for the environment: the constant filtering is removing organisms and may be upsetting the balance in the Iake.The interactions of all these factors are are not yet fully understood. Also, the recent introduction of quagga mussels is expected to intensify this issue. 3 Source. Ontario Ministry of the Environment 20(18 Benthic invertebrates What is measured Benthic invertebrates are organisms that live on or in the sediments at the bottom of a water body, they include aquatic insects, snails, clams and worms. Monitoring of these organisms throughout the lake began in 2005 to understand how water quality influences their health and howwe can improve their habitat. Why it's important Benthic organisms tell us a great deal about the quality of the water in which they live. Since they do not move around very much, the presence or absence of certain species provides good information on water conditions over time. Some species are found in higher numbers in high - quality waters, while others are more abundant in poor - quality conditions. What we found The benthic invertebrate community in the lake is in fairly good condition. Although the presence of zebra mussels has had some negative effects, the diversity of invertebrates in the nearshore and deep water areas indicates a healthy environment. WATERSHED REPORT CARD 2008 Lake Indicators Aquatic plants What is measured An inventory of aquatic plants in Cook's Bay was completed in 2006 to get a sense of how many there were, where they were located, and what species were present. Why it's important Excessive plant growth has become an issue in the lake, particularly in the shoreline areas of Cook's Bay. These plants clog motors, make beaches unpleasant for swimming, and build up on shorelines as they die. They also deplete oxygen as they decompose. Their abundant growth is due in large part to the abundance of phosphorus in the lake water. What we found Compared with 1987 measurements from the same area, the 2006 data show an increase in total plant material. However, levels are still within the range of what would be expected for a lake such as ours. Fish community" What is measured The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has been studying the fish communities of the lake for many years. The main game species of concern in Lake Simcoe have been lake trout and lake whitefish. Why it's important The coldwater fish of Lake Simcoe, a valuable recreation and tourist resource, have been in decline. For lake trout this trend began in the 1950s and, by 1990, they were virtually gone. Their population has only been sustained by annual stocking. Lake whitefish populations began to decline in the 1970s, and other fish species also appear to be under stress. Sport catches indicate that lake herring are declining and there are very low numbers of rainbow smelt. Wild lake trout What we found A small number of wild lake trout have been observed since 2003, which means that a limited number of new young fish are surviving to adulthood. This is an encouraging sign, although their numbers are still low. Most of the mature Coldwater fish in Lake Simcoe are stocked, brought in from fish hatcheries. 4 Source: C)ntark MfnistryafNaturaj Resources 2007 N Other Trends The monitoring program of the LSRCA includes some additional indicators of the health of the lake and its watershed. These don't yet have established standards or criteria, or we may not have enough data yet to determine whether they indicate important changes in the environment. They are, however, meaningful to watch and worthy to mention. Baseflow Baseflow is the portion of the water in a stream or river that comes from under the ground rather than on the surface. Sometimes, during long periods of dry weather, sections of a stream may go dry. At other times, snow melt or heavy rains can cause flooding and erosion. To better understand these seasonal fluctuations, a number of monitoring sites have been installed to observe trends in the amount of baseflow. Over the last 10 years, our studies have indicated that there is an overall decrease in the amount of water in streams that is contributed by groundwater. Groundwater The LSRCA maintains a groundwater monitoring network towatch water levels and water quality in 14 wells across the watershed. Due to restricted access, few samples can be taken for each well so it will take time to collect enough information to establish trends. This will be reported on in a future report card when the results are meaningful. Population growth According to Statistics Canada, the population in the watershed's municipalities grew by 57,349 people between 2001 and 2006, The highest proportion of this growth was in Barrie, which accounted for 43 %, followed by Newmarket and Aurora with approximately 15% and 13% respectively. The Town of Whitchurch- Stouffville has also had a high number of new housing starts. Population growth places extra pressure on water supplies and land resources. New housing reduces forest cover and wildlife habitat and increases hardened surface area. According to the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the population of the Lake Simcoe watershed is expected to increase from 350,000 to more than 750,000 by the year 2031. Climate change How climate change will affect the Lake Simcoe watershed is difficult to predict because of the many factors that influence global and regional climates. Still, scientists believe that it will likely affect our water quantity and quality, agriculture, tourism and human health. Average annual temperatures in southern Ontario have increased by 0.5° Celsius over the past century and are expected to rise by an additional 3.5 -4 °C over the next hundred years. The frequency of extreme weather events has been steadily increasing, and many of the world's ecosystems are exhibiting changes that are expected to become more pronounced as greenhouse gases increase. The LSRCA is beginning studies with the University of Guelph to study the potential impacts of climate change in our watershed. We will use this information to guide our actions to adapt to the changes climate change will bring. WATERSHED REPORT CARD 2008 We Can All Help In addition to the numerous projects currently underway to protect and restore the health of the environment in the Lake Simcoe watershed, there are many things that every citizen can do in and around their own homes to help. 1. Make wise choices in our daily habits. 2. Improve the environment on our property. 3. Support the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation. 1. Our daily habits The information and tips below can help us make a positive difference by small changes in our daily habits. For more ideas, please see our Action Guide at www. isrca. on. ca /Getlnvolved /ActionGuide.htmi Preventing surface water contamination In nature, most rain water is absorbed into the ground. In built -up areas, the ground is covered with pavement cement and buildings.The water runs off these hardened surfaces, washing contaminants directly into our streams and ponds. These contaminants include the chemicals we spread on our lawns and gardens, the salt we put on our roads, the detergents we use when we wash our cars, animal excrement, etc, • It only takes 2 buckets of water to wash a car. By washing the car on a gravel or grass covered area instead of on an asphalt driveway, we help water sink into the ground; • We should use phosphate -free cleaning products; • Healthy lawns do not need fertilizers and are stronger when 3 "high or more; • We should pick up after our pets and dispose of waste; • Farmers can install proper manure storage facilities, spread only during the growing season, and keep manure away from watercourses; • Livestock should be kept out of streams and creeks, Fencing can prevent waste from contaminating the water; • Property owners can maintain a vegetated buffer along creeks, For more information about protecting our sources of drinking water from surface water contamination, please visit www.ou rwatersh ed.ca, Boating Boating is fun, but we can damage the lake water and animal habitats if we are not careful. • We need to be very careful when refueling, use a funnel and always have cloths nearby to catch drips and spills; -The motor should be in good shape and not leaking fuel or oil; • Water from onboard sinks, showers and toilets should be emptied into pumpout facilities at marinas to prevent phosphorus and bacteria from entering the lake; • Garbage, food waste and packaging are brought back to shore and disposed of properly; • Boats should stay well clear of shorelines where possible. Those that do go near shore should travel at a slow speed to avoid causing shoreline erosion; -The hull, propeller and trailer should be cleaned when boating in differentwater bodies to prevent the spread of unwelcome species. For information about how marina operators are promoting good environmental practices, please visit www.omoa.com /clean_marine,asp. Conserving water Sometimeswe forget how preciouswater is. Having more than we need when we turn on the tap makes us feel like our water supply is endless, but it really isn't, The tap should be turned off while brushing teeth, shaving, and washing dishes or vegetables; • A container of water in the fridge avoids the need to run the tap every time for a cold drink; yG We Can All Help Conserving water (continucco • We save water by installing low -flow shower heads and low -flush toilets; • Dishwashers and washing machines should be operated only when they are completely full; • Leaky or dripping taps should be repaired; • Lawns and gardens only need 2.5 cm (1 ") of water once a week, including rainfall; • Rain water can be collected in special barrels for watering grass and plants; • A broom can be used to clean walks and driveways instead of hosing them. Many of our municipal partners operate water conservation programs. Please consult your local municipality for further details. Invasive species Some plants, animals and insects in our watershed are not found here naturally. Some have been brought here deliberately as food, pets or because we want them in our gardens. Others may have come here accidentally attached to ships or as discarded live bait. Too often the plant, animal or insect begins to take over, disrupting the natural balance of our ecosystem. • We should garden only with plants that are native to our area; • If our garden already has non- native plants, they should be prevented from spreading; • When moving a boat from lake to lake the boat hull, motor and bilge should be cleaned thoroughly; • Live bait should be purchased in the area where we are going fishing and should not be released into the lake, river, pond or creek. For more information about how invasive species are affecting our watershed, please visit www.l sems.i nfo/tech re ports. Gardens and landscaping Natural vegetation with good variety requires less water and chemicals. You can nurture healthy, productive plants by preserving the soil's fertility and enhancing its ability to absorb rain water. • Mulching our gardens adds nutrients, reduces the need for water, and enriches the soil; • Yard leaves and vegetable food waste can be composted and added to the garden instead of synthetic fertilizers; • Groundcovers other than grass can thrive with less maintenance; • Natural vegetation should grow undisturbed alongside streams and creeks so it can intercept stormwater runoff and reduce erosion; • On new driveways and walkways, we can use surfaces like gravel and interlocking brick that allow water to sink in; • Toxic substances should be stored properly and kept away from wells. Woodlands Forests are vitally important to our environment. They convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, they reduce erosion, they play an essential role in the water cycle, and they provide habitat for a large number of animals. • Where forests are growing on private property, neighbors can work together to plant trees and shrubs to enlarge the woodland and maximize forest interior space; • More trees can be planted to establish corridors between woodlots; • Woodlands should not be disturbed during the spring and early summer nesting season. For more information about the importance of our woodlands, please visit www.lsems.info /techreports and httpJ /Isems. info /naturalheritage/fbrests.htmi. We Can All Help 2. Environmental projects on private property 3. Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority provides The Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation works to make technical assistance and funding to help landowners our water cleaner. When you make a donation: complete environmental improvement projects on their own . you provide funding for science. properties. These projects improve water quality, reduce soil -you provide funding for clean water, erosion, and enhance wildlife habitat. • you provide funding to educate children. LEAP Landowner Environmental Assistance Program This program is made possible by funding from our municipal partners (listed on the back cover) in partnership with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation. Listed below are the projects that qualify. To find out more about how we can help you with your project, please call the conservation authority at 905.895.1281 or 800.465.0437 and ask for one of our watershed coordinators. For information you can visit www.lsrca,on, call swgip, LEAPSupport Is Available For Funding Rate Funding Cap Is Managing Milkhouse Waste 50% $5,000 Managing Manure 50% $10,000 Upgrading Septic Systems 50% $5,000 Protecting Private Wells SO% $1,000 Decommissioning UnusedWells 100% $1,500 Improving Streams and On -line 50% $10,000 Ponds Planting Trees & Shrubs 50% $6,000 Planting Cover Crops 50% $1,000 Controlling Cropland Erosion SO% $10,000 Diverting Runoff from Sources of 50% $2,500 Contamination Restricting Livestock from 75% Shared on Maximum of $10,000 Watercourses $17/m installed $11/m materials Storing and Handling Fuel, 50% $2,000 Fertilizer and Chemicals Enhancing Wildlife Habitat 50% $1,000 ` Upgrading Stormwater Management Ponds $2,500 per kilo ram hosphorus,or $100,000 reduction.Y 50 %of the project, whichever is lower �h Your donation to The Foundation goes directly to correcting the problems facing our rivers, streams and Lake Simcoe. You contribute to a healthier Lake Simcoe for all of us. Please contact us today to make your donation. C knservatiioon ` Foundation 905.895.1282 www.L akeSi m coeFoun d a ti on.ca Charitable Registration: SN 11900 3317 RR0001 [•� The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Our mission is to provide leadership in the protection and restoration of the environmental health and quality of Lake Simcoe and its watershed with community, municipal and other government partners. The services we provide are science and research, protection and restoration, education and outreach. We are pleased to acknowledge the cooperation and support of our partners: Municipal Town of Aurora City of Barrie Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Township of Brock Durham Region Town of East Gwillimbury Town of Georgina Town of Innisfil City of Kawartha Lakes Township of King Town of Newmarket Town of New Tecumseth City of Orillia Township of Oro - Medonte Township of Ramara Township of Scugog County of Simcoe Township of Uxbridge Town of Whi tch urch -Stou ffvi I I e York Region Provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs Ministry of Natural Resources Ministry of the Environment Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing Federal Environment Canada Fisheries & Oceans Canada t_tmst e��a hon ONTARIO Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority 120 Bayview Parkway Newmarket ON L3Y 3W3 905,895,1281 www.lsrca.on.ca tirl © 2008 This report, including all of its contents (unless otherwise stated), is a copyright publication This document was printed on 100% recycled, of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA). It may not be reproduced, in wholeor in chlorine -free paper, using vegetable -based inks. part, without the ex press written permission of the LSRCA. � NSA G.4 O�P/ / X49` Member Municipalities Adjala- losorontio Amaranth Barrie The Blue Mountains Bradford -West Gwillimbury Clearview Col l i ngwood August 18, 2008 ORO-MEDONTE TOWNSHIP r,J0TI0N #-5 SEP - 3 2008 MEETING: COUNCIL ❑ Mayor Hughes and Cou cil C. OF W. The Township of Oro- Mecfonte 148 Line 7 South Oro, Ontario LOL 1 SO Dear Mayor Hughes and Council: Re: Oro - Medonte NVCA Service Value 0`6 1010 ORpyM �sN!� -- �`6- I I would like to thank Mayor Hughes, Councillor Crawford and Councillor Agnew for their deputation to the June 27"' Executive meeting. During this deputation two broad areas of concern were identified by Mayor Hughes: • The need to provide an NVCA service delivery accounting (value for service) for Oro - Medonte -- in particular the need for quantifying the service value for the Severn Watershed area. Lssa Innisfil • The desire to shift more NVCA program areas to special benefiting where Melancthon municipalities have a greater choice of program services that they will Mono support, similar to the model used by the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. Muh,iur NewTecumseth I hope the above captures the main areas of concern identified. On the second Oro- Metlr �nte point, as noted by the Executive, a change to the NVCA budget format and c,rey I hghlands definition of program areas to special benefiting requires the NVCA Board of Shelh„rno Directors direction. Thus, as noted at the Executive meeting, you will be invited Springwater to make a deputation to a future NVCA Board of Directors meeting with your request. Please understand that, for your request to be acted upon, you will wasaga Brach need to obtain the votes of a majority of our 26 Board members. Watershed Regarding the first area of concern, staff have summarized the 2007 NVCA Counties service delivery specific to the Severn Sound Watershed portion of Oro - Medonte Simi oe and for the entire Oro - Medonte area within the NVCA area of jurisdiction. (See Duiferin attachment 1). Staff have primarily utilized the February 29/08 summary of NVCA services report previously provided to the Municipality of Oro - Medonte. �'r`'y They have modified this information to reflect the Severn area geographic service Member of Conserving our Healthy Waters NOITAWASAGA VALLEY CONSERVATION AUTHORITY Centre for Conservation Conservation John Hix Conservation Administration Centre Tiffin Conservation Area 8195 8th Line Utopia, On LOM 1 To ONTARIO Telephone: 705,424.1479 Fax: 705.424.2115 Web: www.nvca.on.ca Email admin mrca.on.ca 4 . I t hamnI (pl p� rj —� Dn+Medon8eNVCA Service Value Page 2 of 3 split. Most NVCA data are collected and recorded by total Municipality. Where Staff have specific geographic data available such as pgonhe, the data are based on Such information. VVh8rS data are not collected by specific geographic |OC81iOn. the Severn portion Of the [)n}'K4edUnte total cost/ value of service was prorated based on the portion of Severn area within the NVCA area Ofjurisdiction in{}rO-MVdoOte. 68%. Staff have also presented the NVCA 2007 levy summary by program to reflect the levy associated with the Severn Sound Watershed and the total NVCA Oro-M8dorte levy. This is based on the assumption that the Severn Sound Watershed area within [)r0- W1edOnte and within the NVCA area Of jurisdiction represents 88% Of the total NVCA levy charged to [)rO'W1edQnt8. Thus the Oro-K8edOnt8 NVCA 2007 Levy for the Severn Sound Watershed area i8 approximately S1U1.480 out Of the total levy Of$14S,230. This levy represents approximately $9.85 per capita to your municipal residents. Table 1 presents 8 summary of NVCA 2007 conservation service value and costs for [)r0-W1edoOte and the Severn Watershed portion. From the summary the estimated value of NVCA services based on the best information available is as follows; w For every OrVMedonte dollars spent on NVCA levy ($149.235) there are approximately 3.8 dUU8nS ($544.000) Of direct NVCA service value and approximately 13.8 dnU8nS additional w]|ug through NVCA partner support ($2.055,000). An gxernp|S Of such additional partner value is the Ontario Geological survey work OD the Oro Moraine. * For every Severn watershed area NVCA levy dollar /$101,480\ there is approximately 3.5 dollars ($352.800) of direct NVCA service value and approximately 12.7 dOU@:S ($1.287.000) of indirect value through NVCA partnerships Throughout Ontario, Conservation Authorities generally provide between 821 and 4:1 ratio Of service for !OC8| Municipal dollar spent. AS noted in the Surnnn8ry dHt8US the large dollar x8|u3 added by the NVCA is a reflection of NVCA working together with |0Ca| municipalities tO access provincial and f8d8n]| partnerships and gr8ntS, non-government partners support, service user fees, and Conservation Area user fees. | hope Council and [}n}M8dOnt8 nnuUiCip8/ residents believe that the conservation Sen/ic8S provided, as Sunnnl8riz8d above, /epresgnhsvery good value for the money invested to protect and restore our environment. P|88S8 contact me should you have any questions, | also request an opportunity to appear before Council b} provide further clarification 0f this report and receive additional Council and staff feedback regarding NVCA current and future service delivery. Oro-Medonte NVCA Service Value Page 3 of 3 Please contact myself or Laurie Barron, Executive Assistant (ext 227) to arrange a deputation to present your concerns and recommendations to the NVCA Board of Directors. Sincerely, Wayne R. Wilson, B.Sc. CAO/Secretary-Treasurer Chair, Vice-Chair and Members NVCA LSRCA, CAO Gayle Wood SSEA, Keith Sherman TABLE 1 Page 1 Summary of NVCA 2007 Conservation Service Value for the Municipality Of Oro-Medonte, Within the Area of Jurisdiction of the NVCA Including Value Estimates For the Recently Serviced NVCA Severn Watershed Area r NVCA SEVERN NVCA SERVICE VALUE ADDITIONAL PARTNER SERVICE COST SHARE BENEFIT COMMENTS LEVY COST Total Severn Area Total Severn Area Value is significant through Planning- $21,251. $14,450. $128,000. $87,000 Approx Approx Conservation Ontario (CO) Regulations and $45,000 $30,000 approximately $16 million Plan Review CO Prov. CO value operating and special project Program budget, the County of Simcoe (NVCA and the Provincial $450,000 partnerships and additional value) support i.e., Watershed Plan. Hydrogeological 0 0 $14,000 $9,500 *work Approx. Approx. Ontario Geological Service support, source 100% Coordinated $750,000 $375,000 Partnership, Oro-Moraine water protection Province with Severn Hydrogeological Study Sound Environ. Assoc. (SSEA) Flood and Erosion Hazard $16,564 $11,300 $37,000 $25,000 ? ? Additional value through Management Conservation Ontario, Provincial and Federal partnerships i.e., Environment Canada Provincial Natural Hazard Technical Support Engineering and Additional value through Technical $19,260 $13,100 $79,000 $56,000 ? ? partner support, Conservation support Ontario Technical Committees including GIS and Research /Policy i.e., and IT Ministry of the Environment, Storm water /CA agreements Environmental NVCA able to access many Monitoring $15,346 $10,435 $220,000 $130,000 ? ? partners data and monitoring expertise including Provincial, Federal, and SSEA. r SERVICE NVCA SEVERN NVCA SERVICE VALUE ADDITIONAL PARTNER COMMENTS COST SHARE BENEFIT LEVY COST Total Severn Area Total Severn Area i Stewardship- $34,722 $23,600 Restoration Restoration $50,000+ $35,000 Additional value through Healthy Waters $10,000 $7,000 MOE well SWP in NVCA partners - Trees & Forestry head Source partnership Ontario, Provincial and Protection Protection Water with MOE Federal Government, ($166,000) ($113,000) Protection and SSEA Ducks Unlimited, Bass (SWP) Lake Rate Payers Assoc., NVCA etc. $500,000 program) Land $18,157 $12,300 $17,000 $11,800 $1,200,000 $840,000 Land value based on Management NVCA lands in "Lake Simcoe Basin's other Natural Capital Report S. municipalities Wilson, 2008 ". Tiffin Administration $29,400 $20,000 $39,000 $26,500 $10,000+ Approx Additional value through Centre School Board $7,000 School Board Infrastructure- and Rotary partnership Agreements Education support support Conservation Ontario Program ($50,000+ Provincial Education annual NVCA partnerships program Local Service Clubs support) (Rotary) Levy Reduction Prior Year - $5.463 - $3.715 Surplus $149,235 $101,480 $544,400 $352,800 $2,055,000 $1,287,000 Notes: 1) Service Value Estimates based on best information available 2) Forest Protection Budget covered under Planning and Monitoring 3) ? for additional partner benefit, indicates difficulty in quantifying partner value g "4 Q.0 Art' rACHMENT I Planning Program Services Budget: Total NVCA program budget - $1,166,966. Oro-Medonte's share $21,251. Severn Watershed portion (SW) 68%--$14,450 Value of service provided: Oro-Medonte - $128,000 (based on 11 % NVCA planning effort). Severn Watershed portion - approximately $87,000 (68%) The Planning Division delivers two programs, one under the Conservation Authorities Act and the other under the Planning Act, for the entire municipality under the jurisdiction of the NVCA. Overall approximately - 74% of the planning and regulation effort within Oro-Medonte is for the Severn watershed area of the Municipality. NVCA planning and regulations effort in Oro-Medonte represents about 11 % of the overall NVCA effort with approximately 88 separate planning and regulation actions and an additional approximately 150 to 200 general Oro- Medonte resident inquiries. Conservation Authorities Act Under Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act and the Generic Regulation, the Authority processes permit applications related to development, interference with wetlands and alterations to shorelines and watercourses. This program also responds to due diligence inquiries related to property transactions and is in regular contact with planning and building staff at the municipality. In 2007 43 permits were issued which represents 11 % of the total NVCA permits issued for the year. Of these 74% or 32 where issued in the Severn portion of Oro-Meclonte. To assist Township building and planning staff, clearance letters are issued when a portion of a property is regulated but the area in which development activity is proposed is outside the regulated area. For 2007 this included: • Permits issued — 43 (74 % Severn area with 4 unknown locations) • Violations Notices issued — 3 • Legal and Real Estate Inquiries, with written response — 15 (73% in Severn area) • Clearance letters — 4 ( 100% in Severn area with 2 unknown) Summary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 2 of 12 One hearing held by the NVCA Board of Directors to review a Bass Lake area permit application appeal.( Severn area) Representing one of two hearings held by the NVCA during 2007. General inquiries, estimated at 80-110 (estimate 74% for Severn area). In 2007, the Authority's Environmental Officer met with Township staff to provide updated digital copies of the Conservation Authorities Act, Generic Regulation mapping. There are 20 ortho-photo based maps at a scale of 1:10 000 to cover the entire Township. Some 14 maps where produced to cover the Severn watershed portion of Oro-Medonte. The production of these maps, required approximately 401 staff hours utilizing information gained from many years of past NVCA studies and staff knowledge and expertise. Annually the maps are reviewed and updated. Staff involved included specialists in water resource engineering, biology, GIS and planning. These maps contain wetlands, flood and erosion lines and other relevant natural hazard information. Conservation Ontario provides significant planning and regulation value to the NVCA Municipalities, for example by coordinating: • watershed science development • the generic hazard regulation development and implementation guidelines, • environmental policy development • provincial conservation issues communication • special project implementation of CA- Prov./ Fed projects such as Source Water Protection, Ground water management, Federal Fisheries Act agreements The value of the Conservation Ontario work is estimated at $16 million (operations $1m. plus $15 million for special projects such as Source Water Protection coordination) The Conservation Ontario value to NVCA as one of 36 Conservation Authorities in Ontario is estimated at $450,000. The additional partner value to Oro-Medonte is estimated at $45,000 (10%). Planning Act Section 3(1) of the Planning Act provides the basis for Provincial Policy Statements (PPS). In 1995 the Ministry of Natural Resources delegated to Conservation Authorities responsibilities related to Natural Hazards including flood plain management, hazardous slopes, shorelines and unstable slopes and erosion. Also under the Planning Act, Conservation Authorities are defined as public bodies to be notified of policy documents and applications. The Authority also provides technical comment to member municipalities in the context of Natural Heritage Features under the Provincial Policy Statement, and the NVCA's Watershed Plan and policies. Summary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 3 of 12 NVCA planning staff work closely with Township planning staff on a regular basis. In 2007 digital natural hazard land mapping, including wetland, unstable soils and flood plain mapping was provided to the Township to assist in the development of the Township's new Comprehensive Zoning By-law. Approximately 68% of the staff effort occurred in the Severn Watershed area of Oro-Medonte. Also in 2007 planning staff field checked over 20 properties with municipal staff, where property owners had expressed concern with the proposed Environmental Protection Zone mapping boundaries. (Approximately 14 in Severn Watershed) This undertaking required one week of planning staff time. Applications reviewed in 2007 under the Planning Act included: • Minor Variances — 6 • Consents and minor variances — 11 ( 100% in Severn area with 3 unknown locations) • Zoning By-law Amendments — 2 ( 100% in Severn with one unknown location • Subdivisions/Condominiums — 13 open files at various stages of review.( 10 or 77% in Severn area) • General inquiries estimated at 70-90 (estimated 80% in Severn area). Fisheries Act All plan review applications are screened through the NVCA - Dept of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) fisheries habitat protection agreement. To ensure compliance with the Federal Fisheries Act, including all Municipal works potentially affecting fisheries habitat. This occurs for the entire area of NVCA jurisdiction, including the Severn portion of Oro-Medonte. Hydrogeology-Source Water Protection Oro —Medonte share $0, total NVCA program value $924,000 (Ontario Geological Services (OGS) study approximate. $750,000 and Source Water Protection (SWP) $144,000) (100% Provincial grant including OGS study) Program value/budget for Oro-Medonte approximately $750,000 with approximately $400,000 in Severn Watershed primarily the OGS study, $375,000 The NVCA participated in the Oro Moraine Study in partnership with, the Ontario Geological Services, (OGS) to develop a better understanding on the geology and hydrostratigraphy of the Oro Moraine (approximately $750,000 study with approximately 50% in Severn watershed area). The NVCA collected information on all municipal drinking water systems, including threats assessment. This was a joint project with Severn Sound Assoc., NVCA and the Province, for Oro-Medonte and Springwater Municipal systems. N I 10 Summary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 4 of 12 • The NVCA reviewed water quantity trends in municipal water systems in all of Oro-Medonte . • The NVCA reviewed water taking on a watershed basis in the Nottawasaga Area, • The NVCA completed base flow measurements for calibration of groundwater models. • The NVCA assisted with the development of the geology for Oro- Medonte for the entire area/including Severn Watershed (several staff days.) • The NVCA is in the process of developing a groundwater management strategy(the strategy will include Severn Watershed area as well.) • The NVCA is working on a Source Water Protection plan development and implementation working cooperatively with Severn Sound Environmental Association, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority as the lead and the Province • The above activities, excluding the OGS study, cost $144,000 for the entire NVCA area. The Oro-Medonte value is estimated at $14,000 with the Severn portion being $9,500 (10%). Flood and Erosion Hazard Management Budget: NVCA program budget - $177,000. Oro-Medonte's share $16,564 Severn Watershed portion, $11,300 (68%) Value of service provided: Oro-Medonte approximately $37,000 (10%). Severn Watershed portion approximately - $25,000 (68%) • The NVCA established and continues to maintain a meteorological station at the Fire Hall in Horseshoe Valley • The NVCA established and continues to maintain a snow survey station, at the Fire Hall in Horseshoe Valley • The NVCA undertakes flood contingency planning for Oro-Medonte • The NVCA provides flood warning services, direct public contacts and public notices • The Flood Forecasting and Warning Program normally issues 10-12 flood messages and conducts numerous media interviews on a regular basis during flood events. The NVCA also has 11 weather stations located across our watershed which provide NVCA/Municipalities with the temperature and precipitation conditions used in our Flood Forecasting Program, Data are available in real time by Oro-Medonte staff and the public. u Summary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Mcdonte Page 5 of 12 Engineering and Technical support, including GIS and IT support Budget: NVCA program budget - $212,000. Oro-Medonte share $19,260. Severn Watershed portion $13,097. Value of Service provided: Oro-Medonte approximately $79,000. Severn Watershed portion approximately $56,000. Engineering includes: • Development of engineering review standards • Engineering review of applications under the Planning Act and Regulations • Flood study for Bass Lake finalized in 2007with a value of $10,000. • Generic Regulations completed in 2007 and updated in 2008, including the delineation of the following natural hazards; flooding, erosion, stable slope, meander belt, and wetlands. • Developed hydrologic model for larger watersheds to monitor flows, including the Severn Watershed. Complete Hydraulic model for each watercourse including Severn Watersheds Field surveyed all watercourse crossings and establish a data base including low flow measurements for all subwatershed areas The above technical studies, excluding the Bass Lake Flood mapping, had an approximate value of $50,000 to Oro-Medonte GIS and IT support includes: • Significant data provided to help develop new Oro-Medonte zoning bylaw (including subwatersheds, watercourses, unevaluated wetlands) • Generic Regulation hazard mapping including slope analysis, estimated flood modeling, meander belt, shoreline and detailed wetland mapping developed, maintained and provided to municipality staff • Digital Elevation Model completed for entire municipality including other elevation derivatives such as a 2m Contours and the creation of a TIN surface for 3D modeling. This elevation data proves valuable for several purposes, including modeling, base mapping, natural heritage analysis and general topographic representation of the land • Full ArcHydro Model development used to determine drainage areas and used to delineate subwatershed catchment area flow for use in water budgeting and modeling • HEC RAS Models and cross-section development for use in estimating flood hazards ,j SLU-ninary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 6 of 12 • Compiled information on areas serviced by Municipal water and digitized for Oro-Medonte within NVCA jurisdiction • Stormwater (Sewershed) mapping compiled and digitized for Oro-Medonte within NVCA Source Water Protection watershed boundary • Fish species by watercourse and Municipal drain classifications completed and maintained • Annual GIS Day held to promote collaboration across agencies (Conservation Authorities, Municipalities, Counties, School Boards, Health Departments, etc.) The above work had a value of approximately $19,000 (i.e., 10% of total NVCA costs) Future Projects for Oro-Medonte--. • Internet Mapping access site for municipal Staff (for internal purposes) • Internet Mapping access site for Oro-Medonte public (with limited access to certain layers) • Oro-Medonte Dam Inventory for entire area. • Natural Heritage Mapping Environmental Monitoring Budget: NVCA program budget - $189,000; Oro-Medonte's share - $15,346 Severn Watershed portion - $10,435 Value of service provided: Oro-Medonte approximately $220,000; Severn Watershed - approximately $130,000 Environmental monitoring services include: Natural heritage mapping. This was finalized in 2007 Natural and included the mapping of all wetlands, forest cover, and natural hazard sites though the entire Municipality. The value to Oro-Medonte was approximately $50,000. Natural heritage review/support for Planning Permit Applications as noted in Planning above. Water quality/stream health monitoring. The effort for 2008 takes place at 10 stations located in Severn Watershed. The 2009 monitoring effort will take place at the 7 stations located in Willow Creek. Each of these sub- watersheds is monitored on a 5 year rotational basis. Oro-Medonte's value is approximately $20,000 with approximately $12,000 for Severn Watershed SUrnniary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 7 of 12 • Watershed Report Cards — In 2007, detailed Report Cards produced for Willow and Severn Subwatersheds in Oro-Medonte. Report card monitoring data collected annually with 5 year updates for individual Watersheds. Based on several 5-10 years of data and work. It is difficult to place value on this although it is estimated at about $50,000 per subwatershed report card. This suggests a value of $100,000 for Oro-Medonte with $50,000 for Severn Watershed. In the particular case of the Severn Watershed, there was a, significant additional effort spent by NVCA staff to collect information in a short period to complete report card. Bass Lake Study. In 2008 staff will complete a cottage by cottage shoreline survey; they will complete water quality profiles of the lake; they will install 7 temperature loggers in the lake and creeks flowing into and out of Bass Lake; they will complete 7 benthic sites, and they will prepare a Bass Lake Environmental Report Card and Stewardship Guide. This work is in partnership with the Bass Lake Rate Payers, the Municipality and the SSEA. Ground Water monitoring — In Oro-Medonte the Provincial groundwater monitoring network is subdivided along the Oro Moraine watershed boundary with the Severn Sound Environment Association. Within the NVCA aspect of wells in Oro-Medonte, there are no Provincial Ground Monitoring Network wells. Note: two adjacent wells located immediately west of Highway # 26 monitored in Springwater. In 2008 looking at additional monitoring wells in Oro-Medonte.( see Hydrogeology Source Water protection above) Complete Biological Inventories on newly-acquired NVCA/public wetland (approximately 15 acres) ( planning land management) Ongoing - refinement of Generic Regulation wetland boundaries throughout Municipality ( planning) Summary ot'NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 8 of 12 Stewardship Services Program Summary 2003 — 2007 including Healthy Waters/ Community Rivers/lakes and Forestry. Budget: NVCA program budget - $625,000. Oro-Medonte's re: $34,722 Severn Watershed portion - $23,600 Value of Service Provided: Oro-Medonte - approximately $10,000 plus another $166,000 through monitoring, enforcement and plan review that has already been captured under the Planning Program. Severn Watershed — approximately $7,000 with another $113,000 through monitoring, enforcement and plan review that has been included within the Planning Program. The primary focus for natural resource management in Oro-Medonte is protection through the enforcement, planning and monitoring programs described previously and through education and outreach including Watershed report cards, Environmental Education programs and landowner extension. All these conservation services are provided for the Severn Watershed area. One area of focus is the development of a stewardship plan for Bass Lake. In 2007 staff completed a Bass Lake tributaries report with a value of approximately $2000. In 2008 the focus is on developing a Bass Lake Stewardship plan/ strategy in partnership with the Bass Lake Rate payers, the Municipality and the SSEA. Several meetings have been held and one stewardship project is planned for the fall of 2008 along with the completion of the draft Stewardship plan. • The NVCA in partnership with MOE has received approximately $500,000 for well head and source water protection stewardship. The value for Oro- Medonte is estimated at $50,000 (10%) and for Severn Watershed at $34,000. The NVCA, SSEA and LSRCA (lead) are coordinating the delivery of this program. Forestry Grant Incentive Projects • The primary focus in Oro-Medonte is the protection of current excellent forest cover. This is accomplished through plan review, enforcement, forest conservation plan development/extension, and monitoring. Forest protection value estimated for Oro-Medonte program is $166,000 (Severn area approximately - $113,000 ( 68%). The budgets and values for these programs have been covered above under planning ($100,000) and Monitoring ($66,000 Watershed health report cards and natural heritage mapping). LA Summary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 9 of 12 NVCA offers full professional forestry programs for reforestation, and forest planning including the Managed forest tax incentive plan preparation. There was one Managed Forest Plan completed in Oro- Medonte in 2007 in the Nottawasaga River Watershed. Community River Restoration and Fisheries Habitat Management Work for this program in Oro-Medonte is shown in the following table. Community River Restoration and Fisheries Habitat Management summary Date Sub-Program Project Type Project Cast 2006 Jan 1 to Mar. 31 Fisheries Habitat Management Develop Fish Hab. Management Plan (Oro Medonte Part) $4,000.00 2007 Jan 2 to Apr 30 Fisheries Habitat Management Develop Fish Hab. Management Plan (Oro Medonte Part) $5,000.00 2007 Mar 29 Fisheries Habitat Management Fish Habitat Plan meeting at Big Cedar Estates $500.00 2007 Apr 18 Community River Restoration Field Survey of Sturgeon River collecting ima es $1,000.00 2007 July 27 Community River Restoration _go!gital Attend/Present at Bass Lake Ratepayers Stew ardship Meeting $500-00 2008 Jan 26 Community River Restoration Attend/Present at Bass Lake Ratepayers Stewardship Meeting _F_o_restry Managed Forest Plan $45U0 0 20_05 2005 Sept 16 Community River Restoration Technical support to landowner in Designing Pond Cleanout $300.00 2007 July Community River Restoration Field Survey of Bass Lake Tributaries with Report $2,000.00 $1,000.00 TOTALS $20,549.17 $10,462.69 Total 2007 $9,000.00 Fore try and Healthy Waters summar Date Sub-Program Project Type Proiect Cost Grant Issued _20_03 2_003 Healthy Waters — Grant Incentive Health y Waters — Grant Incentive well U rade Well Upgrade $1,000.00 $3,735.37 $500.00 $1,867.69 _20_04 Healthy Waters — Grant Incentive Eavestroughing $1,790.10 $895.00 2004 Healthy Waters — Grant Incentive Well Upqrade $1,684.20 $500-00 2004 Forestry Tree Planting (1,950 trees planted) $2,002.50 0 2004 _F_o_restry Managed Forest Plan $45U0 0 20_05 _Fo`restry Tree Planting (7,900 trees planted) $8,282.00 $5,700.00 _2_005 Healthy Waters — Grant Incentive Well Decommission $1,605.00 $1,000.00 TOTALS $20,549.17 $10,462.69 U Surnmary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 10 of 12 Land Management Budget: NVCA program budget - $223,000. Oro-Medonte's share $18,157, Severn Watershed - $12,300. Value of Service Provided: The ecological/conservation value of the NVCA lands for Oro-Medonte is estimated at $1,234,000 per annum with the share for the - Severn Watershed at $839,120. For NVCA lands within Oro- Medonte, ecological value of service is estimated as $17,400 per annum. The land management program encompasses: • A Conservation Land Securement strategy for entire NVCA area including the Severn Watershed. This has received MNR approval. • One new Conservation Authority wetland was acquired in 2007. It is approximately 15 acres and is located in the Willow Creek/ 400 highway area of Oro-Medonte. • Approximately 11,810 acres (4.650 Ha.) of Conservation Authority lands are owned by the NVCA for the ecological/conservation value of the Oro- Medonte residents and the citizens of Ontario. Including world class, Minesing Wetlands and Niagara Escarpment lands. It is difficult to place a value of this land for Oro-Medonte residents. The following is a general value calculation for these lands, based on the "Lake Simcoe Basin's natural Capital: the value of the watershed's ecosystem services report" (published June 2008 by Sara Wilson). This report placed an average ecosystem value at @$2,948 per hectare per year for similar lands in the Lake Simcoe Watershed. Thus based on 4650 ha of NVCA owned lands, the ecological/conservation value is $13,708,000 per year. If we assume that 9% of the NVCA value is Oro Medonte's value share, (based on levy apportionment) the annual ecological /conservation value for Oro Medonte residents is $1,234,000 per year. The Severn Watershed area has a value of approximately $840,000. If only the NVCA owned lands in Oro- Medonte are considered (15 acres, 5.9 ha) the ecological value is $17,400 per year and the, Severn Watershed is approximately $11,800. Summary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 11 of 12 Summa Summar of land management acti ity in Oro-Medonte, 2007 Date Project 2007 Initial site visit to proposed Oro/Medonte lands for acquisition 15 acre wetland March 21 ac wired Willow -409 highway area. 2007 Comprehensive site visit for inventory/boundary purposes A pnl 23 2007 Standard Property Inspection May 8/23 2007 Standard Property Inspection June 5/19 2007 Standard Property Inspection July 3/17/31 2007 Standard Property Inspection Aug 7/21 2007 Natural Heritage Program site visit Aug 31 2007 Standard Property Inspection Sept 4/18 2007 Standard Property Inspection Oct 16/28 *Note: Standard Property Inspection 2 to 3 times per month May to October Tiffin Admin Centre, Infrastructure and Tiffin Education program. Budget: total NVCA budget - $353,000. Oro-Medonte's share - $29,400. Severn Watershed portion -$20,000(68%) Value of service provided: Oro- Medonte approximately $39,000 (9% share of NVCA infrastructure budget/value plus 9% share of education program costs including user fees.) Severn Watershed - approximately $26,500 This program includes the operational /overhead support to maintain the Administration and Education facilities for the 31 full time and 7 contract and up to 10 seasonal NVCA staff. There are 23 different professional full time and 7 contract staff at NVCA providing technical support including; regulations officers, planners, biologists, hydrogeologist, forestry specialist, environmental technicians, GIS/ Data management analysts, lands managers and stewardship experts. In addition 8 staff provide; financial, human resources, communication and administrative support for the NVCA staff, 26 board members and our 18 watershed Municipalities. Summary of NVCA Services The Township of Oro-Medonte Page 12 of 12 Over 6,000 students per year attend Environmental Education programs at Tiffin. Every elementary student in both the private and public boards in Oro-Medonte have the chance to attend this program through the local School Board - NVCA partnerships. Note, approximately 80% of the Education program costs are covered by student user fees, approximately $60,000 per year. Respectfully submitted Wayne R. Wilson eb acA`9!! Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority t s n ti 0 y��V'1 TION w °� 2007 Watershed Report Card ��' eanle Toronto WAB Lwt:ero �Hamillon �''" "may r- ra es B Forest Conditions D Surface Water CARDEN' PLAIN evern Sound Watersheds ;; SIMCOE UPLANDS }J'• qRO_ MORAIN ' towerNottawasaga ''1 ' - River Reach .� Blue Mountains EDENVALE MORAINE \ Watersheds w;rrow creek ,',Subwatetshed SIW6E °•. e ~r LCYLANDS ! 1_ - Mad River Subwatarshed�',;; - NIAOaL'P / ESCAt$tMENT fMlddlelltottawasag prReach DUNDALK - SIMCOE TILL PLAIN UP�J S Pine RiwarrSubwatershed J tQ� ORU €RUMB N FOIE Y 'y,..; ,• 8'oyhetui Subwatersfro�,G,` - ltutlsli!Greek Subwajershed HORSESHOE SCHOMSERG- -, f+IOF;R,i t er .... CLAY PLAINS J Upper NOffd{Iasaga truer , Subwai rshed N OAk RIDGES MORAI- ��' eanle Toronto WAB Lwt:ero �Hamillon �''" "may r- The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority's (NVCA) watershed is located in south - central Ontario. The watershed extends south from Georgian Bay and covers an area of 3,600 km2. Much of this area eventually drains to the Nottawasaga River. The northwest portion of the watershed (Blue Mountain Subwatershed) drains directly into Georgian Bay in Collingwood while the northern portions of Springwater and Oro - Medonte Townships (Severn Sound Headwaters) drain northward toward Severn Sound. The watershed is shaped like a bowl —the Niagara Escarpment (west), Oak Ridges Moraine (south) and Simcoe Uplands (north and east) represent the height of land along the edges of the bowl. Streams arise from these high areas and flow downslope into the Simcoe Lowlands (the bottom of ancient Lake Algonquin), which forms the bottom of the bowl. These lowlands extend to Wasaga Beach and Collingwood (a "chip" at the edge of the bowl) which allows the Nottawasaga River and Blue Mountain streams to reach Georgian Bay. The NVCA watershed is largely rural in character though urban areas such as Barrie, Alliston, Shelburne, Wasaga Beach and Collingwood continue to grow. Land use is dominated by agricultural lands; however, compared to many areas in southern Ontario, natural areas are a significant part of the landscape. Forests and wetlands are generally found in areas that are unsuitable for farming—where soils are too wet, dry, rocky or steep. This report card provides a broad overview of forest, stream and wetland health within the watershed. More detailed descrip- tions can be found in individual subwatershed report cards. The entire report card series is part of a larger report titled The "Uttu.ruaugu r usiey 3c"Utuuri r.ainoriry rraaersnea Keport c,aras tnat is posted on the NVCA website (www.nvca.on.ca). Partner Municipalities: Town of Wasaga Beach, Springwater Township, Oro - Medonte Township, City of Barrie, Essa Township, Town of Innisfil, Town of Bradford -West Gwillimbury, Town of New Tecumseth, Adjala - Tosorontio Township, Town of Mono, Amaranth Township, Melancthon Township, Mulmur Township, Town of Grey Highlands, Town of Blue Mountains, Town of Collingwood, C.F.B. Borden Subwatersheds: Lower Nottawasaga River, Middle Nottawasaga River, Upper Nottawasaga River, Willow Creek, Mad River, Pine River, Boyne River, Innisfil Creek, Blue Mountain, Severn Sound Headwaters "Working Together to Protect and Restore" ra es B Forest Conditions D Surface Water Quality B Wetland Conditions The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority's (NVCA) watershed is located in south - central Ontario. The watershed extends south from Georgian Bay and covers an area of 3,600 km2. Much of this area eventually drains to the Nottawasaga River. The northwest portion of the watershed (Blue Mountain Subwatershed) drains directly into Georgian Bay in Collingwood while the northern portions of Springwater and Oro - Medonte Townships (Severn Sound Headwaters) drain northward toward Severn Sound. The watershed is shaped like a bowl —the Niagara Escarpment (west), Oak Ridges Moraine (south) and Simcoe Uplands (north and east) represent the height of land along the edges of the bowl. Streams arise from these high areas and flow downslope into the Simcoe Lowlands (the bottom of ancient Lake Algonquin), which forms the bottom of the bowl. These lowlands extend to Wasaga Beach and Collingwood (a "chip" at the edge of the bowl) which allows the Nottawasaga River and Blue Mountain streams to reach Georgian Bay. The NVCA watershed is largely rural in character though urban areas such as Barrie, Alliston, Shelburne, Wasaga Beach and Collingwood continue to grow. Land use is dominated by agricultural lands; however, compared to many areas in southern Ontario, natural areas are a significant part of the landscape. Forests and wetlands are generally found in areas that are unsuitable for farming—where soils are too wet, dry, rocky or steep. This report card provides a broad overview of forest, stream and wetland health within the watershed. More detailed descrip- tions can be found in individual subwatershed report cards. The entire report card series is part of a larger report titled The "Uttu.ruaugu r usiey 3c"Utuuri r.ainoriry rraaersnea Keport c,aras tnat is posted on the NVCA website (www.nvca.on.ca). Partner Municipalities: Town of Wasaga Beach, Springwater Township, Oro - Medonte Township, City of Barrie, Essa Township, Town of Innisfil, Town of Bradford -West Gwillimbury, Town of New Tecumseth, Adjala - Tosorontio Township, Town of Mono, Amaranth Township, Melancthon Township, Mulmur Township, Town of Grey Highlands, Town of Blue Mountains, Town of Collingwood, C.F.B. Borden Subwatersheds: Lower Nottawasaga River, Middle Nottawasaga River, Upper Nottawasaga River, Willow Creek, Mad River, Pine River, Boyne River, Innisfil Creek, Blue Mountain, Severn Sound Headwaters "Working Together to Protect and Restore" x..51 Fore Forest cover in the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) watershed is generally healthy. Large forest blocks provide significant habitat for wildlife species which require undisturbed, deep forest habitat to thrive. Over the past seventy years, reforestation of marginal agricultural lands has increased forest cover in the watershed; however, forest cover is under pressure from urban development and farmland expansion in some areas. Significant forest cover is generally found on lands that are unsuitable for agriculture. Areas with highly productive farmland, such as the Innisfil Creek Subwatershed, have relatively low forest cover. Upland forests are dominant along the mantled slopes of the Niagara Escarpment and the rolling hills of the Oro and Oak Ridges Moraines. Lowland forests and swamps are most abundant in low -lying areas above the Escarpment and in the Simcoe Lowlands. A number of these forests are considered of provincial and regional importance. Coniferous and mixed forest cover in watershed valley systems and swamps provides important winter habitat for white - tailed deer. Forest cover extending northeastward from the Pine River watershed through the Severn Sound Headwaters is an integral part of a natural corridor that extends northeast from the Niagara Escarpment to the Canadian Shield. This provincial -scale corridor is highly significant but is under pressure from urban development. st Conditions Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority NA ye Marsh Watershed Report Card FOREST COVER V . r—g.n B.y rs h r W'asaga Fac. - v A�� __J( Beaver ' River �' -�k •• � - Rr slur, Upper Nott3w- g3 Ri~Sleb( (>jft .Cis i ? Grand River 0 2 4 6 8 t Kilometers • t":4"•fiu`mb4 % - River Grade B Matched"'" Canadian �B"y Shield Indicator Description North Results �.xRice °{{ i Copc14 d r^ Orr rn &ruin Subwatershed Indicator Description arer Results Range °{{ i Copc14 d " r Forest Lake Simcoe 1 Forest Cover is the percentage of the watershed that is forested. Environment -A , Forest 19.1- D to A Canada suggests that 30% forest cover is the minimum needed to support healthy Subwatershed Cover 32.8% B 46.3% I Lake wildlife habitat —more coverage is beneficial. H1 Lovers Greed_. "Q % + away from the windy, dry conditions and predators that are associated with the 1 " Mldd of7D rvr�R h , olland N9 S a- may. River iv h w Isnrc2ersh a.�1 Legend C3 NVCA Watefstl d4 K 'ArodWndsa ns ��_ ��'` � Hatuml HefRage COrrid;��. C3 PAI- a'WetW -ds A -0 Subwatershed Grade Headwater wetlands above the Escarpment are connected to similar wetland habitats in the Grand, Saugeen, Credit and Beaver River watersheds. Forest cover on the Oak Ridges Moraine is part of a larger natural corridor which extends east past Peterborough. Forests and wetlands are also linked to natural areas along Severn Sound to the north and the Lake Simcoe xxratarched to the e.ACt_ Indicators NVCA Watershed Subwatershed Indicator Description 5 -Year Trend Results Range Forest Cover is the percentage of the watershed that is forested. Environment Varies by Forest 19.1- D to A Canada suggests that 30% forest cover is the minimum needed to support healthy Subwatershed Cover 32.8% B 46.3% wildlife habitat —more coverage is beneficial. Forest interior is the area of forest that lies more than 100 m from a forest edge – away from the windy, dry conditions and predators that are associated with the Varies by Forest B 3.0- F to A edge. Sensitive forest birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians require deep forest Subwatershed Interior o 10.8 /o 19.8% habitat for survival. Environment Canada suggests that 10% forest interior cover is the minimum needed to support a range ofspecies. Streamside forest cover (riparian vegetation) filters pollutants and provides Riparian 28.8 B to D important fish and wildlife habitat. Environment Canada suggests that at least 30 Varies by Cover o 42.6 /o C 56.8% m on each side of the stream (over 75% of its length) should be in forest cover to Subwatershed support healthy streams. Surface Water Surface water quality conditions are good within 7 of the 10 subwatersheds and Georgian Bay. However, combined watershed impacts result in fair to poor water quality in the Nottawasaga River downstream of Alliston. The Innisfil Creek Subwatershed stands out as a key contributor to degraded conditions in the Middle and Lower Nottawasaga River. Recent studies have confirmed that high nutrient (phosphorus) loading is the most significant water quality issue within the watershed. Land use has a strong influence on stream health within the watershed. Streams that drain areas with healthy forest and wetland cover are generally healthy. Streams that drain highly urbanized or intensively farmed areas are often unhealthy. Stream health tends to improve as streams move through forest and wetland areas, particularly if new sources of water (springs) enter the system. Runoff from agricultural and urban lands contribute to high nutrient and sediment loads which impact water quality. Uncontrolled livestock access to streams also contributes to these pollutant loads. Removal of streamside vegetation degrades stream habitat and can make the stream too warm for trout. Ponds constructed on streams also warm the water and can block fish passage. c, Quality Grade D Nonawasaga Valley Conservation Authority Watershed Report Card SURFACE WATER QUALITY MI. 5 D1 Legend Uppo Stream Health M n Despite fair to poor surface water quality within the middle U 2 4 r a and lower river reaches, the Nottawasaga River watershed boasts the largest population of migratory rainbow trout in southern Ontario as well as healthy populations of resident brook trout and brown trout. Warmwater game fish such as bass, pike and walleye are found in Little Lake, Orr Lake and Bass Lake as well as the Middle and Lower Nottawasaga River. Bacteria (E. coli) levels in watershed streams have not been monitored since the mid- 1990s. At that time, most stations had levels above those recommended as safe for swimming. However, area beaches (Wasaga Beach, Earl Rowe Provincial Park, Tottenham Conservation Area, New Lowell Conservation Area) are regularly monitored for bacteria during the summer months. Indicators Lower Nottawasaga River Results Subwatershed Indicator Description 5 -Year (combined impacts) Range Trend Benthic Grade 1.66- Insects and other `bugs" that inhabit the streambed are excellent indicators of Varies by (average stream 1.85 C 2.52 D to B stream health. Healthy streams receive a score of "3" while unhealthy streams Sub - health) receive a score of "1 ". Scores are averaged for each subwatershed. watershed Total Total Phosphorus indicates nutrient levels within a stream. Healthystreams 0.007- have levels less than 0.01 mg /L during low flow conditions. Streams typically Varies by Phosphorus 0.036 F 0.045 A to F have levels greater than 0.03 mg /L during storms (Watershed Range: 0.013 — Sub - (baseflow; mg /L) 1.29 mg /L). Provincial Water Quality Guidelines suggest that levels greater than watershed 0.03 mg /L result in unhealthy stream conditions. Total High levels of suspended solids make streams look dirty or cloudy. Though Suspended 13.89 C 1.98- A to F streams may naturally look this way after storms, cloudy water during dry condi- Insufficient Solids 54.48 tions may indicate urban or agricultural impacts. Our healthiest streams have Data levels less than 5 mg /L during low flow conditions. Environment Canada (baseflow; mg /L) suggests that levels greater than 25 mg /L indicate unhealthystream conditions. E. soli (coliform- 219 E. coli are found in human and animal waste. Its presence indicates fecal con- forming 300 C 405 C tamination. Ontario Recreational Water Quality Guidelines suggest that waters Insufficient units /100ml) with less than 100 CFUs /100 ml are safe for swimming. Data i= `t, A X R_. Wetland Conditions Wetland conditions within the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority Watershed are generally good. Large expanses of wetlands can be found on poorly drained lands on the Dundalk Plain above the Niagara Escarpment and the Simcoe Lowlands in the central portion of the watershed. Long, narrow wetlands are often found along river valleys as well as along the Georgian Bay shoreline. Wetlands in some portions of the watershed are under pressure from urban and agricultural expansion. Groundwater recharge in some wetlands maintains groundwater supplies while groundwater discharge from other wetlands maintains cold stream flows that support trout. Wetlands provide natural flood control throughout the watershed and filter pollutants before they enter streams. Marsh and swamp wetlands within the watershed provide important habitat for a wide range of wildlife. The Minesing Wetlands, located in the heart of the watershed, is recognized as an internationally significant wetland. It supports a number of rare plant and wildlife species and protects Wasaga Beach from flooding. The wetland marshes along the Colling- wood shoreline are found only in certain areas along the Great Lakes shorelines and are considered globally rare. A number of wetland groupings within the watershed have been identified as provincially significant by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Provincial and municipal planning policies protect these wetlands from development and site alteration. Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority Watershed Report Card WETLAND CONDITIONS 0- 0 2 4 6 6 �KOOmeten '' Grade B „i�em Se�nq Wamral�eds Legend W KJC4'.'sttn'r..`f [f] Wetland Heahh �e Indicators NVCA Watershed Results Subwatershed Range Indicator Description 5 -Year Trend B 5.8 F to A 10% wetland cover has been identified as a minimum guideline for Varies by Wetland Cover 12.0% 20.2% healthy watersheds (Environment Canada). Subwatershed A buffer is a vegetated area next to a wetland or stream. Many Varies b y Wetland Buffer 37.0% C 24.4- D to B wildlife species require nearby upland areas for foraging, nesting and Subwatershed (100mbufferarea) 50./0 . 5 other activities. :..:Watershed Actions d rovement ♦ Protect and restore forest and wetland cover, streambanks and shorelines to maintain and enhance natural habitats and corridors (particularly important in degraded subwatersheds) ♦ Restore forest and meadow cover next to wetlands, streams and lakes to improve fish and wildlife habitat and water quality ♦ Manage plantations with a goal of restoring native forest cover over time ♦ Work with landowners to reduce impacts of onstream ponds and shoreline /streambank erosion ♦ Work with landowners and municipalities to manage municipal drains to maximize natural functions ♦ Work with farmers, municipalities, developers, golf courses and others to manage nutrients by: keeping livestock out of streams, implementing nutrient management plans, managing urban stormwater runoff and controlling sediment on construction sites Thanks to our Watershed Champions —our landowners, community /environmental groups, schools, businesses and government agencies —that support stewardship activities in our watershed! � Contact NVCA staff at (705) 424 -1479 or at www nvca.on.ca to get involved! 0� Al NSA�I yq`` Willow Creek n rION P 2007 Subwatershed Report Card Willow Creek Subwatershed ` 1/ Crossland �\\ .° frergtlsonvale Cr t Legend \\ -L, s;ti /. i NVCA Lands O Ed <` Provincial Parks � Oro Moraine ` Qj Willow Creek Subwatershed I Da 0 1 2 3 4 JJJ I 10.I eili..I Kilometers E e e Mi Cr n "I WATER OVI IA P -PARK -. Strongville Cjt .e La O �' o rte.. ^• _ ''<� j .i Minesing Weti�pds take Simcoe Conservation A a Barrie re el Grades A Forest Conditions B Surface Water Quality B Wetland Conditions NVCA Watershe PM Willow Creek and Matheson Creek are the two main streams in this subwatershed. Willow Creek arises on the rolling sand loams of the Simcoe Uplands near the hamlet of Edgar. It flows into Little Lake —one of the few natural lakes in the Nottawasaga River watershed— just north of Barrie. The creek then enters a deep, groundwater -rich valley as it flows westward through Midhurst. Matheson Creek arises along the forested slopes of the Oro Moraine near Craighurst and flows southward through a forested sand plain valley that cuts through the nearby uplands. It converges with Willow Creek northwest of Midhurst. Downstream, Willow Creek flows through an agricultural lowland before entering the Minesing Wetlands west of George Johnston Road. Willow Creek discharges to the Nottawasaga River at the north end of the wetland. Two smaller creek systems —Black Creek and Keast Creek —arise along the groundwater -rich slopes of the Algonquin Bluffs near Snow Valley (south of Willow Creek). These creeks enter the Minesing Wetlands, joining with Willow Creek downstream of George Johnston Road. This report card describes the health of forests, wetlands and streams within the Willow Creek subwatershed and is part of a larger report titled The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority Watershed Repots Cards that is posted on the NVCA website (www.nvca.on.ca). Partner Municipalities:Springwater Township, Oro - Medonte Township, City of Barrie Watercourses: Willow Creek, Matheson Creek, Black Creek, Keast Creek "Working Together to Protect and Restore" I Forest Conditions The Willow Creek subwatershed supports healthy forest cover. Large forest blocks provide significant habitat for wildlife species which require undisturbed, deep forest habitat (forest interior) to thrive. Forest cover has increased over the past seventy years due to reforestation of marginal farmland but is under pressure from urban development near Barrie and Midhurst. Forest cover is concentrated on the Oro Moraine and Algonquin Bluffs as well as the Matheson Creek and Willow Creek valley corridors. The rolling sand loams of the Simcoe Uplands to the north and southwest of Little Lake are well- suited for agriculture and support less forest cover. Marsh and swamp wetlands within the ?6 Grade A ' \ { � . -� Creek 4 � w 400 `• + • f V -A 26 hurst Aa r :28 o Valle f r Legend oe arr* K Forest Interior : t 40 Y / Forested Area ? i Willow Creek Subwatershed N Natural Heritage Corridors f subwatershed provide important habitat for a wide range of wildlife. An extensive fen — an open wetland dominated by low shrubs, ferns and sedges and grasses — supports rare plants and wildlife in the Minesing Wetlands. Coniferous and mixed forest cover within the Minesing Wetlands, the Willow Creek valley and the headwaters of Matheson Creek provide important winter habitat for deer. Subwatershed forest cover provides important linkages to nearby natural areas within the Nottawasaga River, Severn Sound and Lake Simcoe watersheds. It is part of a significant natural corridor that extends southwest from the Canadian Shield through the Minesing Wetlands to the Niagara Escarpment. Indicators Willow Creek NVCA Watershed Indicator Description 5 -Year Trend Results Results Forest Cover is the percentage of the watershed that is forested. Environment Forest 41.8% A 32.8% B Canada suggests that 30% forest cover is the minimum needed to support healthy Cover wildlife habitat —more coverage is beneficial. Forest interior is the area of forest that lies more than 100 m from a forest edge – away from the windy, dry conditions and predators that are associated with the Forest 16.3 A 10.8% B edge. Sensitive forest birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians require deep Interior forest habitat for survival. Environment Canada suggests that 10% forest interior cover is the minimum needed to support a range of species. Streamside forest cover (riparian vegetation) filter pollutants and provides Riparian C important fish and wildlife habitat. Environment Canada suggests that at least Insufficient Cover C 51.4 B 42.6% 30 m on each side ofthe stream (over 75% of its length) should be in forest cover Data to support healthy streams. 4: Surface Water Quality Surface water quality and stream health in the Willow Creek subwatershed is generally good. Parts of all four major creek systems support healthy resident trout populations. Little Lake supports northern pike, bass and walleye. Upstream of Little Lake, Willow Creek exhibits "fair" stream health as it flows through a rolling agricultural landscape. Stream health improves downstream of Little Lake as Willow Creek enters a forested, groundwater -rich valley which extends through Midhurst. Flowing through a forested valley for much of its length, Matheson Creek exhibits "good" stream health from its headwaters downstream to Willow Creek. Downstream of this point, Willow Creek stream health is considered "fair" as it enters an agricultural plain with sparse riparian (streamside) cover and livestock access. Downstream of George Johnston Road, healthy conditions return as Willow Creek flows through the Minesing Wetlands. Stream health is variable in the Black Creek system. Headwater areas are impacted by agricultural land use while healthy sections are associated with extensive forest cover and ground- water discharge (springs) along the Algonquin Bluffs. "Fair" health conditions are present downstream as the main branch enters the Minesing Wetlands. l {; 43� �1 \ Midhurst Grade B l • P • �� is Legend • Biomonitoring Sites • Good Fair Poor Forested Area W Willow Creek Subwatershed Nutrient concentrations (Total Phosphorus) and Total Suspended Solids are generally low to moderate at George Johnston Road during low flow conditions attesting to generally health stream conditions. Impacts appear to be associated with habitat disturbances rather than poor water quality. Historical bacteria (E. coli) monitoring suggests that summer bacteria levels exceed provincial recreational guidelines for swimming. Willow Creek NVCA Indicators Results Subwatershed Average Indicator Description 5 -Year Trend Insects and other "bugs" that inhabit the streambed are excellent indicators of Benthic Grade 2.52 B 2.20 B stream health. Healthy streams receive a score of "3" while unhealthy streams Insufficient receive a score of 1". Scores are averaged for each subwatershed. Data Total Total Phosphorus indicates nutrient levels within stream. Healthystreams have levels less than 0.01 mg /L during low flow conditions. Streams typically Phosphorus 0.019 B 0.021 C have levels greater than 0.03 mg /L during storms (Willow Creek Range: 0.029 — Insufficient (baseflow; mg /L) 0.286 mg /L). Provincial Water Quality Guidelines suggest that levels greater than Data 0.03 mg/L result in unhealthy stream conditions. Total High levels of suspended solids make streams look dirty or cloudy. Though Suspended streams may naturally look this way after storms, cloudy water during dry condi- Solids ( baseflow; 7.97 B 9.89 B tions may indicate urban or agricultural impacts. Our healthiest streams have Insufficient mg/L) levels less than 5 mg /L during low flow conditions. Environment Canada sug- Data gests that levels greater than 25 mg /L indicate unhealthy stream conditions. E. coli (conform- E. coli are found in human and animal waste. Its presence indicates fecal con- forming 365 C 312 C tamination. Ontario Recreational Water Quality Guidelines suggest that waters Insufficient units /1OOml) with less than 100 CFUs /100 ml are safe for swimming. Data 'l t {3' Wetland Conditions Wetland conditions within the Willow Creek subwatershed C are generally healthy. The Minesing Wetlands is the largest I wetland grouping; however, extensive wetlands are also associated with the Matheson Creek headwaters and valley, Little Lake and the Dalston Wetlands. Subwatershed wetlands are under pressure from urban development near Midhurst. r.i ghur« \\etland , Groundwater recharge in some wetlands maintains groundwater supplies while groundwater discharge from other wetlands — such as the lower slopes of the Algonquin Bluffs — maintains cold streams flows which support trout. Wetlands provide natural flood control throughout 'swamp` -- the watershed. The Minesing Wetlands provide a critical flood control function for Wasaga Beach. i The Minesing Wetlands is considered internationally significant and is a great Xr place to go canoeing and appreciate nature! 43 0 Midhurst Z Grade B Guthrie Complex Willow Creek Haolcstone Indicator Description Wetland Complex Results / PilkeySwamp 10% wetland cover has been identified as a minimum guideline for healthy Dalston Wetland Wetland Cover 20.2% Willow Creek/ Little Lake Wetlands �l Shanty Bay Legend Locally Significant Wetlands Provincially Significant Wetlands Georgian College i:J Other Wetlands Five wetland groupings within the mmesmg weaanosit -. Wetland Forested Area subwatershed have been identified as C:3 Willow Creek Subwatershed provincially significant by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Provincial and municipal planning policies protect these wetlands from development and site alteration. Indicators Willow Creek NVCA Watershed Indicator Description 5 -Year Trend Results Results 10% wetland cover has been identified as a minimum guideline for healthy Wetland Cover 20.2% A 12.0% A watersheds (Environment Canada). Wetland Buffer A buffer is a vegetated area next to a wetland or stream. Many wildlife species 48.2 C o 37.0% C require adjacent upland areas for foraging, nesting and other activities. (100m buffer area) rshed. Actions Needed for Improvement ♦ Protect and restore forest and wetland cover, streambanks and shorelines to maintain and enhance natural habitats and corridors ♦ Restore forest and meadow cover next to wetlands and streams to improve wildlife habitat and stream/wetland health ♦ Restore natural channel form on Willow Creek downstream of George Johnston Road ♦ Manage plantations with a goal of restoring native forest cover over time ♦ Work with landowners to reduce impacts of onstream ponds, and shoreline /streambank erosion ♦ Work with farmers, municipalities, developers, golf courses and others to manage nutrients by: keeping cattle out of streams, implementing nutrient management plans, managing urban stormwater runoff and controlling sediment on construction sites Thanks to our Watershed Champions —our landowners, community groups, schools, businesses and government agencies —that support stewardship activities in our watershed! s'�Wwr� Contact NVCA staff at (705) 424 -1479 or at www.nvca.on.ca to get involved! e AWq `'�� Severn Sound Headwaters n � 2007 R Card F AyA TfON �� Legend Severn Sound Headwaters NVCA Lands Provincial Parks �.•, ORO MORAINE 9 Severn Sound Watersheds Og Moon to Eady 3 0 2 4 s a `0t 400 War 'nster t . .............. Kilometers 7r' Lake Crei on .c rites Corners (0 n•�VO� ♦ Mount St. L u' parr BAS'S EK P IINCIALPAR�: E1 a ater AI wood Hillsdale G ul ^fir S�Or9eon C ssland F g onvale i� ran Durst helpsto c Ma ake m ° E A BdACH PR VINCIA PARK The Severn Sound subwatershed consists of five main watercourses — Wye River, Hogg Creek, Sturgeon River, Coldwater River and North River - that discharge directly to Severn Sound between Midland and Coldwater. Only the headwaters of the Severn Sound watershed (within Springwater and Oro - Medonte Townships) lie within the jurisdiction of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority. The Severn Sound Environmental Association and its partners are responsible for monitoring and managing these systems on a watershed basis. The delisting of Severn Sound as an international Great Lakes Area of Concern attests to the success of this group and its partners. The Wye River arises from springs on the Simcoe Uplands near Orr Lake. The main branch flows southwest from Orr Lake through the agricultural clay plains of the Simcoe Lowlands and urban Elmvale before flowing northward out of Springwater Township toward Wye Marsh and Midland. The headwaters of Hogg Creek arise on sand plains within the Simcoe Lowlands east of Waverley. The creek's shallow valley system meanders through an agricultural landscape as it flows northwest out of Oro - Medonte Township toward Hogg Bay. Spring -fed tributaries of the Sturgeon River emerge along a valley running between the base of the Simcoe Uplands and the west edge of the Oro Moraine near Hillsdale. The river flows northward through a broad, deep valley bounded by the Simcoe Uplands, entering Severn Sound at Sturgeon Bay. The Coldwater River arises along the forested north slopes of the Oro Moraine between Coulson and Horseshoe Valley before descending into a deep, forested valley flanked by the Simcoe Uplands. It flows northward along the east edge of Highway 400, leaving Oro - Medonte Township at Coldwater before flowing into Matchedash Bay. Tributaries of the North River emerge along the northeast flank of the Oro Moraine, flowing briefly northward and eastward before entering Bass Lake at Bass Lake Provincial Park. The river exits Bass Lake as a slow- moving wetland system, flowing northeast out of Oro - Medonte Township toward Matchedash Bay. This report card describes the health of forests, wetlands and streams within the Severn Sound headwaters and is part of a larger report titled The Nottaivasrr;a lea /let' Conservation Authoritr' watershed Report Cards that is posted on the NVCA website (www.nvca.on.ca). Partner Municipalities: Oro - Medonte Township, Springwater Township Watercourses: Wye River, Coldwater River, North River, Sturgeon River, Hogg Creek "Working Together to Protect and Restore" Grades A Forest Conditions B Surface Water Quality B Wetland Conditions The Wye River arises from springs on the Simcoe Uplands near Orr Lake. The main branch flows southwest from Orr Lake through the agricultural clay plains of the Simcoe Lowlands and urban Elmvale before flowing northward out of Springwater Township toward Wye Marsh and Midland. The headwaters of Hogg Creek arise on sand plains within the Simcoe Lowlands east of Waverley. The creek's shallow valley system meanders through an agricultural landscape as it flows northwest out of Oro - Medonte Township toward Hogg Bay. Spring -fed tributaries of the Sturgeon River emerge along a valley running between the base of the Simcoe Uplands and the west edge of the Oro Moraine near Hillsdale. The river flows northward through a broad, deep valley bounded by the Simcoe Uplands, entering Severn Sound at Sturgeon Bay. The Coldwater River arises along the forested north slopes of the Oro Moraine between Coulson and Horseshoe Valley before descending into a deep, forested valley flanked by the Simcoe Uplands. It flows northward along the east edge of Highway 400, leaving Oro - Medonte Township at Coldwater before flowing into Matchedash Bay. Tributaries of the North River emerge along the northeast flank of the Oro Moraine, flowing briefly northward and eastward before entering Bass Lake at Bass Lake Provincial Park. The river exits Bass Lake as a slow- moving wetland system, flowing northeast out of Oro - Medonte Township toward Matchedash Bay. This report card describes the health of forests, wetlands and streams within the Severn Sound headwaters and is part of a larger report titled The Nottaivasrr;a lea /let' Conservation Authoritr' watershed Report Cards that is posted on the NVCA website (www.nvca.on.ca). Partner Municipalities: Oro - Medonte Township, Springwater Township Watercourses: Wye River, Coldwater River, North River, Sturgeon River, Hogg Creek "Working Together to Protect and Restore" qL Grade Forest Conditions The Severn Sound headwaters supports extensive cedig +an say forest cover. Large forest blocks provide significant habitat for wildlife species which require' �_ x undisturbed, deep forest habitat to thrive. Over the past seventy years, reforestation of marginal agricultural' . lands has increased forest cover in the headwaters area 4 �► r '�� ;� ►� ` , t .14% - Large forest tracts are common on y ►`�k the Oro Moraine and portions of the Simcoe Uplands as well as j along the Sturgeon River and Coldwater River valleys. Sparse �4 • ,, w , `� ,' forest cover is limited to the agricultural clay plains around ty.'i Elmvale. Patchier forest cover is r present northeast of Orr Lake and / 4% northeast of the Oro Moraine. j The Copeland Forest is a large forest tract located on the steep slopes of the Oro Moraine and headwater valleys of Sturgeon and t Coldwater Rivers. Consisting of a mix of upland and swamp forest, ,. public biking trails make this a prime destination destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Coniferous and mixed forest cover southeast of Orr Lake, along the Sturgeon River valley south of County Road 27, and in the headwaters and valley system of the Coldwater River provide important winter habitat for deer. Headwater forest cover extending northeast to the Canadian Shield and south to Matheson Creek is an integral part of a natural corridor that extends northeast from the Niagara Escarpment to the east/southeast Canadian Shield. This provincial -scale corridor is highly significant. Forests and wetlands in the Severn Sound headwaters are also connected to natural areas in the Nottawasaga River watershed to the south and west, Lake Simcoe watershed to the east and the south shore of Severn Sound to the north. Indicators Severn Sound Headwaters NVCA Watershed Indicator Description 5 -Year Trend �Blu�ff_fls Results 1 Creek or Forest Cover is the percentage of the watershed that is forested. Environment Hawkstone. Forest �Cgeek A 32.8% Legend Canada suggests that 30% forest cover is the minimum needed to support healthy �! K Forest Interior Forested Area wildlife habitat— more coverage is beneficial. Severn Sound Watersheds 4*.► Natural Heritage Corridors Indicators Severn Sound Headwaters NVCA Watershed Indicator Description 5 -Year Trend Results Results Forest Cover is the percentage of the watershed that is forested. Environment Insufficient Forest 46.3% A 32.8% B Canada suggests that 30% forest cover is the minimum needed to support healthy Data Cover wildlife habitat— more coverage is beneficial. Forest interior is the area of forest that lies more than 100 m from a forest edge - away from the windy, dry conditions and predators that are associated with the Insufficient Forest 19.8% A 10.8% B edge. Sensitive forest birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians require deep Data Interior forest habitat for survival. Environment Canada suggests that 10% forest interior cover is the minimum needed to support a range of species. Streamside forest cover (riparian vegetation) filters pollutants and provides Riparian C important fish and wildlife habitat. Environment Canada suggests that at least Insufficient Cover 51.3 /o B 42.6% 30 m on each side of the stream (over 75% of its length) should be in forest cover Data to support healthy streams. Surface Water Quality Surface water quality and stream habitat in the Severn Sound Grade B headwaters ranges from "fair" to "good ". Productive trout habitat is found throughout the headwaters and middle sections of the Sturgeon y� And Coldwater Rivers but is restricted to the upper headwaters of the Wye River. Orr Lake and Bass Lake provide habitat for northern pike and bass. Stream health is considered "fair" along the Wye River as a result of impacts from rural � and urban areas. Sparse riparian ��/ " FJ�ivale •. ": r - (streamside) vegetation impacts stream health downstream of Orr Lake through Elmvale. yam.. The two headwater branches of Hogg Creek support low flows and stream health conditions have not been evaluated. Emerging from headwater wetlands near Hillsdale, the Sturgeon River flows over the Rumble's Mill darn and enters a broad agricultural valley. Stream health is considered "fair" through this section. West of Moonstone, stream health improves as the river enters a large wetland which extends north to Highway 23. Legend • Biomonitoring Sites ^� Good Fair -I%-- Poor Springs along the Oro Moraine and nearby uplands provide high quality, healthy source water Forested Area for the Coldwater River. Flowing through deep, forested valleys, healthy stream conditions C�3 Severn Sound Watersheds persist downstream to Moonstone. Stream health declines to "fair" as the river flows through agricultural lands to the north boundary of Oro - Medonte Township. Shoreline habitats along Bass Lake (and Orr Lake) are moderately impacted by cottage land uses. The North River is a low gradient wetland stream system as it exits Bass Lake and flows northeast out of Oro - Medonte Township. Nutrient data in the headwaters is limited to the Coldwater River. Phosphorus levels upstream of Moonstone indicate healthy habitat conditions. The Severn Sound Environmental Association suggests that bacteria (E. coli) levels in streams draining south to Severn Sound often exceed provincial recreational guidelines for swimming. Severn Sound NVCA Indicators Headwaters Subwatershed Indicator Description 5 -Year Results Average Trend Benthic Grade 2.47 B Insects and other `bugs" that inhabit the streambed are excellent indicators Insufficient 2.20 B of stream health. Healthy streams receive a score of "3" while unhealthy streams receive a score of .1 ". Data Total Total Phosphorus indicates nutrient levels within a stream. Our healthiest streams have levels less than 0.01 mg /L during low flow conditions. All Phosphorus 0.007 A 0.021 C streams have levels greater than 0.03 mg /L during storms. Provincial Water Insufficient (baseflow; mg /L) Quality Guidelines suggest that levels greater than 0.03 mg /L result in Data unhealthy stream conditions. Total High levels of suspended solids make streams look dirtyor cloudy. Though Suspended streams may naturally look this wayafter storms, cloudy water during dry Solids NA g.gg B conditions may indicate urban or agricultural impacts. Healthy streams have Insufficient (baseflow; mg /L) levels less than 5 mg /L during low flow conditions. Environment Canada Data suggests that levels greater than 25 mg /L indicate unhealthy conditions. E. coli (coliform- E. coli are found inhuman and animal waste. Its presence indicates fecal forming units /100m1) NA 312 C contamination. Ontario Recreational Water Quality Guidelines suggest that Insufficient waters with less than 100 CFUs /100 ml are safe for swimming. Data Wetland Conditions Wetland conditions within the Severn Sound headwaters are generally good with extensive wetlands fringed by lowland/upland forest cover. Large wetlands are centered around Orr Lake, Bass Lake, the Sturgeon and Coldwater River headwaters and the Sturgeon River valley upstream of County Road 23. Groundwater recharge in some wetlands maintains groundwater supplies while groundwater discharge from other / wetlands — such as those draining the EW Oro Moraine — maintains cold stream flows which support trout. Z Wetlands provide natural flood control ' throughout the subwatershed. Marsh and swamp wetlands within the subwatershed provide important habitat for a wide range of wildlife. Vasey DUSwump East DU Swvmp \ Eight wetland groupings within the Severn Sound headwaters have been identified as provincially significant by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Provincial and municipal planning policies protect these wetlands from development and site alteration. Vasey S vamp Copeland- Craighurst - Guthrie Complex ZL Grade B Marchmont S nvmp West Coulson Legend Locally Significant Wetlands Provincially Significant Wetlands Other Wetlands Forested Area Severn sound Watersheds Indicators Severn Sound Headwater Results NVCA Watershed Results Indicator Description Trend Wetland Cover B 12.0% A 10% wetland cover has been identified as a minimum Insufficient Data 11.9% guideline for healthy watersheds (Environment Canada). Wetland Buffer A buffer is a vegetated area next to a wetland or stream. 49.7% C 37.0% C Many Wildlife species require adjacent upland areas for Insufficient Data (100m buffer area) foraging, nesting and other activities. Local Actions Needed for Improvement ♦ Protect and restore forest and wetland cover, streambanks and shorelines to maintain and enhance natural habitats and corridors ♦ Restore forest and meadow cover next to wetlands and streams to improve wildlife habitat and stream/wetland health ♦ Manage plantations with a goal of restoring native forest cover over time ♦ Work with landowners to reduce impacts of onstream ponds, and shoreline /streambank erosion ♦ Work with farmers, municipalities, developers, golf courses and others to manage nutrients by: keeping cattle out of streams, implementing nutrient management plans, managing urban stormwater runoff and controlling sediment on construction sites Thanks to our Watershed Champions —our landowners, community groups, schools, businesses and government agencies —that support stewardship activities in our watershed! pwa, r Contact NVCA staff at (705) 424 -1479 or at www.nvca.on.ca to get involved! .nan A r--0---k n 11 �11-1'j .b 2 ale, Green Not�t�awaoaga Valley 14 Township of Adjala- T000rontio Township of Amaranth City of Barrie Town of The Blue Mountains S U U m 61 N 0 L 3 0 L N 3 m L i Q. N v- 0 s N L 3 0 0 L i 3 N S N 0 L 3 0 N L 0 0 L O 0 s N L 0 s 41 N 3 U N 3 0 z 4- 0 L 3 0 H Working together to value, protect, enhance and reo tore our wa terohed resources fora healthy, sustainable future. Township of Mulmur Town of Mono Township of Melancthon Town of Innisfil 0 3 0 -b Z 9l fi 0 z 9. (0 N ci F L z NO, m m z (D i 0 f N S W <0 G 3 O fi n 0 c9 F 0 0 O 3 N S_ 0 fi rn N N v L O M v �G 0 fi z W S v 3 N 1 a ' �� M :.. :4 tR i �{ F, �M"+� 71 lid ,. 1.. y .�•g 5.,t }TES`{ ` Al 1 •sue "c�S""'1'r6. "`°'"��' Township of Mulmur Town of Mono Township of Melancthon Town of Innisfil 0 3 0 -b Z 9l fi 0 z 9. (0 N ci F L z NO, m m z (D i 0 f N S W <0 G 3 O fi n 0 c9 F 0 0 O 3 N S_ 0 fi rn N N v L O M v �G 0 fi z W S v 3 N In 2007, the work of the NVCA was driven by targets we set late in 2006, as well as by the legislation and provincial policies mandated to us. Our targets were, and still are, to achieve 100 per cent stream health and minimums of 75 percent streamside vegetation cover, 30 per cent forest cover and 10 per cent wetland cover. We also aim to protect people and property from natural hazards and to increase outdoor education and recreational opportunities. The production of our first series of Watershed Report Cards was the perfect medium for tracking our progress throughout the year. These people - friendly documents simplify the science behind what we do and are a great way for the public to measure how successful we are in protecting and preserving our water resources, our wetlands and our forests. They were well received by our 18 municipal councils when they were presented in the spring. Working towards 100 per cent stream health provided us some of our biggest successes, but also our biggest challenges. On the successful front, the South Georgian Bay -Lake Simcoe Source Protection Committee was formed in 2007. The Committee is charged under the Clean Water Act with developing source protection plans for municipal wells over the next five years. The NVCA's role in this process was to assist in the selection of Committee members and to allow NVCA employees to work for the Committee. We are particularly pleased with the Minister of the Environment's choice of Lynn Dollin as Committee Chair. Lynn, a Councillor from the Town of Innisfil, has served on the boards of both the NVCA and the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, so she is well - qualified to undertake this position. On the challenging front, most of our watershed was impacted by drought, having received less than 40 per cent of the normal summer rain fall. As a result, the NVCA, with the Water Response Team, declared a Level I low water condition for the entire watershed and a Level II low water condition for about half of the watershed. Under Level I, water users are asked to voluntarily cut back water use by 10 per cent. At Level II, the percentage increases to 20. Mandatory reductions are imposed only Fred Nix, Chair IRL under Level III. However we found that our Level I and Level II declarations were largely ineffective because we had a challenge in reaching the public to let them know about drought conditions. In addition, when we recommended to the province that a Level III low water condition be declared for the Innisfil Creek sub - watershed, our recommendation was not approved because we were unable to provide all of the supporting documents required under the Ontario Low Water Response Plan. The biggest lesson learned was that there are serious flaws in the Ontario Low Water Response Plan. However, with financial assistance from the Ministry of Natural Resources, we will be conducting a study in 2008 on how to improve the plan and, hopefully, this will help us if we experience another drought. In an effort to protect people and property from natural hazards in 2007, we marked our first full year of working with the new Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses regulation. While we were generally satisfied with the intent of the new regulations, this year's experience did show that there are still some rough edges. As the Ontario Environmental Commissioner pointed out in his report of November 2007, there is a wide range of implementation issues that need to be sorted out across the province as the practices from one Conservation Authority to another are not uniform. Finally, our budgeted revenues declined in 2007 due to slower development activity in the second half of the year. The hit to our 2007 budget was accentuated by the new accounting rules, implemented in 2007, that stipulate we can only recognize revenues after a certain percentage of the work has been completed. The odd position we found ourselves in at the end of the year was we had lots of money in the bank but a major deficit showing for our Planning Program. Fortunately, we had a reserve in place that could make up for most of our shortfalls. This does mean, however, that we go into 2008 with our planning reserve virtually empty. In addition to the year -long snapshot above, we are pleased to present to you our 2007 Annual Report, giving you an overview of targets set and targets met. 0 A�k "jAV--- Wayne Wilson, CAO /Secretary- Treasurer Y10 The "summer of the drought" leads to a pilot project for the Water Response Team The summer of 2007 was one of the NVCA's driest on record. We experienced extremely low precipitation and the demand for water for irrigation remained high. This caused low flows in many of the NVCA watercourses and put significant stress on the aquatic environment. The Innisfil Creek was the most severely affected with its average flow falling to 356 gallons -per- minute on June 30. The average flow during dry, summer months is estimated to be 5,000 gallons -per- minute. The Water Response Team (WRT) had difficulty collecting all of the information required under the Ontario Low Water Response Plan to declare the most serious low water level. Therefore the WRT's recommendation to declare a Level III low water condition for Innisfil Creek was not carried out and * mandatory water - taking restrictions were not imposed. View from Side Road 10 in the Town of Innisfil on July 6, 2007 As a result of the summer's challenges, the Ministry of Natural Resources asked the NVCA to undertake the Innisfil Creek Low Water Response Pilot Project to clarify what information is required to declare a level III low water condition. The project, to be completed in the spring of 2008, will provide guidelines for WRTs across the province to use when addressing the various steps outlined in the Ontario Low Water Response Plan. NVCA participates in pilot study to help municipalities who belong to multiple Source Protection Regions The Dufferin County Headwaters Pilot Study has investigated the technical and communication challenges that municipalities may experience when implementing more than one Source Protection Plan. Dufferin County and the Town of Erin in Wellington County were chosen for the study because Dufferin County encompasses three Source Protection Regions (South Georgian Bay -Lake Simcoe, Central Lake Ontario - Toronto - Credit Valley and Lake Erie); the municipal capacity for source water protection planning varies across the county; and the county has unique geological and hydrogeological conditions. As part of the technical work, maps have been created to include GIS layers, geological and hydrogeological features, recharge areas and aquifer vulnerability. As well, data has been compiled to support source water protection budget exercises. To address communication challenges, procedures have been developed for coordinating communications across borders. Source Water Protection As part of implementing the Clean Water Act, the South Georgian Bay -Lake Simcoe Source Protection Region was officially created in 2007. Lynn Dollin, Councillor from the Town of Innisfil, was appointed Chair of the region's Source Protection Committee by Ontario's Minister of the Environment. The Nottawasaga Valley Source Protection Authority appointed two municipal representatives to the Committee — Stan Wells from the Town of Wasaga Beach and Rick Newlove from the County of Simcoe. NVCA staff contributed to the administration of the Drinking Water Source Protection program, coordinating municipal technical studies and finalizing the watershed characterization report, which will form the foundation for the region's Source Protection Plan. Staff were also successful in their application for funding under the Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Program. By the end of the year, staff were preparing an education and outreach campaign to notify more than 800 property owners that they were eligible for grants to protect our drinking water. 2 NVCA and its partners implement three large stream habitat construction projects Working with local interest groups and landowners, the Community River Restoration Program provides technical and fundraising support for stream improvement and fish habitat restoration projects. Under this program, many multi -year projects were completed in 2007. New Tecumseth Stream Restoration Program Works completed in 2007 represented the culmination of three years of planning to restore areas of Beeton Creek as part of this Trillium- funded program. In 2007, 200 metres of the Creek were restored at Northwood Park, bringing the grand total of recently restored habitat at this site to 700 metres. Restoration work included the construction of a floodplain and the realignment of a degraded stream channel. This was the first realignment project for the NVCA. An additional 500 metres of stream habitat on Beeton Creek were restored at the Zabehlicky property in 2007. This project was funded through a Fisheries Habitat Compensation Agreement in partnership with the County of Simcoe. Key partners in the New Tecumseth Stream Restoration Program included the New Tecumseth Streams Committee, Nottawasaga Futures, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the County of Simcoe and the Ministry of Natural Resources. Mervart Project Monitoring data showed that the on- stream pond on the Mervart's property in the Town of Mono was impacting oxygen concentrations and summer temperatures in the Nottawasaga River headwaters. Working with the landowner, a plan was developed to restore a total of 150 metres of natural stream channel within the stagnant pond. In 2007, 100 metres were restored by building a berm (elevated ridge) to separate the new channel from the pond. The berm included a structural component incorporating rock and sand, as well as a soft section utilizing anchored coniferous trees. Fifty metres of the stream channel had been restored in 2006 by reducing the surface elevation of the pond. A final construction phase for this project is planned for 2008. Key partners in this project included the Mervart's, Trout Unlimited Canada (Nottawasaga River Chapter), Headwaters Flyfishers, Nottawasaga Steelheaders, Orangeville District Secondary School, Somerville Nurseries, Maxxam Analytics, Schneiders, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Number of Water Quality Improvement Projects completed by the NVCA Before picture of the stagnant pond. After picture of the restored stream channel. Municipality 2007 4 -year total Municipality 2007 4 -year total Municipality 2007 4 -year total Adjala- Tosorontio 5 8 Collingwood 0 2 Mulmur 0 7 Amaranth 0 4 Essa 4 30 New Tecumseth 13 51 Barrie 0 1 Grey Highlands 1 5 Oro - Medonte 0 3 Town of the Blue Mountains 0 0 Innisfil 4 14 Shelburne 1 2 Bradford West - Gwillimbury 0 1 Melancthon 2 11 Springwater 7 34 Clearview 6 31 Mono 7 21 Wasaga Beach 0 0 3 ma. New Watershed Report Cards help NVCA track and communicate environmental targets In 2007, the NVCA released its first -ever series of watershed report cards. They are designed to communicate the state of ecosystem health and to provide an action plan for restoring degraded areas. The NVCA watershed, and its 10 sub - watersheds, are given grades for forest conditions, surface water quality and wetland conditions. The watershed received the following average grades: forest cover — B; wetland conditions — B; and surface water quality — D. Recent studies have confirmed that high phosphorus loading is the most significant water quality issue in the watershed. Sub watershed Forest Cover Surface Water Quality Wetland Cover Upper Nottawasaga River B A B Mid Nottawasaga River C C B Lower Nottawasaga River C D B Boyne River D B C Innisfil Creek D F C Pine River A B C Willow Creek A B B Blue Mountains C B D Mad River B B B Sevens Sound Headwaters A B B NVCA WATERSHED B D B Marsh monitoring :; Nottawasaga Vallev Corrernation Authority �+ 2007 Watershed Report Card "i is Two sub - watersheds will be updated each year and an overall update will occur every five years. The report cards are available at www.nvca.on.ca. Marsh monitoring began in 2007 as per the recommendations from the Minesing Wetlands Biological Inventory. Our Ecologist, David Featherstone, monitored the marsh during clear, calm evenings by playing an audio tape of bird calls to elicit a response. Many marsh breeding birds were seen, indicating that a rich, diverse marsh bird community is present in the Willow Creek marsh. Sightings included the Virginia Rail, Sora, Common Moorhen, Common Snipe and the Least Bittern, which is a threatened species. Other monitoring components included Common Reed monitoring and Vegetation Community Refinement. 4 The Least Bittern Marsh habitat at Marl Lake. The Virginia Rail Working to increase forest cover throughout the watershed In 2007, the NVCA planted 68,950 tree seedlings on 18 sites throughout the watershed. We also prepared 22 Managed Forest Plans for private landowners and assisted them in the management of their forests. In addition, we distributed 5,200 tree seedlings to community groups and volunteers and sold 3,132 trees and shrubs at our Arbour Day Tree Sale. NVCA participates in the development of Ontario's 50 Million Tree Planting Program In August, the Ontario government announced that it planned to plant 50 million trees across southern Ontario by the year 2020. Our Forestry Program Coordinator, Rick Grillmayer, is a member of the technical steering committee for this program. The committee created the program's structure and guidelines, application forms for delivery agents and it reviews applications from anyone who wants to become a delivery agent. The NVCA is now delivering this program throughout the watershed. �t Number of trees planted by the NVCA in each municipality Municipality 2007 5 -year total Adjala - Tosorontio 8,800 54,825 Amaranth 0 0 Barrie 0 0 Town of Blue Mountains 0 0 Bradford West - Gwillimbury 0 7,500 Clearview 33,650 65,800 Collingwood 0 11,625 Essa 3,150 39,250 Grey Highlands 2,700 2,700 Innisfil 3,500 4,500 Melancthon 1,400 5,525 Mono 0 24,800 Mulmur 4,700 28,525 New Tecumseth 9,700 96,165 Oro - Medonte 0 9,850 Shelburne Springwater 0 0 3,750 10,225 Wasaga Beach 0 0 TOTAL 67,600 365,040 Pesticide Monitoring The NVCA was fortunate to participate in two separate pesticide monitoring pilot studies in 2007. The cost of laboratory analyses had prevented us from monitoring pesticide concentrations in the past, so this was an exciting opportunity. The first project involved the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE), select Conservation Authorities across Ontario, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and the University of Guelph. Testing was done for more than 80 commonly -used pesticides in Innisfil Creek and McIntyre Creek. Pesticides were detected in McIntyre Creek on only one instance and this was at concentrations well below the provincial and federal water quality objectives for the protection of aquatic life. The study will continue in 2008. The second pilot project involved the MOE, Ontario's Conservation Authorities and Environment Canada. More than 100 monitoring locations across the province were used to assess a new, less expensive method for analyzing pesticides in water. Four specific pesticides were monitored at four sites in the Willow Creek and the Pretty, Boyne and Nottawasaga rivers. Pesticides were detected in the Pretty and Boyne rivers, but again at concentrations well below safety guidelines. 5 0 Flood forecasting and warning system enhanced with new software The NVCA began using the Mike Flood Watch and Mike 11 computer programs to aid with flood forecasting and flood warning. These programs interpret real -time data including stream flows, water levels and weather data and provide timely flood forecasts for our local municipalities and the public. In 2007, we issued a total of three High Water Safety Bulletins during the months of January, March and April. This was a relatively calm year for flooding in the Nottawasaga Valley watershed. Melting conditions on January 29th in the Mad River. Water Resources Technologist, Brian Smith, at one of the NVCA's gauges, which are used to measure the height of the water in the stream channel. The data is then compared to pre- recorded stream flows. Pretty River Channel gets cleaned out In 2007, and continuing into 2008, the NVCA is working closely with the Town of Collingwood to thin out vegetation in approximately 1,000 metres of the Pretty River channel, upstream from Hume Street. The Pretty River dykes were constructed 30 years ago to address historic flooding problems in the Town of Collingwood. In 1999, a study was completed for the protection of new development within the spill zone. One of the recommendations of this study was to control the amount of vegetation that naturally grows in this area in order to maintain the conveyance capacity of the floodway. Special care was taken to preserve the natural views from the walking trails and to preserve riparian vegetation for fisheries. Once completed, this work will preserve the flood capacity of the Pretty River dykes and help protect residents within the Pretty River spill zones from the impacts of flooding. 6 Geographical Information Systems support multiple NVCA projects Key projects for the GIS program in 2007 were to provide data analysis support and to assemble maps for the watershed report cards; to do mapping for the Fisheries Habitat Management Plans, our conservation lands and Generic Regulations; and to compile data for Source Water Protection programming and hydrologic modeling. In addition, GIS staff took the lead on the Dufferin County Headwaters Pilot Study. They compiled maps, assisted with the technical report and made recommendations on how to merge data from multiple Conservation Authorities and provincial ministries in order to simplify source water protection planning for municipalities within more than one source protection region. Planning for appropriate land use On a daily basis, NVCA staff review and provide comment on development applications. In accordance with Ontario Regulation 172/06 Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses and the Planning Act, we work to minimize property damage from flooding and erosion and to protect water quality and natural heritage lands. In 2007, we reviewed 34 official plans and amendments; 61 zoning by -laws and amendments; 10 subdivision plans; 158 consents; 105 minor variances; 42 site plans; 77 Niagara Escarpment Commission reviews; 8 Environmental Assessment reviews; 372 permit applications; 18 permit notices of violation; and 199 legal and general inquiries, for a total of 1,084 reviews. Environmental Officer presents new regulation at the Simcoe County Building Officials Annual Meeting In May 2006, our new regulation (172/06) - Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses - was approved, increasing our capacity to address natural hazards. In addition to the ability to regulate the construction of a structure in a floodplain and an alteration to a watercourse, the NVCA now regulates development, interference with wetlands and alterations to shorelines. As a result, municipal building officials requested that NVCA staff attend their annual meeting in the spring of 2007 to discuss how the new regulation affects the issuance of building permits under the building code. Environmental Officer Barb Perreault presented Regulation 172/06 to the group, providing a venue for officials to ask specific questions. She also reviewed the new generic regulation mapping, making the group aware that the maps are available at each our of member municipality offices. As a result of the meeting, the line of communication between regulations staff at the NVCA and municipal building departments was significantly enhanced. E O In 2007, we made our Generic Regulation maps available on our web site, making it easier for the public to identify natural hazard areas and begin the application for permission process. Number of permit applications granted by the NVCA in each municipality Municipality 2007 5 -year total Adjala - Tosorontio 39 181 Amaranth 1 10 Barrie 5 28 The Blue Mountains 3 9 Bradford West Gwillimbury 5 32 Clearview 54 247 Collingwood 29 112 Essa 49 117 Grey Highlands 0 12 Innisfil 7 62 Melancthon 5 20 Mono 20 71 Mulmur 25 59 New Tecumseth 24 169 Oro - Medonte 43 92 Shelburne 0 3 Springwater 19 70 Wasaga Beach 44 190 TOTAL 372 1,484 a: 7 A new course to challenge outdoor recreationists A Low Ropes Challenge Course was installed at the Tiffin Centre in the spring, adding to Tiffin's offering of activities. The course leads groups through a series of stations featuring balance beams, bridges, swings and more. Not only is each station a test of physical strength, stamina and coordination, but each station is impossible to complete without a team effort. The course will be used by school groups and corporate groups for team - building exercises and recreational fun. MXM,&4 x a s a Educating the young about the great outdoors The Tiffin Centre was visited by more than 6,800 students during the school year. Students enjoyed curriculum -based programs on topics such as ecology, ponds, wildlife, the Canadian fur trade, orienteering and maple syrup production. One notable program created in 2007 was for St. Joan of Arc High School in Barrie. All Grade 10 students from the school came to the Tiffin Centre over several days in the spring and fall for a day of leadership development and community building. Interpreting the signs In an effort to teach people about the sites they are seeing as they explore the great outdoors, the NVCA installed six interpretative signs in our conservation areas. Three signs were placed in the Minesing Wetlands to describe the unique features of this Internationally - Significant ecosystem, two were installed in the Osprey Wetlands and one was set up at the Tiffin Centre. In addition, signs were installed at two demonstration sites restored with grants from the Healthy Waters program. The first site describes a livestock exclusion project in the Township of Springwater. The second site features a project in the Town of Innisfil that involved tree planting, livestock exclusion and building a water crossing for livestock. Y� Environmental Champions celebrated at the Stewardship Recognition Night Two deserving groups were singled out when the NVCA's Stewardship Program celebrated its volunteers in October. Andy Owens and Geoff Meadley, both teachers at Banting Memorial High School in Alliston, were thanked for bringing their Grade 10 and 12 environmental science students to help with various NVCA field projects over the past five years. In addition, the teachers created a Pathway program, which allows students to earn credits while doing environmental and horticultural studies in the springtime. The Environmental Committee of the Rotary Club of Barrie was also thanked for its tireless efforts in restoring the natural stream channel in Momma Bear Pond at the Tiffin Centre. Not only has this restoration project improved water quality and wildlife habitat at the Tiffin Centre, but it is a great educational tool for the NVCA to use when promoting taking ponds off - stream. In 2008, the committee will enhance the project by building an osprey nesting platform and a gazebo with interpretative signage. The youth award was given to Nicole Gibson, who completed the Pathway program at Banting Memorial High School. She was thanked for her work with the New Tecumseth Streams Committee in restoring kilometres of habitat along Beeton Creek. Left: Geoff Meadley and Andy Owens from Banting Memorial High School Right: Jerry Norman and David Mills of the Rotary Club of Barrie with Shannon Stephens, Healthy Waters Program Coordinator. All aboard for a environmental field trip In September, we hosted our annual watershed bus tour for board members and their guests. The tour led the group through a series of watershed restoration and protection sites where the NVCA made notable progress towards environmental conservation throughout the year. The NVCA and the Rotary Club of Barrie served up a Canadian springtime tradition The annual Spring Tonic Maple Syrup Festival attracted the year's largest crowd to the Tiffin Centre. Despite the early springtime rain, more than 1,800 people came out on Saturday March 31" and Sunday Aprill st for a pancake breakfast, maple syrup tours featuring traditional and modern methods of syrup production, horse -drawn wagon rides and arts and crafts. In addition to the traditional maple syrup festival activities, staff and various environmental agencies were on hand to promote outdoor recreation and ecosystem management. The Rotary Club of Barrie was instrumental in organizing and hosting the festival. David Featherstone, Manager Watershed Monitoring, highlights natural heritage features at Devil's Glen in Glen Huron. The lookout point overlooks the Niagara Escarpment. 01 �16 Partnerships with like- minded conservationists grow stronger We continued to receive valuable support from our friends who share our vision and help us to achieve our goals. 0. 10 Expenses $3, 200, 016 0 0,,; Environmental Committee of the Rotary Club of Barrie In addition to their work on Momma Bear Pond and hosting duties at Spring Tonic, the environmental committee built a 500 ft. boardwalk at the terminus of the Nine Mile Portage Trail in Springwater to Portage Road. This will ensure future use of the trail as trail users will no longer need to walk through private property to enter the Fort. Fort Willow Improvement Group This group, formed in 1996, continued its work to preserve our valuable heritage site and conservation area, Historic Fort Willow. Each Tuesday the group met at the Fort to do routine maintenance and to guide students and families through this outdoor history classroom. Once again, they assisted St. Joseph's High School in Barrie with their archaeological dig as students searched for artifacts from the War of 1812. In addition, the group maintains gardens to attract local flora and fauna, in particular Monarch butterflies, and participates in the annual Nine Mile Portage Festival. Friends of Minesing Wetlands (FOMW) The Friends were instrumental in bringing together partners to undertake the creation of the Huronia Lookout. This lookout will provide views extending 40 kilometres, including those of the Minesing Wetlands, Niagara Escarpment, Blue Mountain, Georgian Bay, the Oro Ridge Moraine, the Village of Minesing and the ancient glacial Lake Algonquin shoreline. FOMW is partnering with the County of Simcoe, the Township of Springwater, the Chippewa Tri Council, the Rotary Club of Barrie and the NVCA to build this gathering place for people to learn about and celebrate our heritage, recreation and the environment. 2007 NVCA Budget El Reforestation 6% ■ Healthy Waters 14% ❑ Conservation Lands 7% ❑ Planning 34% ■ Engineering & Technical 6% ❑ Environmental 6% ■ Flood Forecast & Warning 12% ❑ Source Water Protection 4% ■Education 1% ■ Corporate 10% 0 ?T 0 Revenues $ 3, 165, 000 El Municipal 52% ■ Provincial 15% ❑ Federal 1% 05.E ❑ User Fees 27% ■ Contributions & Donations ❑ Interest 1% ■ Miscellaneous 1% Township of Adjala - Tosorontio Township of Amaranth City of Barrie Town of The Blue Mountains Town of Bradford West - Gwillimbury Clearview Township Town of Collingwood Township of Essa 2007 NVCA Board of Directors Seated: Charles Wilson (special guest and NVCA founding member) Front row., Fred Nix (Chair), Mary Brett, Joan Sutherland, Sonny Foley Municipality of Second row: Gordon Montgomery, Brian Mullin, Richard Lloyd, Dennis Egan, Grey Highlands Ron Simpson, Percy Way, Sandy Agnew Back row: Robert Walker, John McKean, Reg Cowan, Bill Van Berkel, Town of Innisfil Tom Elliott, Barry Ward, Walter Benotto (Vice Chair) Township of Melancthon Town of Mono Township of Mulmur Town of New Tecumseth Township of Oro - Medonte Town of Shelburne Township of Springwater 2007 NVCA Staff Town of Front Row: Rick Grillmayer, Chris Hibberd, Karen Dykxhoorn, Tina DesRoches, Wasaga Beach Debbie Swindells, Lorraine Adderley, Wayne Wilson, Tim Salkeld, Byron Wesson Back Row: Brian Maillet, Laurie Barron, Patti Young, Kim Garraway, Susan Richards, Fred Dobbs, Sue Whitters, Steve Green, Marilyn Eger, Barb Perreault, Greg Bray, Kimberly Winder, Dave Crossman, John Jardine. 0 Mary Brett Percy Way Barry Ward Richard Lloyd John McKean Ron Simpson Orville Brown Robert Walker Sonny Foley Dave Labelle Ron Henderson Terry Dowdall Brian Mullin Bill Van Berkel Garry Matthews Fred Nix Gordon Montgomery Joan Sutherland Dennis Egan John Crawford Sandy Agnew Walter Benotto Reg Cowan Tom Elliott Cal Patterson Rick Archdekin I LeAb yve CW$,'_ .06, �b Nottawasaga Valf eN Conservation Auto oritN Georgian Bay %A FAX 9 `N Ir- ,n GoU�� GRF.1" Qnr'OP'- Un HI" 'DS ��{edoC0 pyT IST. V —iii r 1 1 y ✓� 1!.'1 MUR r . •t� ri ateI / ORO QATE P m die i cYdcn ~. -A r 2.� l i s1IROx'f MM Legend 1N1:1P L II + t NVCA Jurisdiction 0 c� NVCA Watershed CJMunicipal Boundary ! 13 Greenbelt Area Niagara Escarpment Plan Oak Ridges Moraine 12 Lake Simcoe �L ll d J � C 0µ i Goo � 6h. 'c�RD l T 'G1C'I1 \Ihl'hl' jI E ii 0 10 20 L r r r I r r r I Kilometers J ENGINEERING & TECHNICAL SERVICES The Engineering and Technical Services Program provides science -based support for land and water resource management, including natural heritage programs, as well as technical expertise to forecast and monitor floods and erosion. � Via. . LAND & WATER STEWARDSHIP "r In partnership with the community, the Land and Water Stewardship Program works on local projects that protect and restore our environment and help ensure the future of our healthy waters. NO 1 i '4 PLANNING ` The Planning program provides environmental planning expertise to guide municipal and other land -use planning decisions on a watershed basis, consistent with current applicable federal and provincial legislation and policies, authority policy and municipal planning policy. CORPORATE SERVICES The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority is your public agency dedicated to the preservation of a healthy environment. As your partner, the NVCA provides the expertise to help protect our water, our land and our future. :• Nottawaoaga Valley Conservation Authority John Hix Conservation Administration Centre 8195 8th Line Utopia, Ontario, LOM 1 TO (705) 424-1479 www. nvca.on.Ca Tt Y ;�• IN,XY y x ,4si' Ww Y L 4, A Member of e C-7tt-4-1 FSC Mixed Sources Pmduvt9muPfmm wellmun9ad mr.,a co�wnaa>a�RO,Pa regdadwvadarflber Conservation %w5 hcargr Brl ONTARIO Beyond The H.H.on erne . nanw.emP m \+alurrl Charvpi —s Outdoor Adventures -MEDONTE A TOWNSHIP OF ORO REPORT Report No. TR 2008-023 To: Committee of the Whole Prepared By: Janice MacDonald Meeting Date: October 15, 2008 Subject: Statement of Accounts — September 2008 Motion # AC00509 Roll #: R.M.S. File #: I RECOMENDATION(S): Requires Action 11 For Information Only x It is recommended that: 1. That Report No. TR 2008-023 is received. 2. The accounts for the month of September 2008 totalling $ 6,179,305.96 are received. BACKGR6UND: Following is the statement of accounts for the month of September. Batch No. Date Amount Cheaue Reaisters: AC00507 Sept. 03, 2008 375,880.02 AC00508 Sept. 10, 2008 4,896,659.78 AC00509 Sept. 17, 2008 143,118.20 AQ00385 Sept. 19, 2008 1,816.75 AC0051 0 Sept. 24, 2008 545,181.62 Payroll: PR00319 Sept. 13, 2008 105,234.52 PR00322 Sept. 27, 2008 107,514.89 TREASURY Report No. 2008-023 $5,962,656.37 $212,749.41 October 15, 2008 Page 1 of 2 . • - "Molmoms • AE00133 AE00134 AE001 35 ,ik,E00136 B, 0111 ATTACHMENTS: Cheque registers. CONCLUSION: Sept. 23, 2008 63.28 Sept. 23, 2008 136.21 Sept. 23, 2008 • 795.38 Sept. 23, 2008 643.45 Sept. 23, 2008 2,26 1.86 $3,900.18 Total $6,179,305.96 That the accounts for the month of September are received. C.A.O. Comments: C.A.O. Approval: TREASURY Report No. 2008-023 Date: October 15, 2008 Page 2 of 2 TOWNSHIP OF ORO-MEDONTE REPORT ft` in Report No. CAO 2008-12 To: Committee of the Whole Prepared By: Samah Othman Meeting Date: October 15, 2008 Subject: Request for Exemption — Warminster Annual Remembrance Day Parade Motion # Roll #: R.M.S. File #: I RECOMMENDATION(S): Requires Action X For Information Only ❑ It is recommended that: 2. That an exemption to By-law No. 2006-38 be granted to The Royal Canadian Legion of Branch 619, Warminster to hold a Remembrance Day Parade on November 9, 2008 commencing at 1:30 p.m. 3. And Further That the applicant be notified of Council's decision. BACKGROUND: By-law No. 2006-38 regulates the holding of parades or processions/events in the municipality. Section 8 of the above mentioned by-law permits that in a situation where a parade or procession/event will last for less than 24 hours, Council may dispense with any or all of the requirements of the by-law. The Royal Canadian Legion of Branch 619, Warminster plan to hold a Remembrance Day Parade on Sunday, November 9, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. ANALYSIS: This parade is a yearly event and the Legion has received Council permission to hold the parade in the past and waive the conditions of By-law 2006-38. CAO October 15, 2008 Report No. CAO 2008-12 Page 1 of 2 The parade route begins at 1:30 p.m. in the village forming up on Demont Drive, marches along the Hwy. 12 to the Legion Cenotaph where the Remembrance Day Ceremonies will commence. FINANCIAL: im POLICIES/LEGISLATION: RJEMMMEEM CONSULTATIONS: i Verbal consultations with Mary Thompson, Secretary, The Royal Canadian Legion, Cahiague Branch (Ontario #619) and Alba McFadden. ATTACHMENTS: CONCLUSION: The Royal Canadian Legion, Cahiague Branch (Ontario #619) will be responsible in ensuring OPP and Fire and Emergency Services are notified accordingly and that insurance arrangements have been made. Respectfully ed: Samah 0 ma Executive Assistant/Corporate Communications Specialist SMT Approval / Comments: C.A.O. Approval I Comments: Report No. CAO 2008-12 Page 2 of 2 THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF ORO-MEDONTE HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT ; A +; f I He Township of Oro-IVR�UUHLU IZ> committed 1 LM; LU the objective V protecting VU1 employees from accidental injury and Municipal property and facilities from loss. At the Township of Oro-Medonte, we value a supportive and respectful environment, which includes a healthy and safe work environment. We are dedicated to the objective of reducing risk of injury and will comply with all legislative requirements as they apply to design, operation and maintenance of facilities and equipment. The Township of Oro-Medonte, as an employer, through Council, accepts the responsibility for providing employees with safe and healthy workplaces. Every effort will be made to promote and provide work environments and attitudes that reduce or eliminate foreseeable hazards which may result in personal injuries, illnesses, fire security, losses, damage to environment and property. The Chief Administrative Officer and the entire Senior Management Team acknowledge their duties under the Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act and its regulations, and accept their respective responsibility for providing their employees with safe and healthy workplaces. Supervisors are responsible for providing employees with equipment and materials that protect them from workplace hazards, as well as providing instructions, training, and/or supervision required to carry out the work safely. Supervisors will be held accountable for ensuring the employees comply with the Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act and its regulations, and also for implementing the policies, procedures and practices of the workplace. Every employee must protect their own health and safety and the health and safety of others by working in compliance with the law and with safe work practices and procedures established by the Township of Oro-Medonte. Each employee must accept responsibility for bringing to the attention of supervisors any condition and practice not in agreement with this policy. The Township of Oro-Medonte expects all employees will make a personal commitment to health and safety as a way of life. It is the best interest of all to consider health and safety in all our activities, both on and off the job. Signed the day of Chief Administrative Officer Director, Recreation & Community Services Director, Fire & Human Resources Officer Director, Finance Treasurer/Deputy GAO Director, Corporate Services/Clerk Director, Development Services Im HEALTH & SAFETY POLICIES & PROCEDURES MANUAL INDEX Section I Title Health & Safety Introduction SECTION 1 - 1-01-01 LEGISLATED DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES EMployer - Duties and Responsibilities 1-01-02 Chief Administrative Officer 1-01-03 Management - Health and Safety Responsibilities 1-01-04 Supervisor - Health and Safety Responsibilities 1-01-05 Worker - Health and Safety Responsibilities 1-01-06 Joint Health and Safety Committee 1-01-07 Certified Member - Duties and responsibilities 1-01-08 SECTION 2 - 2-01-01 The Ri ht to Refuse Unsafe Work POLICIES Heat Stress Policy 2-01-02 Cold Stress Policy 2-01-03 Purchasina Policy 2-01-04 Housekeepina Policy 2-01-05 Universal Precautions and Sharps Policy 2-01-06 Personal Protective Equipment Policy 2-01-07 Sun Sense Policy 2-01-08 First Aid Kit Policy 2-01-09 Working Alone Policy 2-01-10 Safe Workplace Policy SECTION 3 - HEALTH AND SAFETY REOUIREMENTS Joint Health and Safety Committee (s) 3-01-01 3-01-02 Workplace Inspection Program 3-01-03 Pre-Start Health and SafetV Review 3-01-04 Preventative Maintenance Pro ram 3-01-05 Planned Preventative Maintenance 3-01-06 Hazard Assessment Program 3-01-07 3-02-01 Return to Work juirements Ministry of Labour Administrative Rec SECTION 4 - ACCIDENTIINCIDENT REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION 4-01-01 Accident/incident Reporting 4-01-02 Accident(incident Investigation 4-01-03 Accident Analysis 4-02-01 Collisionlincident Investigation, Policies & Procedures, Policy Statement 4-02-02 Collisionlincident Investigation, Policies & Procedures, Collision Invest. Protocol 4-02-03 Collisionlincident Investigation, Policies & Procedures, Motorized Vehicle C&I 4-02-04 Collisionlincident Investigation, Policies & Procedures, C&I Determination 4-02-05 -Lfflo-hjwypa-lv SECTION 5 - Traffic Act Recluirements, Collision Regorting WORK PROTECTION 5 -01 -01 Confined Space 5 -01 -02 Lock -Out Tag-Out and Guarding 5 -01 -03 SECTION f 6 -01 -01 7 -01 -01 Hot Work PROCEDURES Fire Plan TRAINING AND ORIENTATION 1 Safety Training and Activities 7 -01 -02 SECTION 8 -01 -01 I Training and Orientation Farms .- . Procedures Safety Rules 8 -02 -01 Scaffolding 8 -02 -02 Hand -Held Grinder /Bench Grinder 8 -02 -03 Olympia Ice Resurfacer 8 -02 -04 Ice Edger 8 -02 -05 Ladders 8 -02 -06 Ice Maintenance - Tools 8 -02 -07 Propane 8 -02 -08 Steamer 8 -02 -09 Backing Up of Vehicles 8 -02 -10 Heavy Equipment 8 -02 -11 Two- Way Radio 8 -02 -12 Weed Trimmers 8 -02 -13 Push Mowers 8 -02 -14 Chainsaws and Logging 8 -02 -15 Ox -Accet lene and Cuffing Torches 8 -02 -16 Arc Welder 8 -02 -17 Soldering 8 -02 -18 Fryers, Hot Plates and Griddles 8 -02 -19 Compressor Room 8- 02 -19A Electrical Panels - Chan in Fuses all electrical panels) 8- 02 -19B Addin Oil to an Ammonia Compressor 8- 02 -19C Drainina Oil from an Ammonia Ice Refri eration System 8 -02 -20 Traffic Control 8 -02 -21 Air Compressors 8 -02 -22 Snow Blower- Walk Behind 8 -02 -23 Vactor Truck 8 -02 -24 Sewer AutoRoder 8 -02 -25 Drill Press 8 -02 -26 Tires Rims and Wheels 8 -02 -27 Pole Saw 8 -02 -28 Cut -Off Saw 8 -02 -29 Pressure Washer 8 -02 -30 Fuel Pumps 8 -02 -31 Battery Chargers & Boosting Devices 8 -02 -32 Brush Chipper 8 -02 -33 Hand Tool Safety 8 -02 -34 Elevator Use and Emergency Procedures Arena 8 -02 -35 Water Pumps and Mud Pumps 8 -02 -36 Lifting Devices ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES WORKERS 8 -03 -01 Confined Space 8 -03 -02 Fall Protection 8 -03 -03 Trenching 8-03-04 De-Chlorination of Watermains During Flushing 8-03-05 Qperation of Electrical Circuit Breakers 8-03-06 Chemical Pump Service 8-03-07 Motor Control Panel Inspection 8-03-08 Motor Inspections 8-03-09 Inspection of Motorized Breaker Operation 8-03-10 General Tool Operation, Maintenance and Repair 8-03-11 Working With Control Valves and Relief Valves 8-03-12 Pipeline & Pressure Vessel Maintenance 8-03-13 Chlorine Room Inspection 8-03-14 Chlorine Deliveries, Bulk Storage, De-Canting 8-03-15 Trench Excavating on Township Property 8-03-16 Start-up of Generator with Power Transfer 8-03-17 Monthly Pumphouse Safety Checklist (Form) BUILDING & PLANNING OUTSIDE WORKERS 8-04-01 Musculoskeletal (MSD) Prevention 8-04-02 Elevating Work Platforms 8-04-03 Guardrails on Construction Sites 8-04-04 Trenching on Construction Sites 8-04-05 Housekeeping on Construction Sites 8-04-06 Scaffolds 8-04-07 Heat Stress 8-04-08 Cold Stress 8-04-09 Personal Flotation Device 8-04-10 Protective E)Twear 8-04-11 Protective Footwear 8-04-12 Protective Headwear 8-04-13 West Nile Virus 8-04-14 PPE, SunblockISunscreen & Insect Repellant Containing DEFT 8-04-15 Step Ladder 8-04-16 Washing Hands 8-04-17 Dogs 8-04-18 Half-Ton Pickup Truck 8-04-19 Extension Ladder 8-04-20 Battery Boosting 8-04-21 Handling of Fuel/Refueling of Vehicles 8-04-22 Lifting and Handling 8-04-23 2-Way Radio Operation ADMINIS TR4 TION WORKERS 8-05-01 Shoveling Snow 8-o5-02 Hand Paper Cutting 8-05-03 Paper Shredding 8-05-04 Dishwasher 8-05-05 Washing Hands 8-05-06 Dogs 8-05-07 Half-Ton Pickup Truck 8-05-08 Extension Ladder 8-05-09 Battery Boosting 8-05-10 Handft of FuellRefueqpg of Vehicles 8-05-11 Lifting and Handling 8-05-12 2-way Radio Operation PARKS & RECREATION EMPL 0 YEES 8-06-01 Ladder Safety 8-06-02 Sharps/Body Fluids 8-06-03 Housekeeping & Cleaning S,Q -�p 8 -06 -04 Working Alone Policy 8 -06 -05 Fall Protection 8 -06 -06 Heat Stress 8 -06 -07 Cold Stress 8 -06 -08 Olympia Ice Resurfacer 8 -06 -09 Ice Edger 8 -06 -10 Ice Maintenance - Tools 8 -06 -11 Weed Trimmers 8 -06 -12 Push Mowers 8 -06 -13 Riding Mowers 8 -06 -14 Chainsaw and Tree Maintenance 8 -06 -15 F ers , Hot Plates and Griddles 8 -06 -16 Compressor Room 8 -06 -17 Adding Oil to an Ammonia Compressor 8 -06 -18 Draining Oil from an Ammonia Ice Refrigeration System 8 -06 -19 Traffic Control 8 -06 -20 Sun Sense Policy CONTRACTOR SAFETY PROGRAM 8 -07 -01 SECTION 9 -01 -01 Contractor Safet Pro ram OFFICE Office Safety 9 -01 -02 Kitchen Safety 9 -01 -03 SECTION 10 -01 -01 1 Office Er onomics t VIRUSES West Nile Virus SECTION RESOURCES, ! • and REVIEW 11 -01 -01 1 Information and Resources To: Mayor and Members of Council cc: Robin Dunn, CA(• From: Jerry Ball R.M. File #: pi. 0=* ;TTMII, 2008 Roll #: Subject: Drainage on Line 13 North — Shelswell Farm Although the construction on Line 13 North is almost complete, from Old Barrie Road to the 15/16 Sideroad, the attached request from Mr. Doug Shelswell to redirect the water flow away from his farm has not been addressed. To change the water course from flowing easterly across the Shelswell farm, a new ditch and buried culvert/sewer must be installed on Line 13 North to flow the water to the north to an existing creek. This culvert or sewer, at the deepest location, will be over four (4) metres in depth. A verbal approval was granted by the Ministry of Labour, provided that the fill from the culvert trench is hauled away, no work is completed within the trench, and upon completion of installing the culvert, the trench is backfilled with granular material. If this project is to proceed, a permit must be obtained from the Ministry of Labour. The approximate costs involved in completing this project, including labour, equipment and materials, will be $18,000.00. As of October 9, 2008, there is a balance of approximately $158,000.00 in the Line 13 North construction budget, with minimal outstanding invoices. It is therefore recommended to proceed with the culvert installation and ditching along Line 13 North to improve the drainage concern at the Shelswell farm. OTAJ N S H P C)ROWED INTL SEP 17 2008 .O W Council of Oro-Medonte no= This letter concerns the rebuilding of line 13th north between 15/16`" Sideroad and the Old Barrie Road. The 30-acre field at the comer of the 13'h and 15/16 th Sideroad has been flooded by runoff from land west of the 13'h byway of a culvert under the 13". During the last week of June 2008, a pump was rented in an effort to try to save some of the roughly six acres of corn that was under water. Not withstanding that this has been a near record year for rainfall, the flooding occurs every spring and delays planting. The flooding also limits the crops that can be planted, as crops cannot survive a month under water. The time to solve the problem is while the road is under construction. The Bell telephone line is exposed and the water is absent. I would be willing work with the township in drain positioning and possibly cost share with other landowners if any water from my field flows through it. If the township feels that the above water is all my run-off then I would suggest removal of the culvert under line 13. Sincerely, Doug Shelswell