3. Some of this money will be spent on the Baker Creek Rehabilitation project in 2018 this project has already been approved by Mono Council.

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1 April 5, 2018 Mayor Laura Ryan & Mono Council 1. As per the Town of Mono-Headwater Streams Committee, MoU (March 12, 2012), any new project undertaken by the Headwater Streams Committee (HSC) involving the expenditures of HSC funds must be pre-approved by Mono Council (this is to ensure that funds are only spent on activities that would meet with the charitable status under which donations were sought). 2. Currently, HSC has $6, in its account with the Town. 3. Some of this money will be spent on the Baker Creek Rehabilitation project in 2018 this project has already been approved by Mono Council. 4. The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) has written a proposal to the HSC for a new monitoring project in The total project cost will be $3, This includes in-kind contributions from HSC volunteers and volunteers from the Nottawasaga Steelheaders. Actual cash outlays by the HSC will be $1, The purpose of the project will be, through the process of monitoring fish populations and water temperatures, to assist the committee in their efforts to identify degraded river sections and focus rehabilitation efforts. Water temperatures will be monitored at three places: (i) Baker Creek to assess the impact of the rehabilitation project, (ii) in Mono Centre Creek and the Nottawasaga River to assess the impact of water temperatures in Mono Centre Creek on the main river; and (iii) Nottawasaga River at Airport Road and at the Mono-Adjala Townline to further the understanding of the water quality improvements as the river flows down the escarpment. (If more data loggers are available, temperatures in Sheldon Creek also will be monitored.) Fish monitoring (electrofishing) will be done at three locations: (i) Mono Centre Creek to determine if the creek is suitable for Brook Trout, (ii) Nottawasaga River at the Mono-Adjala Townline to better understand the fish communities (and the proportion of cold water species), (iii) Nottawasaga River near 20 th Sideroad of Adjala (to better understand the transition from a cold-water system of non cold-water systems). Attachment #1 to this letter explains in more detail the need for this monitoring and the importance of the Upper Nottawasaga watershed for cold- water fisheries. (Upper Nottawasaga watershed includes the Sheldon Creek.) Attachment #2 is a worksheet outlining the tasks and the costs of this project. Sincerely Rob Best, Chair HSC Karen Morrison, Vice-Chair HSC

2 Draft Environmental Background Summary for The Upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek 1.0 Background The Upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek represent two of the most productive coldwater trout and salmon producing streams in southern Ontario. Both watercourses originate within the Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve south of Shelburne and flow through agricultural lands in their lower reaches south of Alliston (Figure 1). The upper Nottawasaga River sub-watershed including the Sheldon basin, drains an area of 360km 2 to its confluence with Innisfil Creek. This area comprises approximately 12% of the Nottawasaga River Watershed. Figure 1. Location of Upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek. 1

3 The upper Nottawasaga River supports robust populations of wild native brook trout (Photo 1) in headwater reaches upstream from natural barriers to fish migration which restrict upstream movements of other trout and salmon species. Brook trout are abundant in both the North Branch of the Nottawasaga River west of Scott s Falls (Photo 2) and in the South Branch of the Nottawasaga River west of the Singing Waters Cataract. This is similar to the situation on Sheldon Creek where brook trout thrive upstream from the Sheldon Mill Dam located on the west side of the Mono-Adjala Townline (Figure 1). Photo 1. Wild native brook trout from the North Branch of the Nottawasaga River. 2

4 Photo 2. Scott s Falls on the North Branch of the Nottawasaga River. Downstream from Scott s Falls and the Singing Waters Cataract, the quality of trout stream habitat actually improves as both the North and South Branches of the Nottawasaga River receive strong inputs of groundwater springs on the steep slopes of the Niagara Escarpment in the Hockley Valley, where shading forest cover is abundant. This trend towards improving trout stream conditions, including more abundant summer stream flow volumes and colder summer temperatures, continues further downstream as the two headwater branches combine flows at the 3 rd Line EHS Mono. Summer stream temperatures in the main branch of the Nottawasaga River are coldest in the vicinity of Airport Road (Photo 3), yet the upper Nottawasaga River provides high quality trout stream habitat extending downstream for several kilometers east of the Village of Hockley to the 20 Sideroad Adjala (Figure 1). 3

5 Photo 3. Upper Nottawasaga River near Airport Road. Trends in the quality of trout stream habitat are similar for Sheldon Creek where summer stream temperatures are also coldest in the vicinity of Airport Road (Photo 4). High quality coldwater stream habitat conditions extend downstream to the 4 th Line of Adjala (Figure 1). Photo 4. Sheldon Creek at Airport Road. 4

6 The high quality trout stream habitats located upstream from 20 Sideroad Adjala on the Nottawasaga River and upstream from the 4 th Line Adjala on Sheldon Creek, provide optimal nursery habitat for juvenile rainbow trout (Photo 5). Adult rainbow trout moving upstream from Georgian Bay (Photo 6), access the Upper Nottawasaga River through the Nicolston Dam fishway located east of Alliston on Highway 89 (Figure 1). The combined fall/spring spawning run of rainbow trout through the fishway includes about 2,500 fish which play a significant role in supporting the recreational fishery for this species in the lower and middle reaches of the Nottawasaga River (Photo 7). Due to the size of the watershed and the abundance of coldwater stream habitat, the Nottawasaga River basin likely supports the largest run of migratory rainbow trout in the Georgian Bay Ecosystem. Photo 5. Wild two year old juvenile rainbow trout from the Upper Nottawasaga River. 5

7 Photo 6. Wild four year old female rainbow trout on her first spawning run, caught and released in the middle reaches of the Nottawasaga River. Photo 7. Anglers fishing for migratory rainbow trout in the lower reaches of the Nottawasaga River. 6

8 The situation is similar for wild Chinook Salmon where the size of the Nottawasaga River run may be the largest in the entire Lake Huron Ecosystem rather than just Georgian Bay. This abundance is due to the production of wild juvenile chinook salmon (Photo 8) in high quality coldwater stream habitats, particularly the upper Nottawasaga River and two tributary streams including the Pine River and Sheldon Creek. Another important factor favouring production of wild Chinook salmon is the nature of the migratory route between Georgian Bay and the high quality coldwater stream habitat located further inland. The combination of a flat river slope, relatively few shallow riffle sections and strong summer base flow from groundwater, provides optimal migratory conditions for Chinook Salmon ascending the main branch of the Nottawasaga River in August and September. Photo 8. Wild young of the year Chinook salmon from the Upper Nottawasaga River. The production of wild juvenile Chinook Salmon from the Nottawasaga River including the Upper Nottawasaga River, supports strong recreational sport fisheries, both in the river itself (Photo 9) and in the open waters of Georgian Bay (Photo 10) and Lake Huron. The river fishery supports the Essa Salmon Festival held in late September. This event is unusual in that most of the angling occurs near the community of Angus in the Nottawasaga River approximately 55km upstream from Georgian Bay. This situation is unlike other fall salmon derbies in the Great Lakes basin where the angling occurs in the lake, at the river mouth or a short distance up a tributary stream. 7

9 Nottawasaga Chinook salmon staging in south-eastern Georgian Bay in July and August, also support a robust recreational boat fishery out of Collingwood and Wasaga Beach. Recent studies completed by the University of Western Ontario indicate that wild salmon hatched in southern Georgian Bay tributary streams are important contributors to the open water Chinook fishery in the main basin of Lake Huron. Even sport fisheries on the Michigan side of Lake Huron out of ports like Cheboygan, likely benefit from the recruitment of southern Georgian Bay and Nottawasaga River salmon. Photo 9. Chinook salmon captured fly fishing in the lower reaches of the Nottawasaga River. 8

10 Photo 10. Male chinook salmon captured trolling off the mouth of the Nottawasaga River in Georgian Bay. Resident brown trout also thrive in the Upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek, in spite of competition from migratory rainbow trout and Chinook salmon. This species has not been intensively studied in the upper Nottawasaga River. In the summer of 2013 however, the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority coordinated a collaborative fish community survey in the upper Nottawasaga River working with Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) Staff and their 5 amp punt boat electrofisher. The CVC crew was impressed by the densities of brown trout sampled and indicated that the abundance of this species seemed to be comparable to that found in the upper Credit River, one of the most highly regarded resident brown trout streams in southern Ontario. 9

11 Photo 11. Resident brown trout captured in the upper Nottawasaga River during a fish community survey completed by the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority. 10

12 2.0 Trends in Stream Health and Coldwater Fish Habitat Quality The 2009 NVCA Fisheries Habitat Management Plan describes 13 fish habitat zones based on physiographic units. The Escarpment Natural zone (Figure 2), encompassing the Niagara Escarpment and adjacent Horseshoe Moraines, supports high quality coldwater stream habitats due to abundant forest cover and groundwater discharge. In contract the Shallow Valley Sand Plain zone (Figure 2) is located on the flat former bed of glacial lake Algonquin, where historical agricultural land use practices have resulated in the removal of riparian forest cover. The boundary between the Escarpment Natural and Shallow Valley Sand Plain at 250m above sea level is a key landuse transition where high quality coldwater fisheries habitats typically begin to experience impacts from historical agricultural landuse. These boundaries can be seen on Figure 2 where the olive green shade representing Escarpment Natural Zone intersects the organge shade delineating the Shallow Valley Sand Plain zone. The transition on the Nottawasaga River is located between the 3 rd Line of Adjala (3 roads west of Simcoe Road 50) and 20 Sideroad Adjala, while the transition on Sheldon Creek is located on the west side of the 3rd Line Adjala. Figure 2. Physiographic fish habitat zones encompassing the upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek. 11

13 The transition from the Escarpment Natural zone to the Shallow Valley Sandplain zone typically delineates the upstream end of a target reach for the Core Fisheries Habitat Restoration Strategy, as identified in the 2009 fisheries habitat management plan (Figure 3). Due to the high specific heat of water, it is much easier to keep cold water in a cold condition than it is to cool it down and remove heat energy after it has warmed. As a result, the most efficient way to restore coldwater stream habitat is to start at the point at which summer temperatures first become impacted and then work progressively downstream to the end of the degraded reach. On the Upper Nottawasaga River therefore the recommended strategy is to start fish habitat restoration on the south side of 20 Sideroad Adjala and to work progressively downstream towards the Tottenham Road. On Sheldon Creek therefore the recommended strategy is to start restoration work at the 4 th Line Adjala and work progressively east in the 5.1km long reach extending downstream to the Nottawasaga River confluence (see Figure 4). Figure 3. Target reaches of the Upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek for Core Fisheries Habitat Restoration Strategy, excerpt from 2009 NVCA Fisheries Habitat Management Plan. 12

14 The target reaches for fisheries habitat restoration documented on the previous page were identified based on a broad planning exercise looking at physiography and desktop review of the eastern limits of the dense forest cover associated with the Niagara Escarpment. Looking at field data pertaining to stream invertebrates and fish communities provides an opportunity to confirm the priority restoration reaches identified in the 2009 Fisheries Habitat Management Plan. The NVCA sampled three stream invertebrate stations on the upper Nottawasaga River and one on Sheldon Creek (Figure 4) in Figure 4. Stream invertebrate stations sampled by the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority 1997 including three stations on the upper Nottawasaga River and one on Sheldon Creek. 13

15 Stream Health Index and Number Sensitive Species Both the high stream health index which was greater than 23 and the large numbers of coldwater invertebrate species sampled (7 at each station) indicated the presence of high quality coldwater trout stream habitat in the upper Nottawasaga River at both the 3 rd Line EHS Mono Township (south branch Nottawasaga River only) and at the Mono-Adjala Townline (Figure 5). Both the stream health index which was 11 and the numbers of coldwater invertebrate species had declined significantly at Simcoe Road 10 (Figure 5). This data flags the need for stream habitat restoration work to be completed in the reach between the Mono-Adjala Townline and Simcoe Road Stream Health Scores from 1997 Invertebrate Data Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek Stream Health Index Sensitive Coldwater Species 5 0 NB1-3rd Line EHS (South Branch) NB2 - Mono-Adjala Townline NB3 - Simcoe Road 10 SHB1 - Road 50 - Sheldon Station Location Figure 5. Stream health indices and numbers of sensitive coldwater invertebrate species sampled by the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority in 1997 including three stations on the upper Nottawasaga River and one on Sheldon Creek. Only one station was sampled on Sheldon Creek in The stream health index and number of coldwater invertebrate species sampled at Simcoe Road 50 indicated the presence of a Niagara Escarpment stream which had already started to experience environmental impacts from adjacent landuse. This data flagged the need for stream restoration to be completed in Sheldon Creek upstream from Simcoe Road

16 The following map provides the locations of six fish community stations sampled on the upper Nottawasaga River and two on Sheldon Creek (Figure 6) in July This reproduction is a copy of data collected by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Sea Lamprey Control Program) and this reproduction was not produced in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Figure 6. Fish community stations sampled by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in July of 2017 including six stations on the upper Nottawasaga River and two on Sheldon Creek. The graph provided as Figure 7 identifies the proportion of coldwater fish species (combined proportions of brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and mottled sculpin) sampled at each station as a percentage of the total catch of cold and warmwater species combined. The percentage of coldwater fish in the samples collected in the Niagara Escarpment at stations N1 and N2 was 88% and 85% (Figure 7) respectively which is indicative of high quality coldwater fish habitat conditions. The percentage of coldwater fish was significantly lower at 38% at 20 Sideroad Adjala (Station N3), indicative of partially impacted coldwater fish habitat conditions. All three stations further downstream (N4, N5 and N6) exhibited a percentage of coldwater fish less than 15% which is indicative of low quality coldwater fish habitat. 15

17 Percentage Coldwater Fish Percentage Coldwater Fish 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Percentage Coldwater Fish in Six Nottawasaga River Stations N1-4th Line Mono N2-7th Line Mono N3-20 Sideroad Adjala N4 - Simcoe Road 50 Fish Community Station N5-25 Sideroad Adjala N6 - Tottenham Road Series5 Figure 7. Percentage of coldwater fish (trout plus sculpin) sampled by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in July 2017 at six stations on the upper Nottawasaga River. The situation was similar on Sheldon Creek where the upstream Station SH1 produced a sample including 76% coldwater fish indicative of high quality coldwater habitat conditions. In contrast the percentage of coldwater fish had declined to 27% at the downstream station located at Simcoe Road 50 (Figure 8). 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Percentage Coldwater Fish in Two Sheldon Creek Stations SH1 - Sheldon Cr. 25 Sideroad Adjala SH2 - Sheldon Cr. Simcoe Road 50 Fish Community Station Figure 8. Percentage of coldwater fish (trout plus sculpin) sampled by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in July 2017 at two stations on Sheldon Creek. 16

18 Percenage Total Fish Sample An analysis of the percentage breakdown of specific coldwater fish species at each of the eight 2017 stations (Figure 9) confirms the same general trends that were identified looking at the overall percentages of coldwater fish. Brown trout were sampled albeit in low densities, at the Nottawasaga River stations in the Niagara Escarpment (N1 and N2) and were absent from the samples collected downstream from the Escarpment at N3, N4, N5 and N6. Rainbow trout which are less sensitive than brown trout were present at all 6 Nottawasaga River stations sampled. This species represented a high percentage of the total catch in the Niagara Escarpment stations N1 and N2 (62% and 38% respectively), an intermediate percentage of the catch (11%) at Station N3 located at 20 Sideroad Adjala and a low percentage of the catch ranging from 1% to 3% at the stations further downstream including N4, N5 and N6. Mottle sculpin abundance was greater than 20% at the 3 upstream stations on the Nottawasaga River (N1, N2 and N3) and lower than 15% at the 3 downstream stations (N4, N5 and N6). 70% 60% 50% 40% Percentages of 3 Coldwater Fish Species Captured at 6 Stations on the Upper Nottawasaga River in % 20% 10% Brown Trout Rainbow Trout Mottled Sculpin 0% N1-4th LineN2-7th Line Mono Mono N3-20 Sideroad Adjala N4 - Simcoe Road 50 Fish Community Station and Location N5-25 Sideroad Adjala N6 - Tottenham Road Figure 9. Percentages of three coldwater fish species sampled at six upper Nottawasaga River stations in

19 Percentage Total Fosj Sample Trends in the percentages of coldwater fish species in Sheldon Creek were similar to those documented for the Nottawasaga River with a decrease in the abundance of coldwater fish in the downstream station (SH2) when compared with the upstream station (SH1) located in close proximity to the Niagara Escarpment. Brook trout are arguably the most sensitive coldwater fish in the Nottawasaga River watershed and are typically not abundant when other salmonid species are present. Brook trout were sampled at the upstream station on Sheldon Creek at the 25 Sideroad Adjala (Station SH1) but not at Simcoe Road 50 (Station SH2). Similiarly brown trout were sampled at 25 Sideroad Adjala but not at Simcoe Road 50 (Figure 8). Rainbow trout were captured at both stations but represented a much higher proportion of the catch at 25 Sideroad Adjala than at Simcoe Road 50 (60% versus 21% respectively). The proportion of mottled sculpin in the catch at both Sheldon Creek stations was similar at approximately 7% (Figure 8). 70% Percentages of 4 Coldwater Fish Species Captured at 2 Stations on Sheldon Creek in % 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Brook Trout Brown Trout Rainbow Trout Sculpin 0% 25 Sideroad Adjala Simcoe Road 50 Fish Community Station and Location Figure 10. Percentages of four coldwater fish species sampled at two Sheldon Creek stations in The fish community data collected by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2017 supports the hypothesis that the 20 th Sideroad of Adjala represents a key transition zone for the quality of coldwater fish habitat and also a strategic location to initiate stream habitat restoration on the upper Nottawasaga River. The 2017 data also confirmed that the 4 th Line of Adjala represented a similar transition zone and strategic location to initiate habitat restoration on Sheldon Creek. 18

20 3.0 Stream Habitat Restoration Proposal A significant opportunity for enhancing coldwater fish production on the upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek currently exists because of the strong environmental interest of two landowners who own riparian lands at the most strategic locations for initiating habitat restoration works on both streams (see properties #1 and #2, Figure 7). Both landowners are interested in working cooperatively with the NVCA and other local partners to complete stream habitat improvement works. Figure 11. Locations of two strategic properties for stream habitat restoration on the upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek. 19

21 Property #1 is an active grazing site where 200 cattle have access to the Nottawasaga River (Photo 12). Removal of most of the riparian vegetation, including stabilizing root networks, has resulted in an extremely erosive river channel that shifts its course at frequent intervals. The river channel at this location is over-widened and featureless providing poor in-stream fish cover habitats. The over-widened channel in concert with aggressive stream bank erosion has promoted the formation of sediment deposits in the channel. A lack of shade and low current velocities in the over-widened channel both likely contribute to rapid rates of warming in the summer and corresponding impacts to oxygen concentrations and the overall quality of coldwater fish habitat. Proposed restoration work to be completed at this location as a partnership with the landowner includes installation of livestock exclusion fencing, construction of a livestock crossing, stabilization of stream banks with a strong in-water cover habitat component and aggressive stream-side tree planting. Photo 11. Aerial image (2012) of Property #1 located east of the 3 rd Line Adjala and north of 20 Sideroad Adjala encompassing 0.9km of the upper Nottawasaga River. 20

22 Property #2 straddling Sheldon Creek is a former livestock grazing site where historical impacts to stream-side vegetation have left a legacy of stream bank erosion which has still not been addressed through natural succession. Previous forest cover removal has still left the stream exposed to sunlight and prone to warming. Proposed restoration work at this location includes stream bank stabilization with a strong in-water cover habitat component and aggressive stream-side tree planting. Photo 12. Aerial image (2012) of Property #2, east of the 3rd Line Adjala and north of 25 Sideroad Adjala, encompassing 1km of Sheldon Creek. 21

23 River morphology studies, restoration designs and project costing are currently being completed for both properties. The proposed stream bank stabilization and stream-side tree planting activities however are similar to works which were completed by the NVCA on the Boyne River to the north, between 1997 and The Boyne River at this location is similar to the upper Nottawasaga River and the restoration site at the 3 rd Line Tosorontio is similar from a physiographic perspective to Property #1 located at 20 Sideroad Adjala. Before and after images of the Boyne River project are documented below. Before (1997) After (2014) 22

24 2018 Headwaters Stream Committee - NVCA Stream Assessment Project Upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek Scope: NVCA Healthy Waters Staff (2) Provide Two Days of Work Supported by Volunteers from Headwaters Streams Committee and Nottawasaga Steelheaders TimelinJuly/August 2018 Tasks: Day 1 Install Minimum 7 Temperature Loggers at: 1 Baker Creek upstream from former upstream pond 2 Baker Creek downstream from former large pond 3 Nottawasaga River upstream Mono Center Creek 4 Mono Center Creek upstream Nottawasaga River 5 Nottawasaga River downstream mixing zone Mono Center Creek 6 Nottawasaga River at Airport Road (Schut Property?) 7 Nottawasaga River at Mono-Adjala Townline at Gage Station If extra loggers available from Nottawasaga Steelheaders: Exploratory Electrofishing: 1 Nottawasaga River at 3rd Line Adjala 2 Nottawasaga River at 20 Sideroad Adjala 3 Nottawasaga River 900m downstream 20 Sideroad Adjala (on rural landowner partner property) 4 Nottawasaga River at Simcoe Road 50 5 Sheldon Creek at 25 Sideroad Adjala 6 Sheldon Creek at 4th Line Adjala 7 Sheldon Creek 1km downstream 4th Line Adjala 1 Mono Center Creek Between Nottawasaga River and 1st Dam upstream (HSC landowner permission?) 2 Mono Center Creek Between 1st and 2nd Dams upstream from Nott. River (HSC landowner permission?) Day 2 Remove all Temperature Loggers Exploratory Electrofishing: 1 Nottawasaga River at Mono-Adjala Townline (HSC landowner permission?) 2 Nottawasaga River at Mono-Adjala Townline (HSC landowner permission?) 3 Nottawasaga River at 20 Sideroad Adjala (ideally upstream side) 4 Nottawasaga River 900m downstream 20 Sideroad Adjala (on rural landowner partner property)

25 Day 3 Download Temperature Data, compile fish data and integrate into Upper Nottawasaga - Sheldon Environmental Background Report NVCA Staff Costing for 2018 Headwaters Streams Committee Project Partnership # Staff # Hours Rate Total Tasks Funding Source ($/hr) 2 14 $55.00 $1, Field Data Collection Headwaters Streams Committee 1 14 $55.00 $ Data Download and Reporting NVCA Cash (Levy) Match 10 3 $20.00 $ Field Data Collection HSC and Nottawasaga Steelheaders In-kind Mileage Trips Km/Trip 2 90 $0.55 $99.00 Field Data Collection NVCA In-kind Electrofisher and Stream Temperature Loggers Flat Fee Value for 2 Days with Electrofisher $ and 2 weeks with Temperature Loggers Extra Temperature Loggers from $ Nottawasaga Steelheaders Total $3,709.00