2015 Watershed Restoration Season in Review
Restoration
Many of the streams in the Dartmouth area have been degraded in some way either
through historical land use or more recent commercial and residential development.
This degradation can leave streams straightened, widened and shallow with fragmented
riparian vegetation. Poorly installed or damaged culvert can block fish passage and
create habitat fragmentation. This leads to streams that lack their historic natural
features and functions. It can also lead to increased water temperature, bank erosion,
sedimentation, pollution, and flow velocity leading to decreased biodiversity and
limiting fish population potential. Invasive species like smallmouth bass and chain
pickerel can add to these negative impacts.
Clean’s Watershed Restoration Team, with the mentorship and support of the NSLC’s
Adopt-a-Stream program, spent 2015 working on projects throughout Dartmouth’s
urban watersheds to mitigate these issues. To this end, the team planted trees, created
in-stream structures, removed debris and performed maintenance on previously
installed structures throughout the Cow Bay and Shubenacadie River watersheds.
Step-pools were created in steeper sections of Russell Lake Brook (29 m) and Bell Brook
(130 m) to create better fish passage and habitat and provide resting pools for fish
moving upstream. 508 trees of a variety of species native to Nova Scotia were planted
within the riparian zones of Settle Run (278), Forest Hills Run (151), Bell Brook (48), and
Frenchman Brooks (31). These trees will provide bank stabilization, limit stormwater flow
that reaches the streams, and eventually provide shade helping to keep stream
temperatures low for better fish habitat. Debris was removed from over 3.2 km of
stream length in Bell Brook (394 m), Smelt Run (1160 m), Frenchman Brook (306 m),
Grassy Brook (456 m), and Broom Brook (920 m) to help consolidate flow, remove
blockages and improve fish passability. Cattails were removed from an 80 m length of
Frenchman Brook. Gravel spawning beds in both Frenchman Brook and Grassy Brook
were cleaned of sedimentation and algae. A bank stabilization structure was also
installed in Ellenvale Run reversing bank erosion and maintaining support for the
walking bridge just upstream.
Monitoring & Assessment
Monitoring and assessment is an essential part of quality watershed restoration work. In
2015, water quality data was collected monthly from 20 locations, upstream and
downstream of restoration work in every stream we work in. Electrofishing species
presence/absence surveys were conducted in ten separate streams within the Cow Bay
and Shubenacadie River watersheds. Fish habitat assessments of eight different streams
were also conducted within this region. 15 culverts were assessed for fish passability
between the Cow Bay River watershed and the Horne’s Brook watershed.
Baseline monitoring and assessments allow Clean to measure the impacts of our
restoration work over time and gauge the success of our work. It also allows us to
identify large changes or trends over time in water quality and helps determine
locations in need of additional restoration work.
Outreach
In 2015, Clean sought to engage and educate the public about the importance of urban
stream restoration and overall watershed health. Clean hosted four tree planting events
this year focusing on riparian planting to highlight the important role trees play in
stream and watershed health. 900 trees were planted within Dartmouth and Halifax
riparian zones and over 1350 m2 of habitat was restored with the help of 135
participants.
The restoration team also organized, with the help of staff from the Portland Street
Atlantic Superstore, a stream clean-up where over 90 high school students from all over
Canada volunteered their time to clean a kilometer of shoreline area along Ellenvale run,
a tributary of the Cow Bay River watershed. The team also volunteered their time to
assist Dalhousie students in the Fish Ecology and Urban Freshwater systems field
courses in the assessments of several Dartmouth streams and lakes. Information booths
were set up at both the Cow Bay Days parade and Open Forest Day at the Maskwa
Aquatic Club to engage the public about the importance of urban watershed restoration
and riparian planting.
Volunteers played a crucial role in completing the watershed restoration objectives set
by the Clean Foundation for the 2015 season. The Watershed Restoration Program was
fortunate enough to have the help of four long-term volunteers this year, Emily Barrie,
Sean Lemoine, David-Angelo Williams and Jeremy Whetmore. They have collectively
provided support to virtually every aspect of Clean’s 2015 Watershed Restoration
Program and their dedication and support is greatly appreciated.