KENILWORTH – Grand River Conservation Authority deputy CAO and secretary-treasurer Karen Armstrong gave Wellington North councillors a glimpse into the coming year with her Feb. 11 presentation.
Armstrong stated at 6,800 square kilometres, the Grand River watershed encompasses an area larger than Prince Edward Island.
Though the Grand River is 300km long, it encompasses 11,000km of rivers and streams.
Major tributaries include the Speed, Eramosa, Nith and Conestogo Rivers and serves a population of close to one million people.
Eighty per cent of those people live in Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Cambridge and Brantford.
The Grand River watershed faces important and evolving challenges.
“Farming is really important in our watershed with 70% of the land being agricultural.”
“We do face challenges,” Armstrong stated.
She said population growth means there is a need for water supplies, sewage treatment, and groundwater recharge.
Armonstrong said climate change is a big thing for the GRCA both in managing the watershed and as a landowner.
New challenges including increased frequency of extreme events (flood, doughts, ice storms, etc.), she added.
The GRCA vision is now “A healthy watershed where we live, work, play and prosper in balance with the natural environment.”
Armstrong added the GRCA identified some strategic priorities, which are in line with its former priorities.
These include:
– protect life and minimizingh property damage from flooding and erosion;
– improving the health of the Grand River watershed;
– managing land holdings in a responsibile and sustainable way; and
– connecting people to the environment through outdoor experiences.
She added that while the Luther Marsh may not get the same number of visitors as other GRCA properties, it is none-the-less a critical portion of the watershed.
She added that managing its land holdings had become a bigger focus with new challenges.
“There has been an increase in the number of unauthorized tenting on GRCA properties on urban properties along the river.”
Armstrong noted the GRCA has seven dams and reservoirs which are actively managed to reduce flood damages and maintain flows.
She noted that in 2018 work was done on the dam at the Damascus reservoir.
Armstrong said the GRCA continues to improve monitoring and preparedness to adapt to climate change.
“We really need all the information to make better and more informed decisions.”
The GRCA provides technical advice on Planning Act applications, including input from biologiests, water resource engineers and resource planners, she added.
Armstrong spoke briefly on the Rural Water Quality Program (RWQP) watershed-wide which has been around since 1998:
In Wellington North 18 projects completed in 2018, providing $65,000 in grants
Projects included cover crops, well upgrades abd decommissions, manure storage, nutrient management planning and tree planting.
Funds were provided by Wellington County, she said.
Armstrong clarified that not only are the grants making an impact, “but landowners are putting up a lot of their own money to make these projects happen.”
Armstrong said GRCA Conservation Areas “are weather dependent and we have seen significant visitor growth over the past several years.”
She added it has reached the point “where we are now having to manage our visitation – as compared to 10 years ago when we worried about getting enough people.”
Restricted visitation is compounded by the creation of traffic hazards in Elora as people line up to get to the Elora Quarry.
She noted the GRCA has a number of natural areas which are also seeing increased use.
With a proposed $35.3-million budget, 33% of that comes from the municipal levy, Armstrong said.
That levy is increasing by 2.5% to $11,636,000 in 2019
The operating levy is increasing 2.8% or $284,000 while the capital levy remains at $1,050,000.
She noted special projects are offset 100% by special funding sources and do not use general municipal levy to fund these projects.
What does this mean for Wellington North?
Fifty one per cent of Wellington North lies within the GRCA watershed.
The township 2019 levy is $50,151, a 1.9% increase over 2018.
The GRCA budget is expected to be voted upon by its board later this month.
The only questions raised were in regard to the ongoing maintenance of a water monitor station near the Arthur wastewater treatment plant.
Councillor Dan Yake said in Arthur, there has been confusion as to who looks after the monitoring station along the Conestogo River.
Yake said with the upgrades coming to the Arthur wastewater plant, he wondered if the GRCA anticipated any changes or upgrade to the equipment.
Mayor Andy Lennox explained the equipment was owned by the municipality – but that there was some discussion about cooperation so that the station would provide more reliable data.
“We don’t know (about the ownership),” Yake stated.
However, he noted that GRCA staff have done maintainace to the station.
Lennox added there was talk of relocating the equipment downstream.
Armstrong assured that she would relay council’s concerns.
