SWEPS Stream Restoration 2015 Final Report

A review of stream restoration and related activities conducted during summer of 2015

September 2015

• Molly LeBlanc
• Taylor Crosby
• Jordan Pertus

Shubenacadie Watershed Environmental Protection Society

In partnership with Adopt a Stream and the Clean Foundation of Nova Scotia

Executive Summary

Over the summer of 2015 the SWEPS stream restoration team was involved in the completion of several projects related to improving the overall health of the Shubenacadie watershed. This report represents the summation and final documentation of that work. It provides a snapshot of work accomplished during the summer of 2015.

Specific tasks completed during the summer of 2015 includes:

• The installation of 9 in-stream restoration structures
• The maintenance of the preexisting structures at Holland Brook
• Stabilization of stream bank in area of active erosion
• Thalweg development
• Removal of debris jams/blockages
• Water quality testing at 5 sites, including an analysis of E. coli at Tillmann’s Brook
• Site scoping and evaluation for future restoration at Springfield Lake Stream
• Community outreach/communication events

In total approximately 600m of stream habitat were restored at Tillmann’s Brook in the Shubie watershed and approximately 300m of habitat at Black’s Brook maintained.

During the course of the summer the restoration team placed a high priority on community engagement. Community events including a “Stream Clean-Up” and community BBQ and ‘Rock Throwing Party’. These were attended by SWEPS members and community members. A local newspapers, The Laker, also published stories on the restoration efforts of the team.

To mark the locations where SWEPS has successfully conducted stream restoration, three interpretive signs have been proposed. At Lockview High School (near “A” lake stream), at Bennery brook and at Tillmann’s Brook. At the time of writing, the sign for the Lockview location had been finished, paid for and picked up from ‘Signs by the Shore’ and discussions with Lockview High School and Scotia Learning (the land owners) regarding the potential for placing an interpretive sign on the south side of Lockview were on-going. A date was still to be scheduled when the sign could be installed.  

The final section of this report provides recommendations for future stream restoration teams. These are lessons based on the experiences of the 2015 stream restoration team. These and the other resources provided (Appendices A-C) are expected to facilitate the task of these teams.

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
• Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
• 1.0 Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
• 2.0 Work Summary – Stream Restoration 2015 ……………………………………………………….. 4
• 2.1 Human Impacts on Watersheds ……………………………………………………………………. 5
• 2.2 Stream Restoration Activities ……………………………………………………………………….6
• 2.2.1 Tillmann’s Brook Stream Restoration …………………………………………………. 8
• 2.2.2 Black’s Brook (“A” Lake Tributary) Structure Upkeep ……………………….. 15
• 2.2.3 Bennery Brook Structure Upkeep………………………………………………………..16
• 2.3 Community Outreach ……………………………………………………………………………….. 16
• 2.4 Water Quality Testing at Tillmann’s Brook………………………………………19
• 3.0 Future Projects ………………………………………………………………………………………………21
• 3.1 Tillmann’s Brook ………………………………………………………………………………………22
• 3.2 Bennery Brook………… …………………………………………………………………………….22
• 3.3 Springfield Lake Stream……………………………………………………………………………..23
• 3.4 Upper Beaverbank River………………………………………………………….23
• 3.5 Water Testing at Holland Brook………………………………………………….24
• 3.6 Other SWEPS Projects ……………………………………………………………………………… 25
• References ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 26
• Appendix A – Resources ……………………………………………………………………………………..27
• Appendix B – List of Tools ………………………………………………………………………………….29
• Appendix C – Screenshot of Potential Interpretive Sign……………………………………………30

1.0 Introduction

With funding from Adopt a Stream (AaS), the Shubenacadie Watershed Environmental Protection Society (SWEPS) engaged in stream restoration throughout the summer of 2015. The work of 2015 was built directly from previous projects funded through AaS and completed during the summers of 2012, 2013 and 2014 and it is anticipated that further stream restoration and/or related activities will continue in the future.

The primary purpose of the stream restoration project of 2015 was to identify and implement activities that would improve habitat quality, specifically for Brook trout, Atlantic salmon, and along with other wildlife in and around waterways of the Shubenacadie watershed. Throughout the summer, several specific goals were identified in order to achieve and supplement the stated purpose of the restoration project. These included:

• To complete stream restoration on “A” lake tributary and at least one other stream
• To conduct weekly water quality testing in Tillmann’s Brook to add to the CURA H2O national database
• To engage in community outreach to promote environmental stewardship and raise awareness of SWEPS
• To maintain past summer projects and installations
• To make recommendations regarding future restoration projects

This report is intended to transmit the outcomes, knowledge, and recommendations of the summer project to the SWEPS members and other stakeholders. It provides a brief introduction to stream restoration and a summary of work completed by the stream restoration team during the summer of 2015 (section 2.0). Section 2.0 is subdivided into four categories including: human impacts on watersheds (section 2.1), stream restoration activities (section 2.2), community outreach (section 2.3), and water quality testing at Tillmann’s Brook (section 2.4). Also included in this report is a discussion of potential future projects (section 3.0). Lastly, included in the appendices are resources that are considered useful for future stream restoration teams including a list of important resources (Appendix A), a list of materials used (Appendix B), and data on sites visited (Appendix C).

Through training, independent research, trial and error, and with guidance from experts working for Adopt a Stream, the stream restoration team was able to restore over 900m of stream habitat in the Shubie watershed area. This included general site information and data on physical, chemical and biological parameters of streams. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the team was able to reach out and engage with various individuals, groups and organizations to promote environmental stewardship and further the goals of SWEPS. This report represents the summation and final documentation of that work. It is intended to provide a snapshot of work accomplished during the summer of 2015 and be useful as a legacy document to facilitate future SWEPS projects. The format of this report is modeled closely after the 2014 Stream Restoration Report written by Keegan McGrath, Patrick Weeks and Brittany Gregory. Some of the sections pertaining to the background of the Shubie Watershed area, and the causes of damage to watershed areas (i.e. section 2.1 and section 2.2) have been only slightly modified.

2.0 Work Summary – Stream Restoration 2015

The team that carried out the stream restoration activities during the summer of 2015 included a project coordinator and two Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps (NSYCC) students. Molly LeBlanc, the project coordinator, completed a B.Sc. in Biology and Environment, Society and Sustainability. Mount Allison student, Taylor Crosby was in the process of completing her undergraduate degree in Biology and Political Sciences and Jordan Pertus who graduated from Nova Scotia community college environmental technology program as a Conservation Enforcement Officer. This team was supported by SWEPS members who volunteered their time, equipment, and expertise.

At the beginning of the summer season only Jordan had some minimal experience with stream restoration. To acquire the knowledge/skills necessary, training was provided by Adopt a Stream, the Clean Foundation, Community University Research Alliance (CURA H2O) and the Dalhousie Hydrology Research Group. Topics for which training was provided included stream restoration, fish habitat assessment, YSI training, and an Aluminum Sampling Seminar (see Appendix A for details regarding specific training). Equipment used was obtained from SWEPS members, the Community Based Environmental Monitoring Network, the Salmon Association, and where necessary purchased. A list of equipment necessary for stream restoration and how it can be collected is provided in Appendix B.

Work completed over the summer of 2015 is subdivided here into stream restoration (section 2.2), community outreach (2.3) and water quality testing (section 2.4). These sections are preceded by an introduction to the impacts that human activities can have on watersheds (section 2.1) that was originally written in the 2014 report. This is useful because it provides context and demonstrates the rational for the projects that were undertaken.

2.1 Human Impacts on Watersheds (from 2014 Stream Restoration Report)

Watersheds are constantly under pressure from a range of human activities. These can dramatically impact their character and suitability for wildlife. Streams in particular are subject to impacts from range of causes including damming, logging, development (urban, sub-urban, and otherwise), industry, agriculture and much more. These activities can alter the physical, chemical and biological nature of streams in complex ways. While a comprehensive discussion of human impacts on watersheds and streams is beyond the scope of this report, it is useful to examine one of these issues in a limited way; here we explore the issue of logging (Box 2.1). For more information on these issues see section 2.3 of the government report “Ecological Restoration of Degraded Aquatic Habitats: A Watershed Approach” produced by DFO (DFO, 2006) In sum: logging can impact streams in many ways, including others that have not been mentioned here (e.g. by removing carbon from the ecosystem). For more information see DFO (2006).   In the Shubenacadie watershed, streams have been impacted by many causes, some of which are historically important and others which are ongoing. Historically important issues in this area include: logging, agriculture, and residential development. Current and future causes for concern include: development (building roads, homes, and businesses in areas that were previously undeveloped); logging (although to a lesser degree than in the past) and tree removal by homeowners; storm water runoff; malfunctioning septic systems; and chemical spills/dumping from vehicles, industry and the public. One of the most important impacts of these on streams in the Shubenacadie watershed is to cause erosion of stream banks. This causes streams and rivers to be wider and shallower than they would be in their natural condition. Additionally, highly impacted streams also become straighter and simpler. This means that they don’t have the same diversity of bottom structure (pools, riffles, and runs). The net result is that the streams are become less suitable habitat for many species of fish.   For a watershed group such as SWEPS it is important to attempt to mitigate as many of the root causes of environmental impacts as possible. This is achieved in many ways, the most practical of which are education and advocacy. In this way further degradation of the natural environment can hopefully be avoided. In instances where impacts have already occurred, it is sometimes possible to reverse or at least diminish the damage that has happened. By working with the existing condition of the stream it is possible to intervene in such a way that environmental impacts are reduced; a process known as stream restoration.

2.2 Stream Restoration Activities (from 2014 Stream Restoration Report)

The purpose of stream restoration is to mitigate human impacts and improve the stream environment so that it is more suited to sustaining wildlife, particularly for valued fish species (e.g. Atlantic salmon) (although see Box 2.2). It is a strategy that is used by community groups in Nova Scotia to modify the physical (e.g. depth, width, temperature) and/or chemical (e.g. dissolved oxygen, nutrients, pH) properties of streams. When done properly, stream restoration has been shown to be an effective method for increasing the abundance of valued aquatic species (evidence for this can be found on the Adopt-a-Stream website: http://manual.adoptastream.ca/sec10_1.html). The primary techniques used for stream restoration in NS include: stream bank stabilization (e.g. riparian planting, installation of reinforcing structures), installation of digger logs and/or deflectors; debris removal, and thalweg development. These are used to combat the over-widening and simplification of streams. Other techniques including culvert repair, dam removal, construction of fish passage, and liming of rivers are also used to address other specific problems such as barriers to fish passage, or low pH caused by acid rain. For a comprehensive description of restoration activities used in Nova Scotia refer to the Adopt a Stream Program Manual: “A Watershed Approach to Community Based Watershed Stewardship” (Adopt a Stream, 2014) that is available online.

Box 2.2 Food for thought If free from human disturbance and subject to natural forces, streams impacted by human activities can often recover. The problem is that this process typically takes quite a long time (how long will depend on the nature of the impact). Moreover, in the majority of situations, streams are not left alone; they are continually being degraded by human activities. Exceptions would be in locations where protection is provided (e.g. creation of a park or reserve) or humans no longer utilize the area (e.g. as a result of large scale emigration from environmental disasters or conflict). Therefore stream restoration is used to speed up natural restoration processes and mitigate on-going impacts. In many urbanized watersheds (such as the Shubie watershed) it is often the case that streams are confined into narrow strips of land that are bordered by development. In these situations, natural processes (e.g. debris jams, erosion and accretion) can cause the stream channel to get diverted, resulting in flooding or erosion of adjacent property. This is not considered acceptable therefore a secondary purpose of stream restoration activities is to maintain the existing channel. This is done by removing blockages that could divert flow over land and mitigating bank erosion.

2.2.1 Tillmann’s Brook

• GPS coordinates of access: 44.820663,-63.587058
• Average bankfull width: 9.5m
• Issues: Large stretches of stream are straight and over-widened; erosion from tree cutting and foot traffic, several large blockages; significant accumulation of garbage.
• Prescribed activity: Installation of diggers/deflectors and rock sills, removal of debris buildup, bank stabilization and support and garbage clean-up.

Over the summer of 2015, the majority of time was spent working on Tillmann’s Brook. It was designated as the primary project and other brooks (Bennery and Black’s) were worked on when the team was unable to work on Tillmann’s.

Tillmann’s Brook is located between Miller Lake and Soldiers Lake near the 102 Highway. It is most easily accessed from a portion of land owned by the United Pentecostal Church of Dartmouth off of Sanctuary Ct. The stream is very over-widened and straight. Most likely this damage occurred during the construction of hydropower dams located on both Miller and Soldier lakes. Tillmann’s brook is a middle order stream. The substrate is mostly cobble and boulder. In the upper portions of the stream there is a considerable amount of bedrock and the step pools.

Tillmann’s Brook was identified as the best candidate for future stream restoration by the 2014 stream restoration team when it was visited by Adopt a Stream personnel and 9-12 in-stream structures were proscribed.

The easiest point of access to Tillmann’s Brook if from 108 Sactuary Court, Fall River, through the property owned the Pentecostal Church and used as a campground throughout the summer. The primary contact during the summer of 2015 was Pastor Underwood (902-403-5551) who allowed access and parking on the land through the ‘Ball Field’ are of the camp. He also gave permission to use the land for the BBQ/Work Party event and the Adopt-a-Stream Training Session. Although collaboration was suggested there was minimal interaction or partnership with the group throughout the summer. As a thank-you to the group and campground, some volunteers of the 2015 SWEPS team mowed the Ball Field area. Any future projects would need to re-establish contact with the church, reintroduce the idea and develop a new relationship regarding this project.

Another issue that is important to note regarding stream restoration on Tillmann’s Brook is the issue of connectivity. DFO does not consider Tillmann’s Brook as fish passage. This is due to the dams located upstream and downstream (with no fish ladders) which prevent the upstream movement of trout. Moreover, the ability of trout to survive the downstream passage of dams is unknown. Due to the blockages, stream restoration in this area is unlikely to improve connectivity of habitats. However, it has been confirmed by the local anglers whom the 2014 and 2015 talked to, as well as sightings by the 2015 team, that trout do frequent this area (Figure 2). For this reason, it was considered as a worthwhile site because it would improve spawning habitat for the trout already present.

Issues for this site had started to be identified in cooperation with Adopt a Stream during the summer of 2014. A series of in-stream restoration structures were prescribed, mainly digger logs, deflectors and rock sills. These were re-flagged in the beginning of the summer of 2015 with Amy Weston from Adopt-a-Stream, and then constructed over the summer of 2015 using logs and rocks found nearby. This was a major cost-saver as it reduced the need for purchase and transport of these materials. For guidance on construction of in-stream structures please consult the Adopt a Stream Program Manual (Adopt a Stream, 2014).

In this image, points 1-15 were flagged along Tillmann’s Brook. Although there was only work to be done at certain points, this map includes the location of all points flagged with Adopt-a-Stream personnel. The GPS points are listed as well, in order 1-15. In Table 1, more information on the work already done and the work still unfinished can be found.

Table 1. Breakdown of flagged locations along Tillmann’s Brook, 2015, work prescribed at site and status of work at time of writing.

In addition to the in-stream structures, the team provided bank stabilization at multiple sites along the brook, by piling up rocks in areas where banks were eroding. Large rocks, taken from the pooling area near rock sills and digger logs, and from the thalweg, were used in order to resist the erosive power of the stream.

The final restoration activity that the team carried out at Tillmann’s Brook was thalweg development. Thalweg development is done by digging out a portion of the stream so that water flow is consolidated and deepened. If there is not a defined Thalweg, water will disperse over the bottom of the stream and not provide enough depth for fish passage, which is especially important while the dam upstream is closed and there is low flow. This was typically done together with building the digger logs and rock sills, as the rocks taken from the thalweg were then used for the structures. Although this process will occur passively over time as a result of the in-stream structures, it was useful in speeding up the process and protecting the fish in the meantime.

Total length of stream restored at Tillmann’s Brook was approximately 600m.

 2.2.2 Black’s Brook (“A” Lake Tributary) Structure Upkeep

• GPS coordinates of access: 44.822413, -63.619055
• Average bankfull width: 4.5m
• Summer of 2015 Issues: Significant accumulation of garbage, debris build-ups in brook, rocks from rock ramps and rock sills (built in 2014) moved around to create ‘bridge’ across the brook.
• Prescribed activity: Maintenance of diggers/deflectors, removal of debris jams, garbage clean-up.

Black’s brook is a low-order headwater stream that runs from “A” lake down to Fletchers lake in Fall River. Primary access to the site is from a parking lot on the southern end of Lockview High School. This property is a P3 school and is owned by Scotia Learning. The stream itself is owned by the city of Halifax and bordered by Lockview to the north and private homes on all sides.

In the summer of 2015 the team dedicated a number of days to the maintenance and enhancement of the structures at Black’s Brook. During volunteer days with two different youth groups (one from the Gordon R. Snow Rec Centre and one from the Adventure Earth Centre), there was a garbage pick up (over three large garbage bags of garbage were collected), the pools in the brook were deepened by removing rock, which was then used to support the banks, and the pre-existing digger logs and deflectors were reformed. The damage that had been done to them throughout the year was most likely caused by high flow and human activities. Most notably, people had used the rocks from one of the rock sills to form a pathway across the brook. This site may need to be continually monitored in the future to ensure this does not happen again, however the proposed sign that is to be installed in this area should help to mitigate some of the human impact. 

2.2.3 Bennery Brook Structure Upkeep

• GPS coordinates of access: 44.928531, -63.535601
• Issues: Large stretches of stream are straight and over-widened; bank erosion from highway construction and high flow; significant accumulation of garbage.
• Prescribed activity: Garbage clean-up, installation of 3 additional digger logs, riparian planting, bank stabilization.

Refer to section 3.2.

2.3 Community Outreach

As part of the stream restoration team’s goal to improve awareness and care for local streams they engaged in community outreach. Below is a brief description of activities and engagements.

Halifax Recreation Children’s Camps

This year’s stream restoration team ran three sessions on stream restoration for the children’s summer camps at the Gordon R. Snow center. In total there were about 60 kids and 7 councilors that took part.

The session began with a discussion about streams and the different plants and animals that we can find in NS streams. Then the group went outdoors in the nearby wooded area to do a scavenger hunt of different colorful animal cards that represented animals of Nova Scotia found near and in rivers and streams. At the end of the hunt, we had a discussion about some interesting facts about each creature (written on the back of the cards). Then, the team had brought some insects gathered from Tillmann’s Brook to show the kids and the students got the chance to look at the bugs up close. Finally, the team showed the kids how the waders and the kick net work at the lake nearby. It was a great time and the kids seemed to enjoy it very much.

The primary contact for Halifax Youth Science Camps is Gareth Watt (wattg@halifax.ca). He has expressed interest in having future presentations from SWEPS in years to come.

Tree Moving Event

On August 11^th, 2015 an impromptu ‘Tree Moving Party’ was had at Tillmann’s Brook in order to move a large log downstream, which was needed for a digger log at Site 12. When the team found out the Hydropower dam was to be opened for one day, they asked various friends to help float the log (rather than carry it) downstream. Nine people volunteered for an accumulated total of 18 hours.

Work Event

On August 14^th, 2015 a group of volunteers from Salesforce.com came out to Tillmann’s Brook to help begin work on the three digger log structures at sites 12, 13 and 14. They brought out a group of 11 people, and accomplished a lot of work during the time they were there, most notably, moving three trees into place for the digger logs and starting carve out the ditches for the trees and build up deflectors. The contact for the volunteer event was Shawn Crosby who is the father of one of the summer team members, Taylor Crosby. They accumulated 33 hours of volunteer time.

SWEPS BBQ/Rock Throwing Party

On August 15th, 2015 SWEPS hosted a BBQ and Rock Throwing Party at Tillmann’s Brook. This was open to SWEPS members and any other people who were interested in joining. It was promoted throughout the SWEPS group via email, and through social media where the team created a Facebook event page, and shared the information with various other related groups (SRA, Salmon Association, Clean Foundation, etc.). The event was scheduled from 11:00-4:00 with a break in the middle for the BBQ. Drinks, snacks, burgers, and hotdogs were provided. It was attended by approximately 25 people throughout the day and approximately 68.5 hours of volunteer time were committed to building three digger logs at sites 12, 13 and 14. The event was also covered by a reporter from The Laker.

The group not only had a great time and gained a lot of hands-on skills and knowledge about the installation of digger logs, but they also competed a huge amount of work in just a few hours.

“A” lake Stream Repair Work and Clean-Up with Youth Leaders

On August 13th, the Youth Leader group from Gordon R. Snow center partnered with SWEPS for a day of volunteering at Black’s Brook. The group was split into two groups, one conducted a clean-up while the other helped repair the digger logs and rock sills that had been damaged. The group collected several large bags of garbage from in and around the stream. There were approximately 11 youth and 1 staff at the event for an accumulated 32 volunteered hours.  One of the youth who attended the clean-up later attended the BBQ/Rock Throwing Party event, accompanied by his family.

Later, on August 27^th, a second youth leader group from the Adventure Earth Center came to Black’s Brook and worked on deepening the pools that had begun to be carved out along the brook. They also got a chance to see how the YSI kit works to test water quality, and how to use the kick net.

Many of these youth attend or will soon attend Lockview High, and many of them did not know the brook was even in the area.

SWEPS in the press

Taylor Crosby and Jordan Pertus were interviewed for over the summer of 2015 for a story in ‘The Laker’. Their story was focused on the work the team had been doing throughout the summer at Tillmann’s brook, to raise public profile of SWEPS and to advertise for the upcoming BBQ event. The artile can be found on-line at: http://www.thelaker.ca/printable.asp?type=articles&id=7212

SWEPS online

In order to engage the online community most effectively SWEPS has an active internet presence. SWEPS maintains a twitter account (@_SWEPS), a Facebook profile (SWEPS watershed), a Facebook page (Shubenacadie Watershed Environmental Protection Society) and a website (http://www.sweps.org/). Each of these platforms can be used for various purposes including: interacting with other organizations or individuals; posting photos, documents, links; spreading information; and sharing with the community.

2.4 Water Quality Testing at Tillmann’s Brook

In order to better understand the water quality and conditions for fish habitat at Tillmann’s Brook, the stream restoration team undertook some water quality testing throughout July and August of 2015. Four test sites were established along Tillmann’s Brook (Figure 3). These were chosen to reflect four distinct stretches of stream, two upstream from the sites where structures were built throughout the summer, and two amongst the structures.

Table 2.  Water Testing Sites, Tillmann’s Brook, Summer 2015.

Water quality parameters were tested at each site using a YSI probe. These included temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), and salinity (Table 1). The turbidity was also tested at every site, using SWEPS’ new Turbity Meter. Additionally, a water sample from Tillmann’s Brook was tested for E. coli, with a home test kit from Canadian Tire, which did not show a significant amount of E. coli in the brook. Due to circumstances outside of the team’s control, testing for total Nitrogen (tN) and total Phosphorous (tP) was not completed at the time of writing.

Table 3. Results of water quality testing in Tillmann’s Brook for July, 2015.

Table 4. Results of water quality testing in Tillmann’s Brook for August, 2015.

A more complete version of this data, along with charts of individual parameters, can be found on the SWEPS Stream Restoration USB Stick under the 2015 data collection folder.

3.0 Future Projects

One of the goals of the stream restoration crew was to identify potential future sites for stream restoration. Also included in this section is a description of other future projects that are being considered by SWEPS that are indirectly related to stream restoration (section 3.6).

3.1 Tillmann’s Brook

• GPS coordinates of access: 44.820663,-63.587058
• Average bankfull width: 9.5m
• Issues: Large stretches of stream are straight and over-widened; erosion from tree cutting and foot traffic; brook is shallow and warm when hydropower dam is closed.
• Prescribed activity: Dig out four additional pools, use rock to stabilize and support banks, thalweg development.

Although much work was done at Tillmann’s Brook in 2015, there were a few lower priority sites that were not worked on due to lack of time. If you refer to the map in Figure 1 (section 2.2.1), the sites marked with a yellow circle were unable to be completed, but have been assessed by Adopt-a-Stream personnel as an area where work can be done. This is a relatively easy task that a future team may want to take on. Table 1 (in section 2.2.1) shows the breakdown of each site and the work needed.

3.2 Bennery Brook

• GPS coordinates of access: 44.928531, -63.535601
• Issues: Large stretches of stream are straight and over-widened; bank erosion from highway construction and high flow; significant accumulation of garbage.
• Prescribed activity: Garbage clean-up, installation of 3 additional digger logs, riparian planting, bank stabilization.

Bennery Brook was the summer project in the summer of 2013, during which 4 digger logs were installed. Although the structures seem to be working, the brook remains very over-widened and straight. Under the guidance of Adopt-a-Stream personnel, the team spent a few days working at Bennery. They deepened the pools downstream of the digger logs and built up the deflectors to improve their function during high water. They also began a bank-stabilizing project at an especially muddy patch along the shore, by using nearby branches and wood to create a thick lattice that will hopefully catch debris form a more stabilized bank.

Towards the end of the summer, Amy Weston of Adopt-a-Stream, recommended the installation of three additional digger logs along the brook. Although this year’s team did not have time to work on digger logs in the area it is a potential future project. There are resources (rock and logs) left over from the summer of 2013 on site although an assessment of the condition of the logs should be done to inspect for rotting before using them in the brook. 

3.3 Springfield Lake Stream

• GPS coordinates of access: 44.815673, -63.734407
• Average bankfull width: 6m
• Issues: Large stretches of stream are over-widened; bank erosion is observed; blockages are present; is downstream of Halifax Water sewage treatment facility.
• Prescribed activity: Installation of diggers/deflectors, riparian planting, removal of debris jams, and community clean-up.

Springfield lake is located in Upper Sackville north-east of Sackville Dr. It is fed by three low-order tributaries on its western side. It is bordered on all sides by residential development. The stream for which restoration is proposed is on the east side of the lake and runs from Springfield lake into Lisle lake. The local name of the stream is not currently known but it is referred to here as “Springfield lake stream”.

This site has can be best accessed from the end of Lakeview Ave. to the north. The site was visited by the restoration team and by Adopt a Stream personnel in 2015. It is over-widened throughout with major bank blowouts and erosion occurring. The substrate is mostly cobble and gravel, and is considered workable. For these reasons, it is considered a good candidate for future stream restoration. The amount of restoration needed on Springfield lake stream is currently not known. Due to the length of the stream, there is potentially a large amount of restoration work that could be done. If a future restoration team is interested in working on this stream it is advised that they consult with Adopt-A-Stream personnel.

An important note regarding this site is that it is downstream from a Halifax Water sewage treatment plant. For this reason the risk of bacterial contamination is high. Individuals visiting this site should take proper care to avoid ingesting water and ensuring that hand washing or hand sanitizer is used to prevent the spread of pathogens.

3.4 Upper Beaverbank River

• GPS coordinates of access: 44.847977, -63.691549
• Average bankfull width: 7.5m
• Issues: Stream is slightly over-widened but good depth and bottom diversity is maintained; 3-4 large blockages
• Prescribed activity: Installation of diggers/deflectors is not necessary. Removal of debris jams is considered sufficient to promote fish passage.

The site identified for potential restoration in 2014 is on the upper Beaverbank River is on a section of stream north of Rosley Rd and west of the Beaverbank Rd. This area is known to locals as an area of salmon migration. This site is best accessed from a bridge on Rosley Rd. The forest is easily traversed. A network of ATV trails has been made and it appears as though some forest thinning has occurred.

Major restoration work on Beaverbank River is not required, however there are several large blockages present. The stream is slightly over-widened but the natural channel morphology is maintained. Flow is consolidated year-round and bottom diversity (lots of good quality pools) is good. This project could be accomplished in short order (1-2 days) and would be good to take on towards the end of the summer once higher priority projects have been completed.

3.5 Water Testing at Holland Brook

The results of water quality testing in 2014 indicate that there are indeed some problem areas in Holland Brook. Particularly worrisome is the very high E. coli count in sites 6 and 7. While all the tests sites exceed the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines (2014) (these require that no E. coli be present in any detectable amount), sites 6 and 7 are above even the Canadian Guidelines for Recreational Water Quality (2014) (which require an average of less than 200 CFU/100 mL and no single sample above 400 CFU/100 mL). However, the high E. coli counts at sites 6 and 7 do not appear to be causing high E. coli counts at sites downstream (sites 1, 2, 4, and 5). This is counter to what the restoration team expected when testing began.

It is possible that the high E. coli counts of sites 6 and 7 are a temporary and/or localized problem. The water level was low during the time of sampling and was not flowing quickly at sites 6 and 7 (this is reflected in the low DO). Moreover, only one sample was taken at each location. As a result, it is possible that a nearby source of water pollution (e.g. animal feces) or some other anomaly contributed to the high E. coli counts. For this reason, it is difficult at this time to draw any firm conclusions. It is recommended that further water testing be done at all of these locations in the future.

3.6 Other SWEPS Projects

Throughout the summer there were several other ideas/projects considered by the restoration team or mentioned by SWEPS members. Many of these are not related to the Adopt a Stream project. The following is a brief outline of some of these ideas/projects. The purpose of this is to capture some of the information from brainstorming activities.

Interpretive signs at Bennery and Lockview

Since 2012, SWEPS has undertaken stream restoration on four sites in the Shubie watershed. Two of these, Blacks Brook and Bennery Brook, are nearby to high traffic areas which would make ideal locations to place interpretive signs. These would serve as a signpost for the restoration projects and allow members of the community to learn about their environment, SWEPS (and other groups), and stream restoration. These would increase awareness of the issues in watersheds and also the activities which can be done to improve them. Ideally the signs would become part of the legacy of the stream restoration activities, drawing people in to investigate the areas where work has been done. A screenshot of a potential sign, designed in 2014, is included in Appendix D.

At the time of writing, the sign designed for Blacks Brook was ongoing. The sign had been created (by ‘Signs by the Shore’), purchased, and received and was being stored by a SWEPS member. The plans for installation were ongoing.

CABIN Testing

On August 28^th, 2015, Emma Garden came out to Tillmann’s Brook with Molly LeBlanc to collect a sample and record the information necessary for a CABIN (Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network) test. CABIN is an aquatic biomonitoring program for assessing the health of fresh water ecosystems in Canada. It collaboration and data-sharing to achieve consistent and comparable reporting on fresh water quality and aquatic ecosystem conditions in Canada and allows partners to take their observations and make a formalized scientific assessment using nationally comparable standards. During the time of writing, Emma was in the process of sending the sample to a contact of hers to go forward with the CABIN assessment.

SWEPS Binder

In August of 2015, Molly compiled an archive SWEPS’ involvement in stream restoration. She complied the notes, resources and reports from the past few years into a binder titled ‘SWEPS Stream Restoration,’ which is labeled into sections and separated by year. This is meant to better inform future stream restoration projects and to record SWEPS’ work thus far. The binder is meant to be added to and updated yearly with the latest resources, forms and yearly data.

References

SWEPS Stream Restoration Final Report. 2014. Keegan McGrath, Patrick Weeks and Brittany Gregory.

Adopt A Stream. 2014. The Nova Scotia Adopt a Stream Program Manual: A Watershed Approach to Community Based Watershed Stewardship http://manual.adoptastream.ca/

Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines (2014).(http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/water-eau/drink-potab/guide/index-eng.php)

Canadian Guidelines for Recreational Water Quality (2014). (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/guide_water-2012-guide_eau/index-eng.php#a411)

DFO. 2006. Ecological Restoration of Degraded Aquatic Habitats: A Watershed Approach. Available from http://adoptastream.ca/?q=project-resources 24

Appendix A – Resources

Table A1 – A list of useful organizations and individuals for anyone doing stream restoration.

Table A2 – Documents and files produced by SWEPS that may be useful for future stream restoration.

Table A3 – Training completed during 2014 and the organization that provided it.

Appendix B – List of Tools

Table B1 – A list of tools used in stream restoration and pertinent information on them

Appendix C – Screenshot of Interpretive Sign for Black’s Brook