Community News

DELSEY POND RESTORATION AND TREE PLANTING TO FOLLOW DREDGING

MONITORING OF RELOCATED SPECIES AT RISK CONTINUES, AS MINISTRY IS STILL INVESTIGATING

CRAIG CAMPBELL ccampbell@ hamiltonnews.com

Restoration of the damage to the Delsey Pond habitat, including tree replacement, is expected to begin following completion of ongoing dredging of the stormwater management pond.

City of Hamilton spokesperson Emily Trotta said on Sept. 14 that there was up to two more weeks of dredging work, including regrading of an inlet channel into the pond.

"Once the dredging and channel regrading work is complete throughout the entire facility, the restoration work will take place," Trotta said. "All disturbed areas adjacent to the low flow channel and the wet pond will be restored via terraseeding using the Hamilton Conservation Authority's seed mixes."

Terraseeding is a trademarked process that involves the injection of seed, fertilizer and other additives directly into soil for turf establishment and erosion control.

Experts and local residents have raised concerns about the natural wetland and habitat for multiple species east of Concord Avenue being converted to a stormwater management facility — allowing it to be dredged and otherwise damaged.

City staff are also working on a tree replacement strategy after approximately 24 trees were cut down surrounding the pond.

"Trees were removed because they were directly impacting the facility's infrastructure," Trotta said. "The area was visited with Hamilton's forestry team, who recommended to cut fallen trees and cut them into smaller pieces that shall remain on site and degrade naturally."

She said a migratory bird survey was completed prior to the clearing, and any trees cut down were apparently under 10 centimetres at breast height.

Trotta said a required one-month monitoring of species relocated from Delsey Pond was completed in late August by a consultant, and a draft report will be provided to the city in early October, and to regulatory agencies by Oct. 31.

Relocated species at risk, including at least 64 Lilliput mussels now in Lake Jojo, are to be monitored

at least three times — at one-month, one-year and two-year intervals — and reported to Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, as required in permits issued by the two agencies.

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is still investigating the city's dredging of Delsey Pond last year and its impacts on species at risk and their habitat. A spokesperson said the ministry will also conduct announced inspections to ensure the city and its contractors are following all permit requirements.

Trotta said that once dredging work is complete, water from pond inlets "will no longer be bypassed, allowing the pond to refill naturally with rainwater."

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2022-09-29T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-09-29T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281651078984729

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