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Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority plans three-year program to restore riverbanks

October 21, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Over the next three years, staff and volunteers at the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) will be restoring eroding riverbanks along the Nottawasaga River to improve at-risk habitats for two at-risk species of fish.

Lake Sturgeon and Norther Book Lamprey are on the list of at-risk species.

The Nottawasaga River is home to one of the largest spawning populations of Lake Sturgeon in Southern Ontario and is the largest fish in the province.

Historically, trees, shrubs and grasses were removed from the banks of the Nottawasaga River to maximize land use. Without roots to hold the soil together, the force of the river erodes the banks, pushing the soil into the river. As the soil settles, it fills in the holes between gravel and rock and covers spawning habitats used by fish.

High levels of phosphorus are also a concern in the Nottawasaga River. Phosphorus is essential for supporting life in the river, but excessive amounts can cause algae blooms and reduce oxygen levels. NVCA will work with landowners to install fencing to keep livestock and the phosphorus in their manure out of the water. Trees and shrubs will also be planted to provide shade to keep the river cool and keep sediment on land.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has provided the NVCA with $150,000 in funding for work to stabilize eroding riverbanks and keep sediment out of the water and keep phosphorus on land.

“The Government of Canada is committed to the protection and recovery of our species at risk and their habitats,” said The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. “Community-led work, like this project to address riverbank erosion in the Nottawasaga River, is key to the sustainability of our aquatic ecosystems and to conserving Canada’s biodiversity.”

The work that DFO is supporting is part of the larger Nottawasaga River Restoration Program designed to enhance water quality, improve trout and salmon habitat and increase populations of these important sport fishing species in the Nottawasaga River and Georgian Bay.

The NVCA has a series of projects in the works to protect and enhance waterways in the region.

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