Monitoring Activity in the Carp River Watershed In 2012, Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) worked with Friends of the Carp River (FCR) on a preliminary assessment of the Carp River. This was aimed at assessing water levels and flows, identifying potential areas for stewardship and partnering to undertake volunteer monitoring initiatives in the Carp River watershed. These initiatives resulted in the establishment of an annual Macro Stream Assessment Program on Carp River Tributaries. This intensive monitoring protocol involves undertaking a detailed inventory of the physical and biological attributes along the full length of the watercourse. Under the proposed Carp Watershed Monitoring Network, this protocol will be implemented on each of the eight main tributaries/sections of the Carp, on a six year rotation. This program is coordinated with community volunteers to increase community engagement and awareness in the overall program.
Carp Creek 2013 Summary Report Page 1 Monitoring Activity in Carp Creek In July 2013, Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority completed a macro stream assessment of Carp Creek. Located in the west end of the City of Ottawa, Carp Creek marks the upper headwater area of the Carp River watershed. It flows through the Glen Cairn Community in Kanata; the oldest urbanized area within the Carp River watershed. As one of the smallest of the eight major tributaries of the Carp River, Carp Creek is approximately 2.2 kilometres long, beginning just east of Eagleson Road and outletting into the Glen Cairn Stormwater Detention Pond just west of Terry Fox Drive. It has a drainage basin area of 7.8 km2. In the July 2013 macro stream assessment, 22 sections along Carp Creek were surveyed by Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority staff and volunteers (Figure 2). Land use surrounding the creek, riparian buffer characteristics, level of erosion present, in-stream features, water quality, and fish and wildlife were examined in detail to be able to make rational decisions on where to focus future restoration. Figure 2. Map depicting the Carp Creek monitoring sites.
Page 2 Subwatershed Features Area 4.35 square kilometres 0.1% of Mississippi Valley watershed 6% agriculture 64% urban Land Use 6% forest 9% rural land use Surficial Geology Watercourse Length and Type 15% wetlands 34% clay 15% diamicton 19% organic deposits 22% bedrock 8% gravel Total Length: 2.2 kilometres Watercourse Type: 66% natural 34% channelized Flow Type: 100% permanent Carp Creek Assessment Facts Minimum Maximum Average Air Temperature ( C) 17.4 27.9 23.3 Water Temperature ( C) 11.4 17.8 15.4 Stream Width (m) 1.3 9.9 3.5 Stream Depth (m) 0.09 0.97 0.31 The macro stream assessment is completed using a protocol that divides the entire length of the creek into 100 metre sections. Starting at the downstream end, a monitoring crew wades the creek and completes a detailed assessment at each 100 metre section. If a section of the creek is unwadeable, that section is bypassed and the assessment is continued once the creek becomes wadeable again. This particular evaluation assessed a variety of parameters including general land use, in-stream morphology, human alterations, water chemistry, plant life, and other features which are presented in this report.
Page 3 Land Use Adjacent to Carp Creek General land use along each surveyed section of Carp Creek was recorded based on eleven different categories. Surrounding land use is considered from the beginning to the end of each survey section (100 metres) and extending outward 100 metres on each side of the creek. Land use outside of this area is not included in the surveys but is nonetheless part of the subwatershed and will influence the creek. The categories of land use that were used in the survey include residential, forest, meadow, wetland, recreational, industrial, commercial, active agriculture, pasture, scrubland and infrastructure. Figure 3 shows the overall percent of the categories of land use that were observed adjacent to Carp Creek. Immediately east of Eagleson Road, Carp Creek flows though Ravine Park, then through Hope Clouthier Park and Clarence Maheral Park, where the Dick Brule Community Centre is located. Further downstream it flows through Rickey Place Park before reaching Terry Fox Drive. Carp Creek outlets into the Glen Cairn Detention Pond to the east of Terry Fox Drive. As a result of these recreational areas, much of the creek remains very natural with significant vegetation to provide habitat for wildlife. Figure 4 demonstrates the extent of human alterations that have taken place along Carp Creek. Figure 3. Land use alongside Carp Creek. Recreational use represents the most prominent category of land use at 28%, followed closely by residential use with 25%. This reflects the predominance of public park land and walking trails that were left along large parts of Carp Creek as part of the overall residential design of Glen Cairn. Meadows made up the next largest area along the creek at 18%. The land uses that were not present along this creek include industrial, commercial, active agriculture, pasture, and scrubland. This is again a reflection of the fact that Carp Creek flows through a residential area. Human Alterations to Carp Creek Even though the Carp Creek subwatershed is highly urbanized, with 65% classified as falling under urban land use, much of Carp Creek itself remains very natural. This is because it flows through the residential community of Glen Cairn, and has the advantage of flowing through a series of City owned parks, beginning with Appaloosa Park, at its upstream end west of Eagleson Road. Figure 4. Extent of human alterations to Carp Creek. It shows that 54% of the channel has been left natural with very minor human alterations. Sections that have been altered considerably but with noticeable natural portions still left, make up 14% of the creek. Sections that have been highly altered due to urbanization make up 32% of Carp Creek. These alterations include changes to the creek s channel, as well as changes made to the riparian vegetation along the banks of the creek.
Page 4 Overbank Zone Riparian Buffer Along Carp Creek The riparian or shoreline zone is that special area where the land meets the water. Well-vegetated shorelines and stream banks are critically important in protecting water quality and creating healthy aquatic habitats, lakes and rivers. Natural shorelines intercept sediments and contaminants that could impact water quality and harm fish habitat in streams. Well established buffers protect the banks against erosion, improve habitat for fish by shading and cooling the water, and provide protection for birds and other wildlife that feed and rear young near water. A recommended target (from Environment Canada s Guideline: How Much Habitat is Enough?) is to maintain a minimum 30 metre wide vegetated buffer along at least 75% of the length of both sides of rivers, creeks and streams. Figure 6 shows the riparian buffer zone along Carp Creek and Figure 7 shows the buffer zone as percentages. Figure 6. Width of riparian buffer along Carp Creek. Results show that the vegetated buffer along Carp Creek rates very poorly, with 77% of the left bank, and 86% of the right bank having a vegetated buffer of 5 metres or less. Only 5% of both the left and right banks of Carp Creek have a buffer width greater than 30 metres. This demonstrates that efforts should be focused on enhancing the vegetated buffer along Carp Creek through shoreline planting. Figure 7. Vegetated buffer width along Carp Creek.
Page 5 Overhanging Trees and Branches Overhanging branches and trees provide a food source, nutrients and shade, which helps to moderate in-stream water temperatures. The amount of overhanging branches and trees along Carp Creek can be seen in Figure 8. The majority of Carp Creek has less than 20% overhanging branches and trees. These areas could greatly benefit from the planting of suitable tree and shrub species. Figure 8. Amount of overhanging branches/trees along Carp Creek. Erosion and Streambank Undercutting Erosion is a natural and important stream process that does not always affect bank stability. However, natural erosion and sediment deposition can be accelerated through human activities and alterations (removal of riparian vegetation, stream channelization). This can have a detrimental effect on important fish and wildlife habitat. Erosion has the ability to create undercut stream banks. While some undercutting of stream banks can be a normal and natural part of stream function, and can provide excellent refuge areas for fish, too much undercutting can become harmful to the ecosystem.
Page 6 Figure 9 shows that Carp Creek has several locations with undercut banks. Figure 9. Undercut stream banks along Carp Creek. The majority of Carp Creek has undercut banks of less than 15%, but there are some areas that have undercut banks of 30% or greater and these areas have the potential to pose problems to the stability of the stream. In some cases, planting can help to stabilize undercut banks, but in more severe cases erosion control is necessary to prevent further damage.
Page 7 In-stream Morphology In-stream morphology is categorized as pools, riffles, and runs. Pools and riffles are very important for fish habitat. Pools, which are deeper than riffles, provide shelter for fish, especially when water levels drop or when water temperatures increase. Riffles are sections of agitated and fast moving water that help to provide dissolved oxygen to the stream; they also provide spawning habitat for some species of fish. Runs are areas along a creek that are typically shallow and have unagitated water surfaces. The in-stream morphology of Carp Creek is shown in Figure 10. Figure 11. In-stream substrate in Carp Creek. The substrate consists mostly of clay which makes up 31%, followed by gravel which makes up 17% and silt at 13%. Boulders which make up 3% create in-stream cover and back eddies for larger fish to hide and/or rest out of the current. Cobble, which makes up 11%, provides important over wintering and/or spawning habitat for small or juvenile fish. It can also provide habitat for benthic invertebrates that are a key food source for many fish and wildlife species. Figure 12 shows various locations where cobble and boulder substrate is found in Carp Creek. Figure 10. In-stream morphology of Carp Creek. It is better for the health of the ecosystem if there is a variety of these in-stream features, to allow oxygen to flow through the creek, provide habitat and to have a well-connected watercourse. Carp Creek consists of 81% runs,13% riffles and just 6% pools. In-stream Characteristics In-stream substrate describes the composition of the bed of the watercourse. A diversity of substrate composition is important for fish and benthic invertebrates because some species have specific habitat requirements and will only reproduce on certain types of substrate. Figure 11 illustrates the different types of substrate which make up the bed of Carp Creek. Figure 12. Cobble and boulder habitat along Carp Creek.
Page 8 Type and Abundance of In-Stream Vegetation A well-balanced amount of in-stream vegetation is an important factor for a healthy stream ecosystem. Aquatic plants provide habitat for fish and wildlife, contribute oxygen to the stream, and help to remove contaminants from the water. However, too much in-stream vegetation can be detrimental and can signify an unhealthy stream. Certain types of vegetation, such as algae, can also be indicative of poor stream health. These are usually seen in streams with high nitrogen and phosphorous inputs (from runoff, wastewater). The types of in-stream vegetation were divided into seven categories. Of that seven, five were present in the creek. Figure 13 shows the percentage breakdown of the aquatic vegetation types present in Carp Creek. Figure 14. Abundance of in-stream vegetation in Carp Creek. It was found that 46% of the creek had a rare amount of in-stream vegetation, meaning in those areas, vegetation is described as very sparse. This is a relatively low abundance for the length of the stream. The one factor that may be causing such low amounts of vegetation in certain reaches is the high amount of clay present in the stream bed. The high amount of tree coverage in the upper reaches of the creek, that blocks sunlight from reaching the creek s bottom, may also be a contributing factor. Fish and Wildlife Observed Figure 13. Types of in-stream aquatic vegetation in Carp Creek. Narrow-leaved emergents make up the largest portion of aquatic plants at 40%. The next highest vegetation type at 34% is algae which can indicate the presence of pollution or other factors affecting the health of the creek. For this assessment, the abundance of in-stream vegetation was broken down into five categories, which are shown in Figure 14. Many species of wildlife were identified during this assessment of Carp Creek. Various bird species were seen including Red-winged Blackbirds, robins, swallows, and mallards, as well as some mammal species such as squirrels and tracks from raccoons. Aquatic invertebrates observed included crayfish and water striders, and two species of frogs representing the amphibians. In the 2004 Carp River Watershed/Subwatershed Study, Carp Creek was classified as a diverse warm-water (Type 2) fish community. A fish sampling survey of Carp Creek found four warm-water species typical in a creek of this size; Creek Chub, White Suckers, Blacknose Dace, and Brook Stickleback.
Page 9 Water Chemistry and Quality A YSI probe was used to collect water quality data including ph, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity, at each site assessed. Dissolved oxygen measures the amount of available oxygen within the water that is accessible to wildlife. The lowest acceptable concentration of dissolved oxygen is 6.0mg/L for warm water fish and 9.5 mg/l for cold water fish. The average amount of dissolved oxygen in Carp Creek is 10.92 mg/l, a healthy level for both cold and warm water fish habitats. Conductivity is defined as the ability of water to pass an electrical current, and is an indirect measurement of the saltiness of the water caused by dissolved ions. Fish cannot tolerate large increases in saltiness in the water. Factors that can change saltiness of freshwater include climate change and human activities. Warmer conditions increase the evaporation of water, leaving existing water with higher concentrations of dissolved ions. Industrial and human wastewater often has high conductivity and can influence the creek s conductivity if introduced. Ideal and pristine conditions are 0-200 µs/cm and high conditions are 1,000-10,000 µs/cm. The minimum conductivity of Carp Creek was 1301 µs/cm with an average of 1502 µs/cm. This means that the Carp Creek is classified as having high conductivity and this can have an effect on the wildlife present. The measurement of ph tells us the relative acidity or alkalinity of the creek. The scale ranges from 1 (most acidic) to 14 (most basic) and has 7 as the middle and most neutral point. The average ph of the Carp Creek is 7.54 making it an overall neutral creek. Table 1. Carp Creek main water quality parameters. Carp Creek Water Quality Data Minimum Maximum Average ph 7.01 7.79 7.54 Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l) Conductivity (µs/cm) 2.03 13.54 10.92 1301 1774 1502
Page 10 Potential Riparian Restoration Opportunities Naturally vegetated shorelines help reduce erosion, filter pollutants from entering the watercourse, assist in flood control and provide food and habitat for a diversity of wildlife. Figure 15 depicts the locations identified by MVCA staff and volunteers, as areas for potential riparian restoration activities (planting along the shoreline). Figure 15. Areas of potential riparian restoration projects. There were 10 sites identified along Carp Creek that would greatly benefit from riparian planting. As Carp Creek is located in an urban setting, it is very important to maintain a natural 15-30m buffer of vegetation.
Page 11 Potential In-Stream Restoration Opportunities Stream restoration is important to maintain an overall good health of the stream and surrounding ecosystem. Figure 16 depicts locations that have been identified by MVCA staff and volunteers, as areas of various in-stream restoration opportunities. Figure 16. Locations of potential in-stream restoration opportunities. There were 8 sites in Carp Creek that were identified for garbage removal, 1 site identified for invasive species control and 4 sites identified for erosion control (planting trees/ shrubs, stabilizing the shoreline).
Page 12 How Does This Information Get Used? The City Stream Watch Program is an excellent monitoring program that allows MVCA to be able to assess the condition of subwatersheds over time. Stewardship activities in areas that need further work are completed and improve the health of the ecosystem. MVCA uses stream surveys to target specific areas that need restoration work. Stream garbage clean ups are carried out, blockages are removed, and shoreline planting, erosion control and habitat enhancements are organized. Volunteer projects that are carried out as a result of the City Stream Watch Program are: MVCA is always recruiting volunteers! Call 613-253-0006 ext. 234, if you are interested! Planting trees and shrubs along the shoreline Removing invasive plant species Stream garbage clean ups Learning about and participating in monitoring the streams Learning about and participating in fish sampling/identification and wildlife identification Learning about and participating in benthic invertebrate sampling/identification Participating in natural photography