Innisfil Creek watershed gets failing grade
by Bruce Haire

Those people who are older know that when you get an F on a report card, it is not good.

The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority has done a series of Watershed Report Cards.

The Report Cards are still only in their "draft" version but they give the Innisfil Creek subwatershed the worst grades in the entire watershed including an F for surface water quality.

The Innisfil Creek subwatershed covers much of South Innisfil, South New Tecumseth and even South Adjala.

The Innisfil Creek subwatershed consists of four main creek systems - Innisfil Creek, Bailey Creek, Beeton Creek and Penville Creek - that drain the southeast portion of the Nottawasaga River watershed.

Innisfil Creek arises on the rolling sand-silt plains of the Simcoe Uplands south of Barrie.

Emerging from headwater forests and wetlands, it quickly flows south into intensive agricultural lowlands which extend through Cookstown to Innisfil Creek's confluence with the Nottawasaga River east of Thompsonville.

Bailey Creek emerges on the Oak Ridges Moraine near the hamlet of Connor. It winds southeastward through a rolling, hummocky mosaic of forest and farm fields. Bailey Creek descends into Schomberg clay plains downstream (north) of Keenansville, passing through a mix of agricultural lands and swamp/lowland forest. Downstream, the creek enters an intensive agricultural area on the Simcoe Lowlands as it flows eastward toward Beeton Creek.

Beeton Creek arises on the Oak Ridges Moraine south of Tottenham. Flowing northward, the creek leaves the moraine and enters a reservoir at the Tottenham Conservation Area. An east branch, originating near Schomberg Heights, flows westward through agricultural lands and enters Beeton Creek north of Tottenham. Beeton Creek continues to flow northward through an agricultural landscape, skirting the west side of Beeton, before joining Bailey Creek.

Penville Creek emerges in a mix of hills (drumlins) and clay plains near Penville, flowing northward through agricultural lands before entering Innisfil Creek at 12th Line.

Wetlands

Wetland conditions within the Innisfil Creek subwatershed are fair to poor compared to the rest of the Nottawasaga River watershed. Historically, large areas of wetlands were cleared and drained in the Simcoe Lowlands to provide farmland. This process continues today east of Highway 401. Large wetlands are associated with the Cookstown Hollows Swamp (east of Cookstown) and the Bailey Creek Swamp (north of Keenansville). Other subwatershed wetlands tend to be small and isolated.

Wetland Conditions

Grade C

Groundwater recharge in some wetlands maintains groundwater supplies while groundwater discharge from other wetlands - such as the Innisfil, Bailey and Beeton Creek headwaters - maintains cold streams flows which support trout. Wetlands provide natural flood control throughout the watershed. Marsh and swamp wetlands within the subwatershed provide important habitat for a wide range of wildlife.

Two wetland groupings within the subwatershed have been identified as provincially significant by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources; however, only Cookstown Hollows Swamp lies mostly within this subwatershed. Provincial and municipal planning policies protect these wetlands from development and site alteration.

Wetland Cover is only 8.4% compared to an average of 12% in the entire watershed with an average of 10% required according to Environment Canada.

Wetland Buffer (100m buffer area) is only 24.4% in the watershed compared to 37.0% across the watershed.

A buffer is a vegetated area next to a wetland or stream. Many wildlife species require nearby upland areas for foraging, nesting and other activities.

Recommendations are:

- Protect wetlands and forest cover

- Restore wetlands and forest, where practical, on otherwise marginal lands to increase deep forest habitat and enhance natural corridors

- Restore forest and meadow cover next to wetlands and streams to improve wildlife habitat and stream/wetland health.

- Manage plantations with a goal of restoring native forest cover over time

- Work with water users and the Ministry of the Environment to effectively allocate water while maintaining healthy stream functions

- Work with landowners to reduce impacts of onstream ponds (Oak Ridges Moraine)

- Work with landowners and municipalities to manage municipal drains to maximize natural functions

- Work with farmers, municipalities, developers, golf courses and others to manage nutrients by: keeping cattle out of streams, implementing nutrient management plans, managing urban stormwater runoff and controlling sediment on construction sites

Surface Water Quality

Grade F

Surface water quality and stream habitat in the Innisfil Creek subwatershed is poor in comparison to the remainder of the Nottawasaga River watershed. Productive trout habitat is limited to the headwaters of the Innisfil, Bailey and Beeton Creek systems.

The headwaters of Innisfil Creek are spring-fed and exhibit "fair" to "good" stream health as they flow through a mosaic of farm fields and forests. Stream health declines rapidly as Innisfil Creek enters the Simcoe Lowlands due to sparse riparian (streamside) vegetation and field drainage activities. Extensive water taking for field irrigation reduces stream flows to near zero during most summers. Downstream of County Road 27, Innisfil Creek looks dirty, even during low flow conditions, due to heavy suspended sediment loads.

Stream health in the moraine headwaters of Bailey Creek and Beeton Creek ranges from "fair" to "good". Healthy riparian valley systems and groundwater discharge (springs) contributes to healthy conditions. Stream health declines as these creek enter the intensive agricultural areas on the clay plains and lowlands. The cold headwaters of Beeton Creek are impacted by warming through the Tottenham reservoir, making downstream areas unsuitable for trout. Urban inputs from Tottenham and Beeton also impact this system.

Penville Creek, unlike the other creek systems, does not originate in a healthy upland setting. It flows through an agricultural landscape with sparse riparian vegetation. Drainage has been altered to facilitate agriculture. Stream health is considered "poor" from its headwaters downstream to Innisfil Creek.

At Sideroad 10, Innisfil Creek exhibits elevated phosphorus levels - 50% above provincial objectives - during low flow periods. Extensive agriculture in the watershed contributes to high nutrient loadings. Total suspended solids (which contribute to "muddy" appearance), even during low flow periods, are above Environment Canada guidelines for healthy stream systems. Historical bacteria (E. coli) monitoring suggests that summer bacteria levels in all four stream systems exceed provincial recreational guidelines for swimming.

However, the swimming area at the Tottenham Conservation Area is regularly monitored by the Simcoe District Health Unit and is generally suitable for swimming.

Benthic 1.66 compared 2.20 across the watershed.

Insects and other "bugs" that inhabit the streambed are excellent indicators of stream health. Healthy streams receive a score of "3" while unhealthy streams receive a score of "1".

Total Phosphorus 0.045 compared to .0214 across the watershed.

Total Phosphorus indicates nutrient levels within a stream. Our healthiest streams have levels less than 0.01 mg/L during low flow conditions. All streams have levels greater than 0.03 mg/l during storms (Innisfil Creek Range: 0.068- 1.29 mg/l).

Provincial Water Quality Guidelines suggest that levels greater than 0.03 mg/l result in unhealthy stream conditions.

Total Suspended Solids 54.48 compared to 9.89 across the watersheds.

High levels of suspended solids make streams look dirty or cloudy. Though streams may naturally look this way after storms, cloudy water during dry conditions may indicate urban or agricultural impacts. Our healthiest streams have levels less than 5 mg/L during low flow conditions. Environment Canada suggests that levels greater than 25 mg/l indicate unhealthy stream conditions.

E. coli is 405 compared to 312 across the watershed.

E. coli are found in human and animal waste. Its presence indicates fecal contamination. Ontario Recreational Water Quality Guidelines suggest that waters with less than 100 CFUs/100 ml are safe for swimming.

Forest Cover D

Forest conditions are poor within the Innisfil Creek subwatershed compared to the rest of the Nottawasaga River watershed.

Soils and slopes are wellsuited to farming and support extensive potato, sod and market farming operations.

Forest clearing to expand farmlands is common in the lowlands east of Highway 400. Urban pressures also threaten forest cover in this watershed. Forest losses, especially along streams, are being partially offset by local reforestation efforts.

Large forest tracts are restricted to the extensive swamp east of Cookstown, the Bailey Creek swamp complex north of Keenansville and scattered stands on the Oak Ridges Moraine.

These large forest blocks provide significant habitat for wildlife species which require undisturbed, deep forest habitat to thrive.

Swamp forest cover in the mid-reaches of Bailey Creek, Cookstown Swamp and the headwaters of Innisfil Creek provide important winter habitat for deer.

Headwater forests along the Oak Ridges Moraine provide vegetated corridors to the Humber River (Toronto Region Conservation Authority) to the south and the Holland River (Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority) to the southeast as well as to the Upper Nottawasaga subwatershed to the west.

Fragmented forest cover along the Innisfil Creek valley provides a link to Nottawasaga River valley to the west.

Forest Cover is 19.1% compared to 32.8% across the watershed.

Forest Cover is the percentage of the watershed that is forested. Environment Canada suggests that 30% forest cover is the minimum needed to support healthy wildlife habitat- more coverage is beneficial.

Forest Interior is 3.0% compared to 10.8% across the watershed.

Forest interior is the area of forest that lies more than 100 m from a forest edge - away from the windy, dry conditions and predators that are associated with the edge. Sensitive forest birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians require deep forest habitat for survival. Environment Canada suggests that 10% forest interior cover is the minimum needed to support a range of species.

Riparian Cover

The Innisfil Creek average is 28.8% compared to 42.6% across the watershed.

Streamside forest cover (riparian vegetation) filters pollutants and provides important fish and wildlife habitat. Environment Canada suggest that at least 30 m on each side of the stream (over 75% of its length) should be in forest cover to support healthy streams.