Central Welland River Watershed Plan - Final (PDF)

Terms of Reference (PDF)


The Niagara Water Quality Protection Strategy (NWQPS) (2003) has identified the need to manage Niagara’s watersheds in such a manner as to “sustain healthy rural and urban communities in harmony with a natural environment, and rich in species diversity”. The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), issued under the Planning Act, now includes policies whereby Planning Authorities shall protect, improve or restore the quality and quantity of water by using the watershed as an ecologically meaningful scale for land use planning. The Central Welland River Watershed Plan will make recommendations to Planning Authorities on the best way to protect, improve and restore water quality and quantity in the land use planning process as well as recommend a restoration program and associated strategies to achieve the NWQPS vision.

The Central Welland River Watershed Plan will update the existing Welland River Strategy (1999) and provide strategies that will allow the community to care for water resources, natural heritage, settlement and agriculture in the context of land use planning documents (e.g., Official Plans). It will also provide strategies for implementing the watershed initiatives and specify who is responsible for remedial actions outside of the land use planning process (e.g., restoration opportunities on public and private lands).

The Central Welland River watershed primarily includes Local Management Areas 2.6, 2.7, 2.10, and 2.12 as identified in the NWQPS (2003), which fall within West Lincoln, Wainfleet, City of Welland, Town of Pelham and a small section of the City of Port Colborne. Several subwatersheds form the Central Welland River watershed including Beaver Creek, Black Ash Creek, Sucker Creek, Drapers Creek, Little Forks Creek, Welland Canal 7-8, West Main Welland River 3, Biederman Drain, Coyle Creek, Welland Canal and Lyons Creek Drain (Figure 1).

Local Management Areas 2.6, 2.7, 2.10 and 2.12 drain into the Niagara River. The Niagara River has been designated by the federal and provincial governments in cooperation with the International Joint Commission (IJC) as one of 43 Areas of Concern (AOC) in the Great Lakes basin. This designation is due to degraded water quality, which impairs complete use of the River’s resources. In response to concerns over the health of the entire Niagara River ecosystem, a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) was developed. Recommendation 23 (p.17) of the Implementation Annex states: “Municipal planning documents incorporate ecologically based policies and design criteria”. In addition, page 12 of the report includes habitat targets that could be included in Municipal Official Plans (e.g., 30% of the watershed should be natural forest and/or wetland, 10% of the land in each tributary as wetland, 30 metre natural vegetative buffers on streams, and so forth. The Central Welland River Watershed Plan will address the Niagara River RAP.

The Central Welland River Watershed Plan will also take into consideration any changes resulting from Phase 2 of the RAP (e.g., updated delisting criteria), which will be completed in 2007.

Scope of the Study

The intent of this project is to produce a watershed plan developed in consultation with appropriate government agencies, landowners and interest groups that assists with the management of water, land/water interactions, aquatic life and aquatic resources to protect and improve the health of the watershed ecosystem. The Central Welland River Watershed Plan will provide a systematic strategy to guide development, identify and recommend alternative and preferred restoration programs, and strengthen stewardship and partnerships in the watershed. Once complete, the Central Welland River Watershed Plan will characterize the watershed; identify and prioritize key issues in the watershed and recommend strategies based on the key issues.

Watershed Inventory and Actions

NPCA staff will review all available information pertaining to the Central Welland River watershed and undertake field surveys as necessary to produce a complete characterization and inventory of the watershed and watercourse conditions (including natural channels and municipal drains). The study components will include but not be limited to the following:

• Floodplain Mapping: This component of the study will carry out the necessary hydrologic and hydraulic analysis in order to generate 100 year return period floodlines for Drapers Creek, Biederman Drain #1, Little Forks Creek, Beaver Creek, Parkers Creek, Black Ash Creek, Unnamed Creek, Sucker Creek, Coyle Creek and Towpath Drain.

• Stream Morphology: This component of the watershed study will confirm reach boundaries and channel sensitivities through a historic assessment and rapid geomorphic assessment.

• Fish and Aquatic Habitat: This component of the study will assess existing fish communities and fish habitat conditions in the watershed. In addition, factors that limit the distribution (e.g., fish barriers) and abundance of healthy fish communities will be identified.

• Natural Heritage: This component of the watershed study will include the identification of existing wetlands, woodlands, wildlife travel corridors and wildlife habitat areas as well as the relationship between wildlife and natural areas.

• Water Quality: This component of the watershed study will assess the existing water quality of the creeks and tributaries within the Central Welland River watershed.

• Water Quantity: This component of the watershed plan will include an assessment pertaining to water quantity in the Central Welland River watershed. For example, the watershed study will include an evaluation of the ability of watercourses (including municipal drains) to sustain healthy populations and other aquatic life, as well as recreational uses (e.g., fishing).

• Rural Point and Non-Point Source Pollution: This component of the watershed plan will include the results of a landowner survey issued to rural landowners to identify any rural non-point source problem areas and rural BMPs.

• Urban Development: The NWQPS (2003) has identified issues associated with urban development for portions of this watershed (e.g., growth pressure on the west side of the City of Welland). In addition, the City of Welland has been identified as an “Economic Gateway Centre” in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2006). Urban development can result in an increased frequency of flooding and peak flow volumes, decreased base flow, increased sediment loadings, changes in stream morphology, increased organic and inorganic loadings, increased stream temperature, and loss of aquatic/riparian habitat.