7.7 C
Niagara Falls
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Keeping it Green Full stream ahead: Preparing our creeks for spring

The snow is goneĀ and April rain is soon to bring spring flowers, but there can be downstream effects when all of this water flows through town.

The health of any aquatic environment depends on conditions in its watershed: the surrounding area that collects and directs precipitation and groundwater to the waterway.

LandĀ use in watersheds affects water quality, volumeĀ and wildlife in streams.

One Mile Creek and Two Mile Creek bothĀ meander through Old Town neighbourhoods, mostly on private property. As a result, the town isn't able to widely implement solutions to improve the stream's health.

So, it's up to neighbours to understand how their actions affect local water quality.

Many local watersheds are already urbanizedĀ and development around streams means precipitation doesn't easily seep into the soil. Because of impermeable surfaces like roads, drivewaysĀ and roofs, large volumes of water run over pavement into storm grates.

This means the creek is more likely to overflow during storms and erode the banks or flood buildings and basements. It helps to increase the amount of permeable area, for example by installingĀ walkways with smaller stones instead of concrete.

Stormwater and snowmelt also pick up sediment, automotive oil, fertilizer, road saltĀ and pet waste. Some aquatic species can't survive when water gets too saltyĀ and high nutrient levels from fertilizers can lead to harmful algae blooms in lakes.

Blue-green algae blooms, which are dangerous to humans and pets, caused the closure of several Niagara beaches last summer.

Homes that back on to a stream can make a big difference by using more naturalized gardensĀ near the banks, instead of lawn area.Ā And, if water is pooling in a section of the lawn, it can be an opportunity for some strategic landscaping.

Low-impact development techniques that slow runoff and allow it to be absorbed before reaching the stream are especially helpful.

For example, green roofs, installing rain gardens in ponded areasĀ and soakaway trenches with gravel can all help to reduce overland flow.

Many folks backing onto creeks prefer to remove wild plants and maintain a manicured lawn up to the edge of the bank. But leaving a diverse mix of native wildflowers, grassesĀ and shrubs make valuable riparian buffers.

These strips of vegetation help reduce bank erosion, because plant roots hold the soil in place. A buffer also slows and absorbs excess water before it enters the creekĀ and helps soak up contaminants.

The native plants attract pollinators and support biodiversity, like butterflies and birds, or bats and dragonflies that keep mosquito populations down.

Buffers also canĀ prevent Canada geese from accessing your property, because geese do not like to walk through tall vegetation.

The simplest way to establish a pollinator garden or riparian buffer is to just stop mowing an area of lawn. It might look messy at first, but wildflowers and grasses will start to sprout or you can introduce some new plantings.

There are several subsidies available, including the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority's restoration program, which will fund up to 75 per centĀ of this type of project.

Instead of going with the flow, now is the perfect time to make some small shifts that have big benefits for the health of our lake and streams.

Kyra Simone is a green-at-heart NOTL resident with master's degrees in biology andĀ science communication. In her spare time, she advocates for sustainable change, picks up litter, makes recycled jewelry, and transforms furniture bound for the landfill.

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