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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWCC Correspondence To Waterfront Coordination Committee From Jim Dike Date April 2, 2000 Re Report of the Channel Entrance to Frenchman's Bay Subgroup A meeting was held at Frenchman's Bay Yacht Club with the following committee members present. Grant Morris, Harold Hough,Larry Field, and Jim Dike. After some discussion, it was agreed that a computer model of the entire bay was required to ensure that the channel design would take into account the environmental needs of the bay, and the shoreline of the lake as well. This would have to take into consideration all 4 sources of water movement in and out of the bay, and how they relate to each other, particularly from an environmental point of view. (i.e. the 4 streams and all the storm sewers). Particle transportation would be part of the study as the bottom of the bay is covered in very light easily transported material. Wind effect on the bay would also have to be taken into account, as it does cause some erosion as well. Siltation is the largest and ongoing problem from a lack of an effective storm water management program for the bay. There is some information available for wind effect and some studies have been done on shoreline in the lake itself. It is my understanding that there are computer models available from some shoreline engineering firms in the Toronto area. TRCA has estimated that cost of such a computer model study would be in the range of$40,000 to $50,000.and would be available to assist in developing the specifications for the model if requested. Mr. Grant Morris is currently trying to find a source of federal funding to assist in the cost of this process. The channel design would require specific coastal modelling including analysis of any impact on the dynamic beaches (east/west spits), and interruption of the sediment transport. Any new channel work would require Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries & Oceans and TRCA (full permit& assistance with Fisheries approval under TRCA/DFO level 3 agreement). We recommend that this project be given the highest priority by the City of Pickering in order to develop a comprehensive plan to restore the environment of the bay to a healthy long term sustainable state. Memorandum To: Waterfront Coordinating Committee Cc: All Members From: David Steele, (Chair of the Mayor's Waterfront Task Force Report) • Date: 04/03/00 Re: Storm Water Management Jackground Pickering Waterfront 2001,Mayor's Waterfront Task Force The final report was submitted to the City of Pickering June 1998. The directors of various departments in the City of Pickering endorsed the report in which a staff report was prepared and adopted by the Mayor and councilors in the year 1998. The Mayors Waterfront Task Fore was fortunate to obtain the services of a local Professor of Geology, Dr. N. Eyles, and one of his students, Laura Clinton from the (University of Toronto at Scarborough). Frenchman's Bay became the prime focus of the environmental study. The study describes the results of a watershed study aimed at identifying the condition of the creeks drainage to Frenchman's Bay. The report recommended remedial action focussing on storm water management and wetland restoration is needed urgently, if Frenchman's Bay is to retain its value as a wildlife habitat and recreation/tourism resource. The complete environmental report is covered from page 93-121 of the Mayors Waterfront Task Force Report. In 1999 a Millennium committee on the waterfront was formed who looked at the possibility of obtaining a Federal Millennium grant. The application for funding was completed and the City of Pickering was awarded approximately $350,000 from the federal government towards the Millennium square and the westshore boardwalk. The T.R.C.A. had also used the Mayors waterfront task force report applying for federal and provincial funding for rebilitation work around Frenchman's Bay, they also were successful in obtaining grants, the amount was never disclosed. The total budgetary amount for the waterfront is approximately $3 million dollars In February 2000, a waterfront coordinating committee was formed with approval from the City of Pickering Council. At the first working groups meeting I volunteered to be the group leader on storm water management. The status of the work to date has been collected in which I can now report the following. The City of Pickering Municipal &Engineering division has received approval of a total of $275,000 in storm water budgets for storm water initiatives in the Frenchman's Bay Watershed. • iz.; cg, To date $30,000 has been expended to develope base line information with the T.R.C.A. to develope a strategy for Crosno Creek improvements. The City is exploring the availability of buying the MTO lands at Liverpool Road. Recommendations I will be asking the storm water committee to review and adopt the following ten items: 1) A complete computer model on all creeks that flow into Frenchman's Bay to include the existing entrance to Frenchman's Bay and the possibility of widening of Frenchman's Bay from Lake Ontario; 2) A circulation/flow model of the Bay in which new data would have to be collected such as current directions in the Bay. Data would have to be collected for a complete year (particularly during rainstorms); 3) Obtaining all base line flows and sediments dispositioning from all creeks due to rain storms. 4) The computer model would cover one full year of actual weather conditions and effects on the creeks throughout the City of Pickering; 5) Have all storm water pipes that run into the Bay fitted with sediment grit collectors; 6) Determine the size/depth of storm water ponds that are identified in the Mayor's Waterfront Task Force Report; 7) Improvements to the creeks that flow through the City of Pickering to Frenchman's Bay; 8) _ Obtain drawings from the ministry of transportation to review approved working `drawings on storm water run off from highway 401; 9) Complete a draft terms of reference of the storm water computer modelling with City engineering (I will also obtain help from the University of Toronto Environmental Science Department); 10) After the computer studies are completed decide on priority and action plane of action dependent on findings from the computer modeling.