July 6, 2009
Please note that Peche
Island Day 2009 has been postponed due to the City work stoppage. We apologize
for any inconveniences and hope to see you at Peche Island once we've chosen a
new date! Stay tuned for more information.
Remember, we love to hear from you! Please email
your environmental events/news or newsletter suggestions. Depending on
timing, we can include your event in our newsletter or on our events calendar.
Natalie Green, RAP Coordinator
postmaster@detroitriver.ca
The DRCC is a community-based partnership between government, industry, academics, as well as environmental and community organizations that work collectively in helping to improve the health of the Detroit River. Our key goal is to implement the Canadian Remedial Action Plan (RAP) in order to restore the beneficial uses and remove the River from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
Did you know??
... that you can get information about which fish from Ontario lakes and rivers are safe to eat?The Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources collect and analyze fish tissue from various Ontario lakes and rivers to produce the Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish.
The 2009-2010 edition incorporates approximately 120,000 test results performed on about 12,000 samples, and also provides consumption advice for about 100 more locations than the last edition.
The Guide is available online. Click to download the entire document or visit the website to view other downloading options. Note: the Detroit River results fall within the Lake Erie section.
Make sure you read the introduction to understand the advice given in the consumption tables. The Guide also contains information about cleaning and cooking fish to reduce contamination, information about diseases and parasites that commonly affect fish, and more!
Windsor gets funding for a Retention Treatment Basin
The City of Windsor recently announced that it will receive $89 million of funding from the province of Ontario and the Federal government to complete several important infrastructure projects. One of those projects is the construction of a Retention Treatment Basin (RTB) and an interceptor sewer along the riverfront (east of the Caron Avenue Pumping Station).
Many areas in Windsor, especially the older areas, are serviced by a combined sewer system. This system carries wastewater and stormwater runoff to the wastewater treatment plant in a single pipe. During heavy rainfalls or spring melt, the capacity of the pipe is insufficient to carry all of the flow to the treatment plant so excess, untreated flow (called a combined sewer overflow or CSO) is discharged directly to the Detroit River. Untreated sewage in combined sewer overflows may have the potential to negatively impact the Detroit River beneficial uses such as clean swimming beaches, healthy benthos, good aesthetics, and fish and wildlife habitat.
Once constructed, the RTB along with the interceptor sewer will collect and treat 7.85 cubic metres per second of combined sewer overflow discharges at 5 of 12 CSO sewers along the Windsor riverfront, reducing discharges of raw sewage into the Detroit River and resulting in significantly improved water quality and aesthetics. Together, the 5 CSO sewers chosen to be intercepted drain the largest area (approximately 1,288 hectares).
The construction of a RTB in the City of Windsor is a high priority action item required to make progress toward the delisting of the Detroit River Area of Concern.
For more information about the City of Windsor's infrastructure projects, call 3-1-1 (in Windsor).
To read the Windsor Star article listing other infrastructure projects to be funded, click here.
The University of Windsor continues to naturalize the stadium berm
Environmental students, the
administration, Grounds Staff at the University of Windsor have worked together
to further naturalize the university's property by enhancing the grassy slope
(facing College Avenue and Huron Church Road) with native flower gardens.
In addition to the grass that has already grown to knee height, students and
grounds staff have planted native species like asters, coneflowers, milkweed,
and prairie grasses on the berm. The selected plants will attract beneficial
insects, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
The native flower garden will also be better for the environment, the
university's budget, and even worker health and safety. The new flower beds
will require no mowing, fertilizers, or pesticides. Once they are establised,
the plants should required little to no watering.
Nicole Unis, president of the Student Environmental Coalition, explained that
this student-driven project sends a message that the university supports the
protection of biodiversity. The group put together a proposal calling on the
university to preserve the naturalized area and enhance the grassy slope with
native flower gardens.
Paddler's Cove now open!
Amherstburg/Detroit River -
Kayakers and canoers can now enjoy launching their vessels into the Detroit
River from Amherstburg. The new launching location, named Paddler's Cove, is
located along Front Road and the foot of Texas Road in Amherstburg, Ontario.
The grand opening of Paddler's Cove was held on Sunday, June 21, 2009. Over 50
kayakers and nearly 20 paddlers on a Montreal Canoe took part in a tour of the
Detroit River, Hidden Lake, Crystal Bay and Bois Blanc (Bob-Lo) Island. In
addition, a number of members from the Windsor-Essex County Canoe Club
participated in a two-day canoe trip along the Detroit River starting at McKee
Park (Windsor) and stopping overnight at Camp Swampy. The kayakers and canoists
then arrived for the grand opening of Paddler's Cove on the second day of their
trip. It was a successful event to promote paddling opportunities in the area.
For more information and to join the Windsor Essex County Canoe Club, please
visit http://www.weccc.org/Home_Page.html
For more information about Paddler's Cove contact: Anne Rota, the Town of
Amherstburg's Facilitator of Tourism & Special Events (519-730-1309 or arota@amherstburg.ca).
for these upcoming events
Peche Island Day
POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Due to the City of Windosr work stoppage, the DRCC and its members have had to POSTPONE
Peche Island Day 2009 until further notice. Peche Island is a city-owned
park. Please keep checking our website and E-newsletter for upcoming details.
We look forward to seeing you there soon!
Lakeside 'Locavore'
Lunch
Sunday, July 12, 2009 - noon to 2:30 pm
Visit the John R. Park Homestead in Harrow and get a taste of local food and
wine--become a 'locavore'! Enjoy live music and more. Also featuring 'Food for
Thought' sessions where local farmers and food producers share their specific
knowledge about the delicious bounty that our region offers.Tickets are $20 and
must be ordered in advance because space is limited. Call 519-738-2029 or email
jrph@erca.org for more
details.
Kayaking Event - Essex
County Field Naturalists Club
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 - 6 pm to 8:30 pm.
Join ECFNC Director Michael Malone for kayaking in the Pelee area. Limited
spots are available and pre-registration is required. Contact Karen at
519-945-3592 for more information and to register.
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement - Biennial Meeting
October 7-8, 2009 - Windsor, Ontario
Meeting delegates will choose to attend a discussion on the science and policy
of:
- the nearshore framework
- chemicals of emerging concern
- binational aquatic invasive species rapid-response policy framework
AND one of the science and policy of:
- beaches and recreational water quality
- benefits and risks of Great Lakes fish consumption
- Eutrophication
Environmental Job Postings
(note: the links will expire soon after the deadline closes.)
Ecologist- Grand River
Conservation Authority
Deadline: July 10, 2009- Physical
Scientist - Department of the Environment
Deadline: July 13, 2009 - Park
Superintendent - Rondeau Provincial Park
Deadline: July 13, 2009 - Program
Assistant (Outreach)- Credit Valley Conservation
Deadline: July 16, 2009 - Environmental
Resource Planner - Ministry of the Environment
Deadline: July 20, 2009
- Terrestrial
Planning Ecologist- Conservation Halton
Deadline: July 20, 2009
|
email: postmaster@detroitriver.ca |