remainder of the channel be allowed to establish naturally, in response to the inherent annual and seasonal fluctuations in Great Lake and Detroit River water levels.
e) Planting of native vegetation along both banks. Incorporate trees and live stakes or topsoil and native vegetation into the rock sheeting on the north bank.
We pointed out that the design anticipated revegetating all of the new channel banks with native seed mixes. We expressed concern with introducing trees on the north channel bank on the basis that this measure would provide little shade over the drain and would potentially impede future drain maintenance. It was ultimately agreed that planting a few trees along the north side of the channel would not unreasonably impact future maintenance. We also agreed to accommodating DFO’s request that the rock sheeting be top-dressed with soil and seeded to promote quicker colonization with native vegetation as noted in Section 10.5.
The foregoing recommendations were incorporated into the Fish Plan that was authored by Morrison Hershfield Limited with assistance of Landmark Engineers Inc for WDBA. Section 8 of the Bridge To Strengthen Trade Act required that a plan for the protection of fish be filed with the Canadian Minister of Infrastructure and Communities before any works were carried out that would otherwise cause an authorization under the Fisheries Act. A copy of the main body of the Fish Plan (less its appendices) is provided in Appendix C.
13.0 Abandonment of Healy Drain
The works proposed herein supplant the need and function of the original Healy Drain as noted below:
- the large majority of the lands that were once tributary to the Healy Drain (all except lands identified as Mun. Roll No. 850-32750) are being diverted to the new Broadway Drain through new local trunk sewers that cross the proposed bridge plaza; and,
- the remnant portion of the original Healy Drain that lies downstream of the bridge plaza works is located entirely on the above-noted property, and only needs to provide drainage to that property.
Therefore, in accordance with the provisions of Section 19 of the Drainage Act, 1990, we recommend that the former Healy Drain be abandoned in its entirety. The physical remnants of the original Healy Drain that are not directly impacted by the works proposed herein can remain as a private drain servicing Mun. Roll No. 850-32750 until such time that the owner wishes to replace the drain with alternative land drainage infrastructure.
14.0 Attachments
The following documents form part of this report and are appended hereto.
A. Petitions Submitted by Bridge Authority and Council Resolution
B. On-site meeting notice and minutes