In 2013, following substantial completion of the Parkway construction, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) filed petitions with the City for Council to appoint an engineer to examine and report on the municipal drains that provide a drainage outlet for the Parkway. City Council resolved to authorize Landmark Engineers Inc. to prepare a report on the Marentette-Mangin Drain under Section 4 of the Drainage Act.

2.0 Background Information

2.1 Watershed Description

The Marentette-Mangin Drain is an intermittent flowing watercourse due to its limited watershed size and watershed characteristics. Based on Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) mapping, it is classified as a Class F drain. The drain and watershed have been substantially altered over the past few decades by way of urbanization of a portion of the tributary lands in the late 1980s and construction of the Parkway in 2013. The watershed currently exists as a mixture of residential lands, open wooded areas and portions of the Parkway corridor. Some of the undeveloped areas that remain are designated for future urban development. However, some of the open lands are designated as environmentally significant and may remain undeveloped into the future.

The topography of the watershed is relatively flat, having an overall watershed slope in the order of 0.05%. Surface soils predominantly consist of Berrein Sand over clayey, impermeable soils.

2.2 Drain History

The City has long regarded the Marentette-Mangin Drain as a municipal drain established under the Drainage Act. Aerial mapping maintained by the Essex Region Conservation Authority also identifies this drainage feature as a municipal drain. However, a search of the City’s archives did not produce any historic reports or bylaws to confirm when the drain was established, or when the drain was last maintained.

Given the foregoing, it was concluded that a report prepared under Section 4 would be most appropriate to properly address and accommodate the drainage issues, and to ensure that appropriate outlet for all of the public and private lands within the affected watershed was maintained – both initially following construction of the Parkway, and into the future.

Therefore, in order to protect the drainage rights of the drainage community at-large, the City required that the Ministry of Transportation petition for the repair and improvement of the Marentette-Mangin Drain under the provisions of the Drainage Act. The City appointed Landmark Engineers to examine and report on the drain.