REPORT ON COUNCIL
January 31, 2005
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:06 a.m. – 6:29 p.m.
Regular Evening Meeting: roughly 7:03 p.m. – 7:53 p.m.
All Members of Council present.
REPORTS ON BEACH WATER QUALITY: At its January 31, 2005 meeting, Council heard two reports about investigations into swimming water quality in Tiny Township in the Summer of 2004. Both are available in outline on the Township website — www.tiny.ca Under Community Info, click on Public Notices, and then on
BEACH WATER STUDY 2003-2004 and
SEVERN SOUND WATER QUALITY REPORT 2004.
BRIEF SUMMARY REPORT ON THESE TWO STUDIES:
A)The Nottawasaga River appears to be the source of swimming water pollution in the area from Spratt Point south to the Town line. Sediment analysis is needed to assess the severity of pollution from the dispersal of river silt north from the Nottawasaga River. Tiny Township needs to get involved in studies of water currents in the south end of Nottawasaga Bay to understand better how pollution is imported to our shores.
B) Beach postings are associated with
– wind direction towards shore
– water temperature above 17 degrees centrigrade
– days with intermediate or dull sunlight
– water clarity of less than 100 centimetres
– high wave action.
DETAILED REPORT ON THESE TWO STUDIES:
THE SEVERN SOUND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION ADDRESSED TWO QUESTIONS
IN 2004:
A) WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION INFLUENCING THE VICINITY OF WOODLAND BEACH?
The answer to this question would appear to be the NOTTAWASAGA RIVER which flows into Georgian Bay at Wasaga Beach roughly a mile south of the Township line.
The report begins with a picture of sludge-like guck fouling the beach and the water’s edge at Allenwood, on the border between Tiny and Wasaga.
The next picture is an aerial photograph of a plume of silt exiting into the Bay from the Nottawasaga River after a storm.
The following picture is divided horizontally into three strips:
a) the strip at the bottom shows the Nottawasaga silt plume at the left and evidence of northward migration of silt along the shore to the right;
b) the middle strip picks up the next section of shore to the north of the first, and there it’s possible to see some of the silt from the plume being deflected out into the Bay and northward by a series of three rock groynes; and
c) the strip at the top follows the silt migrating along the shore northward (from left to right).
The following picture pursues the silt to Spratt Point, where the bulk of it drops to the bottom.
The graph labelled “Beach Quality in Nottawasaga Bay Aug 3, 2004” shows how far north swimming water was negatively impacted after a major storm.
The problem with E. coli contamination carried by silt is that it is probably long lasting. (Ultraviolet light kills bacteria suspended in clear water, quickly. Bacteria protected from the sun by silt can survive a long time.)
Two recommendations emerged from this part of the report — a) that sediment samples be taken and analyzed for bacteria, and b) that Tiny Township become a partner in the Nottawasaga River Study, which is being conducted by the Nottawasaga Conservation Authority, so that more can be
learned about patterns of water movement in Nottawasaga Bay.
B) WHAT ARE THE SOURCES INFLUENCING BALM AND JACKSON CREEK QUALITY?
Jackson Creek does not seem to have received careful study.
Various sampling sites were established along the little stream that emerges at the north curve of Balm Beach cove. These were analyzed for Conductivity, E. coli, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus. Temperature variations were monitored.
The sampling showed that bacterial contamination in the stream did not come from the woods where the stream arose, but from the settled area on the shore. One sampling site had very high E. coli levels, and was reported to C.C. Tatham for septic inspection follow-up. In general, contamination was shown to be related to septics and runoff. The recommendations were
— continued inspection and correction of faulty and substandard
sewage systems
— consider enhanced storm water treatment
— consider moving the discharge of the stream
BEACH WATER STUDY 2003-2004
The Simcoe County District Health Unit monitors some 15 beaches in Tiny Township, most of them on the western shore, taking 5 spaced samples at each beach where water is a metre to a metre and a half in depth. Samples are taken on the first day after each weekend, from mid-June to the end of August. Beach postings are recommended when the geometric mean of a beach’s samples is more than 100 E. coli per 100 ml. of sample.
When the Health Unit takes samples at a beach, a form is filled out noting
Time the samples were taken (morning or afternoon),
Water temperature,
Rainfall (within 48 hrs, within 24 hrs, at time of sampling, none),
Wind direction (toward, away, or parallel to shore, or none),
Brightness of sunlight (bright, intermediate, dull),
Bather density (light, medium or heavy),
Waterfowl affecting site (yes, no),
Wave action (none, medium, heavy),
Water clarity (greater than 100 cm or less than 100 cm),
Algae present (yes, no).
Data for the summer is entered into spreadsheets and analyzed.
The “Results — summary” reveals that
High geometric means — those that resulted in a beach being posted
— were associated with
– summer months (July and August)
– wind direction towards shore
– water temperature above 17 degrees centrigrade
– days with intermediate or dull sunlight
– water clarity of less than 100 centimetre (i.e. the sampler can’t
see his/her feet)
– high wave action.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Health Unit recommends that the various parameters that it notes be defined more clearly, that more data be collected, that the association between high geometric mean counts of E. coli and COMBINATIONS of factors be considered. They see the need for equipment to measure pH,
water clarity, and rainfall. They may review literature about elevated E. coli counts, and they intend to continue to share information with the Board of Health, Tiny Township, Severn Sound Environmental Association, and the Medical Officer of Health.
The Health Unit raised a number of QUESTIONS —
Where does the E. coli come from?
Is it a persistent and natural part of our environment?
Have there been any reports of illness associated with beach use during elevated Geometric Mean events?
Should further surveys be conducted?
Does the falling water level in Georgian Bay have an effect on bathing beach water quality?
Has the increase in development along the shoreline had any impact on bathing beach water quality?
One question raised with Council, but not spelled out in the report, was whether Monday samples are typically higher than those taken mid week.
NOTE THAT DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT SAMPLE RESULTS FOR THE WATERS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE SHORE OF TINY TOWNSHIP IS AVAILABLE ON
http://www.tinycottager.org UNDER “WATER REPORT”. RESULTS FOR EACH OF 2004, 2003, 2003, AND 2001 ARE AVAILABLE AT THE END OF THE INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
