2026

This project takes action to reduce the negative impacts of a historical dam, promote cool, clean streams for Brook Trout, and enhance a wetland ecosystem that can assist with flood mitigation.

Native Brook Trout in southern Ontario are considered a key indicator of environmental health because their survival depends on access to cold and clean water. Cold water streams are especially important, as lower temperatures can hold more dissolved oxygen, a critical requirement for Brook Trout, which are highly sensitive to low oxygen levels and generally require summer stream temperatures below 20°C to survive and reproduce successfully. Rising water temperatures associated with climate change pose a significant threat to both Brook Trout populations and overall water quality.

The historical construction of man-made dams in flowing water streams create stagnant ponds which result in unnatural warming of the watercourse. These ponds also reduce water quality, by providing a slow flowing environment where sediment settles and nutrients like phosphorus can accumulate and grow excessive algae. As algae dies, it removes dissolved oxygen from the water. Rerouting the watercourse around these ponds restores dynamic, flowing stream channels and removes the thermal impact of the pond, which is especially important for cold water fish like Brook Trout. The remaining pond can be retained and enhanced to become a wetland where amphibians, birds and reptiles can thrive. Wetlands like these can also help with climate change as they provide an area for seasonal flood waters to spread out and slow, acting as flood mitigation.

At the Bruce Trail Whitetail Refuge property on Mono Centre Creek, a man-made dam structure has caused a large “legacy pool,” which represents a significant impact to summer stream temperatures and a settling basin where sediment accumulates. Recent water temperature monitoring upstream and downstream of the legacy pool show that the pool is responsible for increasing the water temperatures by 4.5°C. In the summer, water leaving the pond is more than 20°C, which is at the threshold where Brook Trout struggle to thrive. The pool is home to dozens of species of amphibians, turtles and birds, but is also beginning to be overtaken by invasive Phragmites.

The proposed restoration involves creating a 150m bypass channel around the legacy pool essentially taking the pond off-line. This will allow cool water temperatures to flow continuously around the pond and improve Brook Trout habitat. The off-line legacy pool will remain in place and will continue to serve as wetland habitat for other aquatic and terrestrial species. The wetland’s water elevation will be lowered and native wetland plants will be installed along the perimeter. Lastly, the new channel and riparian area will be planted with native trees and shrubs to provide habitat and shade that will continue to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Once complete, the public will be able to return to this site along the Bruce Trail for generations and appreciate the scenery.

• Restore 150 m of dynamic flowing stream habitat around a dam structure and stagnant legacy pool.
• Reduce summer stream temperatures by approximately 3.5°C, improving cold water habitat conditions for Brook Trout, a sensitive indicator species for healthy groundwater and surface water systems.
• Improve dissolved oxygen levels by restoring cooler, flowing water conditions.
• Plant native trees and shrubs along creeks to provide habitat and reduce impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems through increased shading and cooler water temperatures.
• Enhance wetland through planting native wetland species along the perimeter of the legacy pool.
• Promote flood mitigation by creating spillways for flood waters to enter and exit the wetland, allowing for water to be retained during peak floods.
• Create and improve spawning habitat for fish species through placement of coarse gravel riffles.
• Stabilize stream banks and eroding areas using naturalized restoration techniques.
• Reduce erosion and nutrient runoff through buffer plantings and wetland restoration.
• Control invasive Phragmites through mapping, cutting, and spraying activities.
• Increase seasonal flood storage capacity by lowering pond elevation approximately 30cm.
• Improve overall water quality downstream in Mono Centre Creek.