AREA OF CONCERN - Severn Sound

CANADA

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SEVERN SOUND, ONTARIO
(This section includes Stage of RAP development, Beneficial Use Impairments and their delisting targets, and information on whether the AOC has been accurately mapped.)

Stage of RAP Development:

3 - Delisted January 2003

Are electronic maps available that include the AOC's geographic boundaries and associated sources of pollution?

Yes

Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI):
(The BUI will appear underlined if a delisting target has been determined.
If underlined, click on the BUI to display the delisting target.)

Restriction on Fish & Wildlife Consumption

* No restrictions on consumption of fish and wildlife from the Severn Sound attributable to local contaminant sources.
* Mercury concentration in fish flesh should be less than 0.5 ug/g wet wt. For the protection of human health. This objective must recognize that regional geological and atmospheric sources may be significant sources of mercury to the food chain which may not be augmented by localized sources.
* Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) concentration in fish flesh should be less than 2 ug/g wet weight for the protection of human health.
* Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) concentration in whole fish should not exceed 0.1 ug/g wet weight for the protection of birds and animals that consume fish.

Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Population

* To protect and rehabilitate fish and wildlife habitat.
* To restore a balanced, self-sustaining fish community by restoring top-level predators including walleye, northern pike, large and smallmouth bass and muskellunge to levels similar to the early 1970's, with these species forming at least 20-30% of the total predator catch, and walleye forming at least 10% of trapnet results.
* To maintain a natural diverse fish community, to discourage the introduction of exotic species and to prevent the extinction of native or desirable species.
* To maintain a self-sustaining diverse community of colonial waterbirds which currently nest in and near the Sound.
* As part of the Matchedash Bay project of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) to produce 2450 waterfowl including 880 Mallard, 210 Black Duck and 1360 other waterfowl of various species.
* Wildlife populations will be maintained at levels sufficient to provide recreational and economic benefits, ensure environmental quality and ecosystem integrity and ensure public safety.
* To re-introduce a self-sustained population of Trumpeter Swans in the Severn Sound area.
* To find no significant toxicity from water column or sediment contaminants in fish and wildlife bioassays.

Degradation of Benthos

* To reach appropriate benthic community targets and ecosystem objectives for Severn Sound.
* To have benthos characteristic of mesotrophic conditions throughout Severn Sound, i.e. (a) to maintain and enhance presence of the mayfly Hexagenia as an indicator of ecosystem health (b) to have aq sludge work density, especially Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri, less than 3000/m ² in all locations.
* Absence of acute and chronic toxic effects on benthos attributable to trace metals or organics in sediments throughout Severn Sound.

Restrictions on Dredging Activities

* To meet biological and chemical guidelines for sediment quality such that there are no restrictions on dredging or disposal activities attributable to polluted sediments.

Eutrophication or Undesirable Algae

* Total phosphorus concentration that limits the growth of algae should be no more than 10-20 ug/L.
* Algae density, as indicated by chlorophyll a concentration, should be no more than 5-10 ug/L.
* Water clarity, as indicated by Secchi disc visibility, should be greater than 1.2 m.
* Rooted or floating plants which could entangle bathers should be absent; very dense growths could affect other activities such as boating and fishing.

Degradation of Aesthetics

* Water used for swimming should be aesthetically pleasing. The water should be devoid of debris, oil, scum and any substance which produces an objectionable deposit, colour, odour, taste or turbidity.
* Algal density less than 5 ug/L.
* Chlorophyll a reduces incidence of algae blooms.

Degradtion of Phytoplankton & Zooplankton Populations

To ensure phytoplankton species and biovolume are representative of mesotrophic conditions and to have a balanced zooplankton community (i.e. more daphnia).

Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat

* To implement the Severn Sound Fish Habitat Management Plan and other policies to enhance and prevent the loss of fish and wildlife habitat.
* To encourage the restoration of fish habitat in target areas by proponents of new shoreline development.
* To develop plans for rehabilitation or development of new coastal wetland areas as opportunities arise.
* As part of the Matchedash Bay project, to: i) secure and manage 1715 ha of wildlife habitat; ii) restore and develop 427 ha of habitat for waterfowl and other wetland dependant wildlife; iii) maintain and enhance 442 ha of habitat for staging waterfowl.
* To rehabilitate tributaries and riparian areas for fish and wildlife habitats.
* To maintain existing colonial waterbird nesting sites within and near Severn Sound.
* To maintain and increase osprey nesting sites within Severn Sound.

CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT

Estimated remaining volume of contaminated sediment within the AOC:

no information

Remediation to Date:

Natural Recovery and Source Control

WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE

Improvements to Wastewater Infrastructure - Dollars Spent:
Cleanup Fund (CUF) / Great Lakes Sustainability Fund (GLSF)	$1,600,000
Ontario	$19,700,000
Upgrades to 7 sewage treatment plants	no information

Identified Future Costs for Wastewater Infra. - Dollars Needed:
Coldwater Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrades	no information
Stormwater retrofit & sewer separation (implementation is on-going)	no information

HABITAT

Projects / Proposals / Costs:

$4,100,000 on 8 projects - CUF/GLSF

132 projects completed on tributaries

411 ha. of wetland & upland area protected

117,000 trees & shrubs planted

OTHER SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Issues:

3 non-point source control projects: $2,900,000

MANAGEMENT

Federal:	Janette Anderson Environment Canada P.O. Box 5050 867 Lakeshore Road Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 (905) 336-6277
Provincial:	no information
Local / PAC:	Duncan McLaren 497 Islandview Lane Midland, ON L4R 5H4 (705) 526-7368

Please Note: Values provided are intended as indicators only, and may not capture all expenditures or work done. Summary is based on best available Information. "No Information" indicates relevant information was not available at time of publication.