Click on the photograph of the scientist to listen to them talking about their research in Hamilton Harbour. You can use the right mouse button to interrupt them at any time.
At one time, 11 800 years ago, Burlington Bay and Lake Ontario were part of a much larger lake called Lake Iroquois. Eventually the water level in Burlington Bay was lowered by a change in sill level. At this time the bay was separated from Lake Ontario and remained a small shallow lake, trees colonized what was formerly shore area around the lake. Wtih time a mature forest developed..........................................................................................................................%
Farrell Boyce recites a poem he wrote about a fish in Hamilton Harbour...
on Harbour...
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Access and aesthetics
It was hard, ten years ago, to suggest to citizens the importance of cleaning up a harbour they could hardly see or reach. Views of the harbour were blocked by industrial and marine facilities, and there used to be few paths or beaches where people could walk. What there was to see in the harbour was not always worth the effort - little wildlife, few recreational activities; and often there was an unpleasant odour. While odours persist even today, locations of public access have increased to about 16% of the harbour shoreline from the original 2% years ago, many trails have now been built and wildlife viewing is on the increase.
Cleaning up the harbour is required for many reasons unrelated to public access. However, the goals of the stakeholders include making the harbour swimmable and available for simple enjoyment. To some citizens this may mean passive recreational facilities such as boardwalks, while to others it may include more active recreation such as boating, swimming, or surfboarding. The harbour and the RAP also provide an opportunity for public education; information programs, both at the site and in other settings, could contribute to public understanding of the specific needs of Hamilton Harbour and of the general need for all citizens to take responsibility for environmental problems.
Measures that reunite the citizens of the Hamilton region with their waterfront can demonstrate how all citizens will share in the benefits of the remedial program. The stakeholders recommend a continuing program with:
* an emphasis in planning guidelines for future development on the importance of making the harbour visible, accessible, and attractive
* expanding programs to control air emissions to make the harbour more aesthetically pleasing
* establishing wildlife viewing stations around the harbour
* developing public information and education programs and an environmental information centre
* continuing public involvement in the RAP
* annual reports on conditions in the harbour and measures being taken to improve them.
n to improve them.
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rial contimination
Bacterial contamination
Swimming was not permitted in Hamilton Harbour for about 50 years, but in 1993 beaches were opened again in the West End. Boaters and surfboarders also use the harbour, and they may find themselves in the water from time to time. When beaches near the harbour - such as those on the Beach Strip and in some park areas - are closed because of bacterial contamination, boaters and surfboarders in the harbour will usually be at greater risk than swimmers in the lake.
Bacterial contamination of the harbour occurs primarily after rainfalls. The storm runoff from city streets and lawns enters the sewage system, causing an overload. The treatment plant cannot contain the excess water, which combines with the contents of household and small business sewers and then overflows, untreated, into the harbour. Other storm drains empty directly into the streams and harbour and have the potential to carry bacterial contamination, particularly from animal waste. Some bacteria also enter the harbour through contaminated creeks.
The stakeholders recommend a continuing program of:
* installation of retention basins to hold back the excess water until storms pass and the water can be treated in the sewage treatment plant.
* continued disinfection of sewage effluent during the summer
* establishment of an effective monitoring system within the harbour to determine the improvements in bacterial reduction and to identify other sources of bacteria
* assessment of bacterial contamination in creeks, followed by treatment where required.
ment where required.
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ton harbour history
Some History....
In the nineteenth century, vast marshes in Hamilton Harbour provided habitat for wildlife. Pike and bass were so abundant that local residents caught them using spears. The harbour's fishery accounted for 15 per cent of the Lake Ontario catch in 1900. Soup made from turtles caught in the harbour was a specialty at a local hotel.
As population and development increased, sewage flowing into the harbour made the water unsafe for swimming; beaches were closed for the first time in the 1940s. Marshes and shoreline habotat gradually shrank as the harbour was filled in; a quarter of the water area has disappeared since 1926. The industrial plants that grew up around the harbour continued to discharge their wastes into its water. By 1957, the last commercial fisherman had left.
Since the 1960s, as awareness of the toll being taken by pollution has grown, measures have been taken to reduce dramatically the flow of contaminants into the water. But when "areas of concern" were being identified in the Great Lakes Basin in the early 1980s, Hamilton Harbour was still not clean enough to be left off the list.
So today the federal and provincial environment ministries, under the Canada-Ontario Agreement (COA), are working with local stakeholders to develop and implement the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan.....................
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Stresses on fish and wildlife
Fish and wildlife in and around the harbour have been heavily affected by its deterioration. Scientists suspect that the carcinogens reported in Hamilton Harbour sediment play a role in the occurrence of liver tumours in white suckers and skin tumours in brown bullheads. The reduction in oxygen supply caused by eutrophication also causes stress in some species.
But even if toxic contamination is reduced and an adequate oxygen supply restored, the worst stress on these populations will remain: loss of spawning and feeding areas. Much of the damage done to the area by the infilling of the past is irreversible. However, there are some parts of the harbour where habitat can be developed or enhanced.
We know from historical accounts that in the nineteenth century, the harbour and Cootes Paradise were renowned for their abundance of thriving fish and wildlife. The success of many of today's remedial actions will be judged by whether they can restore fish populations and build a stable waterbird community. When certain species of fish, for example, have returned and are enjoying a healthy and productive life cycle, we will have one major signal that the RAP is doing its job. The stakeholders recommend:
* implementing projects to restore and enhance marsh and other necessary vegetation in Cootes Paradise and at the mouth of the Grindstone Creek
* constructing artificial reefs and other underwater structures for fish and vegetation along the north shore of the harbour and along the southwest shore from the Lax property to the Desjardins Canal
* creating habitat for nesting populations of desirable wildfowl
* controlling carp, to allow more desirable species of fish to breed and grow
* introducing top predator species into the harbour to restore a more natural balance of fish species
* enforcing applicable guidelines and laws that protect fish habitat
* taking all possible measures to reduce the amounts of toxic contaminants that get into the water, sediment, and food chain
* establishing viewing stations around the harbour so that the public may enjoy seeing the wildlife
* establishing a Fish and Wildlife Committee to promote all natural areas within the watershed
* encouraging more research and study of fish and wildlife populations in the harbour
* continued monitoring of the area to evaluate the success of remedial measures.
cess of remedial measures.
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contamination
Toxic contamination
Contamination of the water and sediments in Hamilton Harbour by metals (such as zinc, iron, nickel, and lead) and by organic compounds (such as PCBs, PAHs, mirex, and DDT/DDE, among others) has been occuring over several decades. Scientists have observed toxic effects on fish and animal life in the harbour leading to a concern that the health of species higher on the food chain, possibly including humans, may be at risk also.
The majority of the contamination has come from large industries, but other sources of unwanted chemicals have also been identified. These include many small industrial operations, which use municipal sewers to dispose of their waste; farmers, who use chemicals that are eventually washed into the harbour; and atmospheric fallout. The individual householder contributes, too, by using sewers to dispose of household chemicals. Even the sewage treatment system itself can cause a degree of contamination because the chlorine that it uses can react with other chemicals to create potentially harmful compounds.
So reducing contamination by potentially toxic chemicals will require a wide range of measures. In addition to seeking the virtual elimination of persistent toxic compounds from all the various sources that now supply them to the harbour, the stakeholders emphasize the need for compliance with existing water quality guidelines. The stakeholders recommend:
* speedy implementation of the provincial government's Municipal-Industrial Strategy for Abatement, which targets polluters who discharge contaminants into the sewer system and the harbour and which aims to stop such pollution at the source
* mapping and modelling the chemical and biological characteristics of the harbour, to see how contaminated sediment is transported into and out of the harbour and to find ways of reducing the effects of contaminated sediments on fish and wildlife
* removal or treatment of contaminated sediments
* continuing and promoting the household hazardous waste collection programs provided by the regional municipalities
* expanding public education and information programs that help citizens to make informed choices about environmentally damaging chemicals that they may be using in their homes and gardens
* reassessment of the use of pesticides in all types of public greenspaces
* continued monitoring and reporting of spills and near-spills into the harbour
* exploring alternatives to chlorination of sewage effluent..
wage effluent.
ization
Urbanization and land management
Many of the problems in the harbour can be traced to activities that fall under the general heading "land management." The relatively rapid urban expansion in the region surrounding the harbour has resulted in erosion from subdivision development and unwise stream management. Sewage treatment plants are unable to cope adequately with the urban expansion. Road and highway construction destroys wildlife habitat. Industrialization has also contributed to the degradation of the harbour in many ways.
Dealing with a complex issue like land use planning is complicated by the multiplicity of levels of governments and their agencies who all function under different mandates and with different responsibilities. No overall plan exists to pull together all these agencies and provide them with a common set of objectives so the RAP helps fill the gaps. The stakeholders recommend continuing the program to:
* reduce soil erosion by employing better farming practices, better
management of erosion in construction areas, and other remedial measures
* ensure that all development affecting the harbour area remains subject to
existing environmental assessment procedures
* ensure that all individuals, agencies, and governments with planning
authority for the harbour and its watershed cooperate to adopt the
principles of the RAP, to implement its goals and recommendations
consistently, and to draw up a coordinated, long-term planning document
for Hamilton Harbour..
bour.
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n statement
Vision statement
People living in the harbour's watershed have a vision of Hamilton Harbour as a vibrant centrepiece in their community's life. They look toward a time when the environment will be balanced, friendly, accessible, clean and humming with diversity. They see the pleasure of recreation mixed with prosperity from use of the harbour as an essential marine transportation link. They hope that what is a vision for them will be reality for generations to come.
to come.
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quality
Water quality
The water in Hamilton Harbour is cloudy, oxygen-poor, and sometimes smelly. More oxygen and more growth of useful plants are needed to make the harbour a better home for fish, birds, and animals.
Poor water clarity is caused by sediment washed into Cootes Paradise and the harbour from the watershed. The sediment consists mostly of topsoil that is eroded from farms, streambanks, and construction sites because of traditional agricultural and construction practices; other sources are industrial waste water and municipal sewage effluent. When solid particles are suspended in the water, making it cloudy, sunlight cannot penetrate very far below the surface, and the growth of water plants is stifled. These plants are needed as food and habitat for fish and wildlife. Even a small improvement in clarity can greatly increase the amount of habitat available, leading, in turn, to an overall increase in fish and wildlife populations. Much improvement has taken place in recent years, but continued work is required.
The lack of oxygen in the water stems from a process called eutrophication or over-enrichment. Excessive amounts of nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, enter the water along with sewage, treated or untreated. These nutrients cause "algal blooms," excessive growth of algae on the surface of the water. When the algae die and decay, there is an unpleasant smell but, more importantly, the oxygen in the water that fish and other aquatic life need to survive is used up. Algal blooms are also a nuisance to boaters and swimmers.
Controlled eutrophication will probably require large-scale improvements in sewage treatment. The excess phosphorus and nitrogen comes from human waste and cleaning products. Another helpful approach would be water conservation measures: reduced water use would mean a lower volume of waste water entering treatment plants, thereby reducing the strain on these facilities.
The stakeholders have drafted recommendations that focus on improving water clarity, increasing oxygen supply in the water, and encouraging water conservation:
* encouraging farmers to use ploughing or tillage practices that reduce soil erosion
* stricter measures for builders of new subdivisions, industrial areas, and transportation corridors to manage solid-waste removal wisely
* reducing the discharge of solid particles, phosphorus, and nitrogen from sewage treatment plants, combined sewers, and creeks to meet existing goals
* assessment of current sewage treatment processes to determine where efficiency can be improved
* improved chemical treatment of sewage and the installation of sand filters, where appropriate
* extension of water metering programs in the communities of the watershed
* setting rates for water to reflect the true costs of supplying and treating it
* mandating the use of water-conserving fixtures in new homes and encouraging retrofitting of such devices in older homes
* continued monitoring of sediment sources, in order to gauge the effect of remedial measures and to identify any new sources of sediment
* developing better scientific models that would assist in the overall effort to improve water quality.
* pumping oxygen into the harbour in the summer if necessary as a last resort, and monitoring this process in order to verify the expected benefit to the population of bottom-dwelling organismssssssssssssslling organisms
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t^ V V
Access and aesthetics
It was hard, ten years ago, to suggest to citizens the importance of cleaning up a harbour they could hardly see or reach. Views of the harbour were blocked by industrial and marine facilities, and there used to be few paths or beaches where people could walk. What there was to see in the harbour was not always worth the effort - little wildlife, few recreational activities; and often there was an unpleasant odour. While odours persist even today, locations of public access have increased to about 16% of the harbour shoreline from the original 2% years ago, many trails have now been built and wildlife viewing is on the increase.
Cleaning up the harbour is required for many reasons unrelated to public access. However, the goals of the stakeholders include making the harbour swimmable and available for simple enjoyment. To some citizens this may mean passive recreational facilities such as boardwalks, while to others it may include more active recreation such as boating, swimming, or surfboarding. The harbour and the RAP also provide an opportunity for public education; information programs, both at the site and in other settings, could contribute to public understanding of the specific needs of Hamilton Harbour and of the general need for all citizens to take responsibility for environmental problems.
Measures that reunite the citizens of the Hamilton region with their waterfront can demonstrate how all citizens will share in the benefits of the remedial program. The stakeholders recommend a continuing program with:
* an emphasis in planning guidelines for future development on the importance of making the harbour visible, accessible, and attractive
* expanding programs to control air emissions to make the harbour more aesthetically pleasing
* establishing wildlife viewing stations around the harbour
* developing public information and education programs and an environmental information centre
* continuing public involvement in the RAP
* annual reports on conditions in the harbour and measures being taken to improve them.
n to improve them.
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rial contimination
Bacterial contamination
Swimming was not permitted in Hamilton Harbour for about 50 years, but in 1993 beaches were opened again in the West End. Boaters and surfboarders also use the harbour, and they may find themselves in the water from time to time. When beaches near the harbour - such as those on the Beach Strip and in some park areas - are closed because of bacterial contamination, boaters and surfboarders in the harbour will usually be at greater risk than swimmers in the lake.
Bacterial contamination of the harbour occurs primarily after rainfalls. The storm runoff from city streets and lawns enters the sewage system, causing an overload. The treatment plant cannot contain the excess water, which combines with the contents of household and small business sewers and then overflows, untreated, into the harbour. Other storm drains empty directly into the streams and harbour and have the potential to carry bacterial contamination, particularly from animal waste. Some bacteria also enter the harbour through contaminated creeks.
The stakeholders recommend a continuing program of:
* installation of retention basins to hold back the excess water until storms pass and the water can be treated in the sewage treatment plant
* continued disinfection of sewage effluent during the summer
* establishment of an effective monitoring system within the harbour to determine the improvements in bacterial reduction and to identify other sources of bacteria
* assessment of bacterial contamination in creeks, followed by treatment where required.
ment where required.
ton harbour history
Some History....
In the nineteenth century, vast marshes in Hamilton Harbour provided habitat for wildlife. Pike and bass were so abundant that local residents caught them using spears. The harbour's fishery accounted for 15 per cent of the Lake Ontario catch in 1900. Soup made from turtles caught in the harbour was a specialty at a local hotel.
As population and development increased, sewage flowing into the harbour made the water unsafe for swimming; beaches were closed for the first time in the 1940s. Marshes and shoreline habitat gradually shrank as the harbour was filled in; a quarter of the water area has disappeared since 1926. The industrial plants that grew up around the harbour continued to discharge their wastes into its water. By 1957, the last commercial fisherman had left.
Since the 1960s, as awareness of the toll being taken by pollution has grown, measures have been taken to reduce dramatically the flow of contaminants into the water. But when "areas of concern" were being identified in the Great Lakes Basin in the early 1980s, Hamilton Harbour was still not clean enough to be left off the list.
So today the federal and provincial environment ministries, under the Canada-Ontario Agreement (COA), are working with local stakeholders to develop and implement the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan.
Stresses on fish and wildlife
Fish and Wildlife in and around the harbour have been heavily affected by its deterioration. Scientists suspect that the carcinogens reported in Hamilton Harbour sediment play a role in the occurrence of liver tumours in white suckers and skin tumours in brown bullheads. The reduction in oxygen supply caused by eutrophication also causes stress in some species.
But even if toxic contamination is reduced and an adequate oxygen supply restored, the worst stress on these populations will remain: loss of spawning and feeding areas. Much of the damage done to the area by the infilling of the past is irreversible. However, there are some parts of the harbour where habitat can be developed or enhanced.
We know from historical accounts that in the nineteenth century, the harbour and Cootes Paradise were renowned for their abundance of thriving fish and wildlife. The success of many of today's remedial actions will be judged by whether they can restore fish populations and build a stable waterbird community. When certain species of fish, for example, have returned and are enjoying a healthy and productive life cycle, we will have one major signal that the RAP is doing its job. The stakeholders recommend:
* implementing projects to restore and enhance marsh and other necessary vegetation in Cootes Paradise and at the mouth of the Grindstone Creek
* constructing artificial reefs and other underwater structures for fish and vegetation along the north shore of the harbour and along the southwest shore from the Lax property to the Desjardins Canal
* creating habitat for nesting populations of desirable wildfowl
* controlling carp, to allow more desirable species of fish to breed and grow
* introducing top predator species into the harbour to restore a more natural balance of fish species
* enforcing applicable guidelines and laws that protect fish habitat
* taking all possible measures to reduce the amounts of toxic contaminants that get into the water, sediment, and food chain
* establishing viewing stations around the harbour so that the public may enjoy seeing the wildlife
* establishing a Fish and Wildlife Committee to promote all natural areas within the watershed
* encouraging more research and study of fish and wildlife populations in the harbour
* continued monitoring of the area to evaluate the success of remedial measures.
cess of remedial measures.
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contamination
Toxic contamination
Contamination of the water and sediments in Hamilton Harbour by metals (such as zinc, iron, nickel, and lead) and by organic compounds (such as PCBs, PAHs, mirex, and DDT/DDE, among others) has been occuring over several decades. Scientists have observed toxic effects on fish and animal life in the harbour leading to a concern that the health of species higher on the food chain, possibly including humans, may be at risk also.
The majority of the contamination has come from large industries, but other sources of unwanted chemicals have also been identified. These include many small industrial operations, which use municipal sewers to dispose of their waste; farmers, who use chemicals that are eventually washed into the harbour; and atmospheric fallout. The individual householder contributes, too, by using sewers to dispose of household chemicals. Even the sewage treatment system itself can cause a degree of contamination because the chlorine that it uses can react with other chemicals to create potentially harmful compounds.
So reducing contamination by potentially toxic chemicals will require a wide range of measures. In addition to seeking the virtual elimination of persistent toxic compounds from all the various sources that now supply them to the harbour, the stakeholders emphasize the need for compliance with existing water quality guidelines. The stakeholders recommend:
* speedy implementation of the provincial government's Municipal-Industrial Strategy for Abatement, which targets polluters who discharge contaminants into the sewer system and the harbour and which aims to stop such pollution at the source
* mapping and modelling the chemical and biological characteristics of the harbour, to see how contaminated sediment is transported into and out of the harbour and to find ways of reducing the effects of contaminated sediments on fish and wildlife
* removal or treatment of contaminated sediments
* continuing and promoting the household hazardous waste collection programs provided by the regional municipalities
* expanding public education and information programs that help citizens to make informed choices about environmentally damaging chemicals that they may be using in their homes and gardens
* reassessment of the use of pesticides in all types of public greenspaces
* continued monitoring and reporting of spills and near-spills into the harbour
* exploring alternatives to chlorination of sewage effluent.
wage effluent.
ization
Urbanization and land management
Many of the problems in the harbour can be traced to activities that fall under the general heading "land management." The relatively rapid urban expansion in the region surrounding the harbour has resulted in erosion from subdivision development and unwise stream management. Sewage treatment plants are unable to cope adequately with the urban expansion. Road and highway construction destroys wildlife habitat. Industrialization has also contributed to the degradation of the harbour in many ways.
Dealing with a complex issue like land use planning is complicated by the multiplicity of levels of governments and their agencies who all function under different mandates and with different responsibilities. No overall plan exists to pull together all these agencies and provide them with a common set of objectives so the RAP helps fill the gaps. The stakeholders recommend continuing the program to:
* reduce soil erosion by employing better farming practices, better
management of erosion in construction areas, and other remedial measures
* ensure that all development affecting the harbour area remains subject to
existing environmental assessment procedures
* ensure that all individuals, agencies, and governments with planning
authority for the harbour and its watershed cooperate to adopt the
principles of the RAP, to implement its goals and recommendations
consistently, and to draw up a coordinated, long-term planning document
for Hamilton Harbour.
bour.
n statement
Vision statement
People living in the harbour's watershed have a vision of Hamilton Harbour as a vibrant centrepiece in their community's life. They look toward a time when the environment will be balanced, friendly, accessible, clean and humming with diversity. They see the pleasure of recreation mixed with prosperity from use of the harbour as an essential marine transportation link. They hope that what is a vision for them will be reality for generations to come.
to come.
quality
Water quality
The water in Hamilton Harbour is cloudy, oxygen-poor, and sometimes smelly. More oxygen and more growth of useful plants are needed to make the harbour a better home for fish, birds, and animals.
Poor water clarity is caused by sediment washed into Cootes Paradise and the harbour from the watershed. The sediment consists mostly of topsoil that is eroded from farms, streambanks, and construction sites because of traditional agricultural and construction practices; other sources are industrial waste water and municipal sewage effluent. When solid particles are suspended in the water, making it cloudy, sunlight cannot penetrate very far below the surface, and the growth of water plants is stifled. These plants are needed as food and habitat for fish and wildlife. Even a small improvement in clarity can greatly increase the amount of habitat available, leading, in turn, to an overall increase in fish and wildlife populations. Much improvement has taken place in recent years, but continued work is required.
The lack of oxygen in the water stems from a process called eutrophication or over-enrichment. Excessive amounts of nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, enter the water along with sewage, treated or untreated. These nutrients cause "algal blooms," excessive growth of algae on the surface of the water. When the algae die and decay, there is an unpleasant smell but, more importantly, the oxygen in the water that fish and other aquatic life need to survive is used up. Algal blooms are also a nuisance to boaters and swimmers.
Controlled eutrophication will probably require large-scale improvements in sewage treatment. The excess phosphorus and nitrogen comes from human waste and cleaning products. Another helpful approach would be water conservation measures: reduced water use would mean a lower volume of waste water entering treatment plants, thereby reducing the strain on these facilities.
The stakeholders have drafted recommendations that focus on improving water clarity, increasing oxygen supply in the water, and encouraging water conservation:
* encouraging farmers to use ploughing or tillage practices that reduce soil erosion
* stricter measures to for builders of new subdivisions, industrial areas, and transportation corridors to manage solid-waste removal wisely
* reducing the discharge of solid particles, phosphorus, and nitrogen from sewage treatment plants, combined sewers, and creeks to meet existing goals
* assessment of current sewage treatment processes to determine where efficiency can be improved
* improved chemical treatment of sewage and the installation of sand filters, where appropriate
* extension of water metering programs in the communities of the watershed
* setting rates for water to reflect the true costs of supplying and treating it
* mandating the use of water-conserving fixtures in new homes and encouraging retrofitting of such devices in older homes
* continued monitoring of sediment sources, in order to gauge the effect of remedial measures and to identify any new sources of sediment
* developing better scientific models that would assist in the overall effort to improve water quality.
* pumping oxygen into the harbour in the summer if necessary as a last resort, and monitoring this process in order to verify the expected benefit to the population of bottom-dwelling organismslling organisms
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bruce trail
This will be a slide show of the trail for now...
951109: rick's notes: pictures of the trail will appear on the screen throughout the narration...
text: "for more info. on the bruce trail, contact the bruce trail association, p.o. box 857, hamilton, ontario, l8n 3n9 phone (905) 529-6821, fax (905) 529-6823."
(audio: "Officially opened on june 10, 1967, the bruce trail is a continuous footpath along the niagara escarpment from tobermory to niagara. passing through waterdown, dunda, hamilton, ancaster & stoney creek, it give the hiker a unique experience.
"here you can see how man and nature have adapted to each other as hamilton sprawls both above and below the escarpment, or a gorge hides in the trees within the city limits.
"in the royal botanical gardens arboretum in dundas, you will find the bruce trail headquarters at raspberry house.
"there are many historical sites along the trail as well as an abundance of waterfalls. passing through many of the area's parks, the bruce trail is one of the best ways to see the geography, beauty and history of the hamilton area.")
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