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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1980-05-07, Page 10F. one warm June weekend that there were too many dead fish in, the stream' and ,that the water was close to 80 or 90 degrees. He built the dam to deepen the stream and directed some spring water into ' the stream, "`Looking liack we haven't had any dead fish and the water is , cool and three feet deep," he said, "1 never thought of contacting the ministry, I just wanted to fix the stream." Ministry officials also pointed out there is a maxi- mum 10,000 gallons of water that could be taken from a stream or river. Anyone re-, • quiring more would have to apply for a licence from the Ministry of the Environment. In other business Don Little, marketing representa- tive' for Canfarm in. Huron County, annoonced that farmers can reach him through the Clinton Credit Union or Contact Pete Roy, Clinton, who will be opning an agency for Canfarm in Clinton. He pointed out that Canfaim is a tax and management tool and helps producers keep a better set of records on a monthly ' basis. He cautioned that Canfarm does historical data, not, income tax forms. Gordon . Hill reported on a' meeting between the land use committee and the Minis- try of Natural Resources. The group offered the following resolution that was,passed,by the membership Thursday evening; that OFA petition, the proper authorities to ensure that where farmers ,,,are pre'vented frOm draining land or put to increased costs to provide fish habitat, or wet or lands' for public benefit,, that they, are suit- ably roinbursed by 'exemp, tion from property tax or the government sharing project costs, or a combination, Ontario t's keep Ontario beautiful. 1.11•1.•;••:•:: . .4:114••;f: :;•• j••• b... • so ;••• AAA .n..0,11 THE „envss..e.14...PPST, MAY 7,. 'MOO' ST RHEA HAMILTON sides along areas of the "There are no muskrat Belgrave Creek. M. Dobell now and we don't hear the showed. Sharp's Creek as an bull, frogs anymore." At example of a good coldwater Thursday's Huron F of A Stream. meeting, Stan Johns told • In the third part of the Ministry of Natural Resour- program Doug Dodge, Super ces (MNR) representatives intendent of the fisheries that since the Seaforth sew- Branch, Toronto, outlined age lagoon was implemented the federal fisheries act and the drainage from the lagoon pointed out that anything had altered the productivity concerned with water had to of the Bayfield. River, It was be looked at by the agency. 'new information to the Fisheries is a federal matter ministry and they were as but the provinces were offer- concerned as the • farmer ed the job of managing and about changing the situation. enforcing the law in 1967. The discussion was part of Only Ontario, British Colum- the program "Coldwater bia, Quebec, and Alberta streams: an endangered flab- chose to accept the jutis- itat," that the ministry held dietion. at the Huron Federation of Art Carr, from .Ministry of Agriculture's monthly Natural Resources, Wing- meeting. ham, covered the act from Mr. Johns farms along the the province's point of view. Bayfield river in Tuckersmith He admitted to a bone 'of . township and has lived his contention in the act concern- whole life near the river. The ing the definition of the, word lagoon was first built in 1971 dam. Anything that holds and he says treater effluent back water or diverts it, is dumped into the river including bypass ponds, di- twice yearly. versions„ and municipal Mr. Johns pointed out that drains., can be classed as a treatment procedure delays dam. This causes confusion the dumping so late in the and there is a procedure spring that the river is low underway to have a better and the trout have already definition implemented.. started to spawn when the There are several acts lagoon is emptied. The efflu- related to activities involving ent smothers the eggs and lakes and rivers. They in- they don't hatch. and the dude the Lakes and. Rivers trout that escape travel back Improvement Act, and Beach downstream. Protection Act, the Public The Ministry of the En- Lands Act, and the Fisheries vironment has been notified Act. There are also statutes every spring by Mr. Johns in four' other federal, and and Bruce Bowland of the provincial acts. The Fisheries London office told Mr. Johns Act say "no person shall in a conversation earlier carry on any work or under- Thursday that the study the taking that results in the ministry did in 1978 on' the harmful alteration, disrup- Seaforth lagoon will be re- tion or destruction of fish leased later this spring. habitat." Habitat here not "In this part of the country only includes the water but it is cold six months of the the surroundings in which year and the lagoons cannot plants and other life forms properly operate."' said Mr. interact to make fish life Johns. "The lagoon is iced possible. over in the winter and 'there QUESTIONS is no aeration or evaporation Questions from the floor essential for lagoons." were answered by the three "It irritates me that both speakers and Norm Richards, government agencies (Minis- district manager for the tries of Natural Resources Wingham office of the M. N. and environment) leave each R. A primary concern of other alone in a situation like farmers was, the cost of this." said Mr. Johns. "They making changes to the know it's not just the farmers streams to accommodate the polluting the streams. This Ministry. ,At present an massive discharge twice a agreement is negotiated with year is the last straw to break the landowner where in some the camel's back as far as the cases land can be leased by ecology of the river is con- the ministry to allow for cerned " Mr. Johns pointed fences along the stream outs Physically the river looks banks. Mr. Dobell pointed the same and the farming out that in some of the practises haven't changed cleanup projects along the Mr. Johns pointed out, but Belgrave Creek all the work the productivity of the river and money was on part of the has declined and he would ministry. like to see more action taken. After upgrading the A short film illustrated streams and creating suit- what unrestricted cattle ac- able habitat for fish, one cess to streams) and bulldoz- farmer contended that he ing and stripping of creeks and a lot of others wold be and streams can do to the faced with trespassers who land around the streams and would cut their fences, scare to the natural life in the livestock and make a general creeks. nuisance of themselves. Mr. BIOLOGIST Richards offered assurances John Dobell, district biology that the land is still private gist for the Ministry of property and that the minis- Natural Resources, Wing- try is not keen on having ham, followed with slides of people fishing in the breed- the area showing Where coin- ing areas of the streams. mon sense and better water "The ministry can be called management help prevent to lay charges but I wold erosion and improve the recommend that signs be quality of Water. Areas that posted requiring permission have been spot cleaned in from the land owner," Mr. cooperation with the land Richards said. owner were shown before One farmer from Motris And after the Work had been Township admitted to build- done. Rock piles from the ing a dam ten years ago on land around the banks were the stream cutting through used to shore up the stream his property. He had noticed Fortunately, many community- minded people care about this and want to help keep Ontario beautiful. The 19,000 members of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and HunterS, for example, assisted by the Ministry of the Environment, are staging PITCH IN DAY on Saturday, June 7th. - Anglers and Hunters all over Ontario ntario in spring- time is beautiful when it is not marred by the scrubby look of winter's leftover litter. The thoughtless, throw-away habitS of a few people can spoil it for others at a time when our countryside is once again ready for full , warm weather enjoyment. Aso -.pollution all year long. Start by joining a PITCH IN project in your area. Then, PITCH IN to Keep Ontario Beautiful. We all benefit when you do. Ministry of the Environment. Hon. Harry Parrott, DOS, Minister G. WS, Scott, QC, Deputy Minister BRUSSELS MONKTON 887-6663 Murray Siddall 347..2241' MAITLAND.' VALLEY ii..4utance.Agency Ltd.. Auto . ffro. .CosUoity 'Life are organizing special environmental PITCH IN projects to clean-up litter-and junk from streams, shorelines, rural roads and trails,"picnic areas and campsites and other areas which lack regular Iitter collection services. You can help to fight on has hurt river,