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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-11-26, Page 42VaU eys & P ople - FaH 1906 - Page 2 ME6SAGE FROM, THE CHAIRMAN Welcome to our fall 1986 edition of Valleys and People. We hope that you will enjoy the articles presented in this issue which should help to give you a better understanding of the work of your local conservation authority. In this, our fifth edition of Valleys and People, we look at how we fulfill our basic resource management mandate. From reforestation to flood control works, to land use planning, our program is designed to provide a high level of service to residents and municipalities within our watershed. This year, 1986, is the fortieth anniversary of the formation of conservation authrities in the Province of Ontario. The Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority, our neighbour to the south, was the first conservation authority formally established in the Province. The Maitland Valley Conservation Auth- ority was established in 1951 as the Middle Maitland River Conservation Auth- ority and has since undergone a number of expansions to presently include a watershed of approximately 1,200 square miles. It seems fitting that the Province, for a fortieth birthday present, has presented the conservation authorities with an interministerial committee to review the funding levels and program responsibilities of all authorities in the Province. We welcome this. initiative as we continue to see a decrease in total program funding which makes it very difficult for us to continue to undertake projects in our area. The rural authorities must be able to maintain their funding parti- cularly when the Province is expecting those same authorities to deliver certain program responsibilities to watershed residents and municipalities. We do believe that in order for the watershed residents and municipalities to have a say in local resource issues, that the conservation authority provides the proper forum. No other resource management agency is organized along the line of "conservation by the people." GOING UP ® New buildings are nearing completion on Wallace Avenue North in Listowel. These structures replace those demolished before the construction of Phase 5 of the Listowel conduit reconstruction. SR:%%SSS.'.;.`` : < f o `r;•;. OFFICIAL OPENING --- M.V.C.A. chairman Vince Judge (centre) is joined by George Stevens, Mornington Township Deputy -Reeve, Hugh Edighof- fer, Perth M.P.P., and former Authority chairman, Jack Graul and Harold Cosens at the official opening of Galbraith Conservation Area - July 1986. aw. The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority has had a very ambitious pro- gram in 1986. The Listowel Flood Control Project, Phase 6, has not proceeded as quickly as we would have liked, however construction is progressing. Phase 7 will involve the demolition of two buildings on the south side of Main Street and will be undertaken in 1987. Our conservation education program at the Wawanosh Nature Centre is prov- ing to be an excellent program for the authority and local Boards of Education and we are looking forward to future expansions at the Centre. In closing, I would like to extend my invitation to you to visit any of our fine conservation areas and enjoy the facilities. If you have any resource manage- ment concerns, whether it be shoreline erosion, flood plain management, re- forestation assistance or just a general inquiry, don't hesitate to contact our office. Our staff are well qualified to provide you with the necessary informa- tion. Finally, please enjoy this issue of Valleys' and People and when you are through with It, pass it on. Vince Judge, Chairman, Maitland Valley Conservation Authority. BREAKWATER COMPLETE -- The construction of a breakwater at the south end of the Town of Goderich was completed in 1986. Goderich Bluffs - con't from pg. 1 In 1985-86 the Town of Goderich and the M.V.C.A. undertook a project to stabilize the beach at the base of the bluffs in the south end of the Town. With the erosion on the beach now coming under control, the next stage of the project is to stabilize the bluffs themselves. In 1987 a preliminary eng- ineering study of the bluff will be completed, provided that grants are available from the Ministry of Natural Resources. Although the bluff runs for miles both north and south of Goderich this project includes the area of the bluff just north of the sewage treatment plant. This is the area where erosion poses a threat to a number of residences. The bluff rises approximately 25 metres above Lake Huron. The slope varies to nearly vertical in some sections, Erosion of the bluff occurs infrequently, but in large sections. The area has one of the most severe rates of erosion in the Maitland Valley watershed. Stream Flow - con't from page 1 The rainfall brought water levels up, particularly in the headwater areas of the watershed. Forecast stations recorded rises of 6 feet at Listowel and above Wingham, over 11 feet below Wingham, 7 feet at Summerhill and 4 feet at Lucknow. The M.V.C.A. issued three flood advisories during the storm. For September as a whole, about 10 inches of rain fell. This amount is 3 times higher than the average September figure over the last five years. Records of the amount of streamflow have been kept since 1953 for the North Maitland River and since 1967 for other areas of the watershed. On the North Maitland, only one other re- corded storm in the time period Sept- ember -October exceeded stream discharge for September 12, 1986, since 1953. That was on October 16, 1954 - Hurricane Hazel. Comparing September streamflows from 1967 to 1985 with this September, streamflows were 5 times higher than the previous maximum. The level of flooding was about equal to that experienced during the average spring runoff. Compared to all serious flood events in the watershed, this flood was small. However it is significant because it is one oithe larg- est fall floods on record.