The Rural Voice, 2002-11, Page 35Ag News
Grey blessed with healthy streams
Continued from page 30
because of the limestone in the area,
he said. The is a high quality of life
in the streams because Grey has 40
per cent tree cover. The trees help
shade the streams to keep them cool
and drop leaves into the water which
feed small aquatic life on which
larger crustaceans and fish feed. By
comparison, Kent and Essex
Counties have only three per cent
forest cover. It takes 30 per cent
forest cover to maintain good water
quality, he said.
Westwood spoke of many
different issues affecting water
quality. On the reassuring side, he
said the current low level of the Great
Lakes isn't necessarily as worrisome
as one might think because over a
100 -year period the lakes have gone
up and down. Lake levels seem low
now in comparison to a very high-
water period in the 1980s, he said but
records show they have been lower at
times in the past century.
Water temperature in the Great
Lakes could be more of a concern.
Aerial photos from last year show the
- lakes never froze over. When the
lakes don't freeze there's less snow
pack on the land, he says. With less
snow to melt and slowly add water to
the groundwater system, the water
cycle is dependent on rainfall but
many of these rains are quick
downpours with water running off
instead of getting into the
groundwater system.
One cause of an increase in Great
Lakes water temperature is the
introduction of zebra mussels
through international shipping. The
mussels, which have multiplied
throughout the Great Lakes, eat the
algae and plankton in the water.
Since algae produces two-thirds of
the oxygen in the water there may not
be enough oxygen to sustain aquatic
life.
Because of the loss of algae, the
water becomes -clearer. Tests in Lake
Erie show very clear water allowing
sunlight to penetrate to a much
greater depth instead of being
reflected off the darker water surface.
That penetration allows the water to
absorb more heat and the lakes hold
more heat for the winter.
International trade has introduced
other foreign organisms. some of
which can be deadly, Westwood said.
A new parasite, cryptosporidium, has
entered Ontario's streams and rivers.
Water may appear clean but if you're
camping, he warned, boil the water
before drinking it.
Justice Dennis O'Connor's report
on the Walkerton water tragedy
stressed the need to protect water
sources by watershed planning.
Westwood said. Among the keys to a
healthy watershed are marshes,
which he described as "the kidneys
of the watershed" as they purify
water, and swamps which provide
seasonal water storage.
Thinking on water management as
changed, said Westwood as he
showed a slide of a concrete water
channel built in an earlier era to take
a river through London. Now that
river has been taken back closer to
nature. Instead of whisking water
away as quickly as possible, storm
water, holding ponds have been
created along the river. The
disadvantage of this, from a practical
standpoint. is that it uses up land that
developers would like for housing.
The advantage is that the holding
ponds have become an attraction and
the value of lots near the ponds went
up 30 per cent.
As another example of changing
attitudes he showed a slide of the
Hoover Dam on the Colorado River
which was built to generate hydro-
electric power. Now virtually no
electricity is generated because there
is so much demand for the water for
development that there's no surplus
to put through the generating plants.
During question period Westwood
was asked about the government
permitting water to be taken out of
the aquifer in Grey County for
bottling operations without any real
study of the effect this will the area.
Westwood explained that the way
the system is set up. the applicant for
a water -taking permit comes in and
makes a presentation claiming there
will be no harm caused by the water
removal. The Ministry of
Environment doesn't have the
resources or technical ability to go
out and disprove that information. he
said. In fact an organization like the
Federation of Agriculture may have
more depth of knowledge and
experience to be able to raise the
issues properly. he said. It's part of a
point he made repeatedly in the
presentation: "If you get as much
knowledge as you can get (on water).
it will help."
Also at the meeting Paul De Jong
of Dundalk was named president,
succeeding Karl Chittka of Dundalk
who stepped down after a two-year
term. Allen Hughes of Meaford is the
new first vice-president. Bob
Brassington of Markdale is second
vice-president.
Paul Sachs of Dobbinton is
regional director to the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture from Grey
North. while Karl Chittka will
represent Grey South and Bob
Brassington. Grey East.
In his final speech as president.
Chittka said he had gained a lot of
personal knowledge from his
involvement with the Federation. He
noted the tremendous changes in
agriculture with the influx of
urbanites into Grey County and the
increasing concern with the
environment since the Walkerton
water tragedy. He predicted the
Nutrient Management Act "will keep
OFA busy for quite some time" and
that the Grey Federation will also be
busy making presentations to the
hearings being held into the
regulations under the new bill.
In addition, tilt Federation's
Hanover office has been swamped
with complaints over property
assessments. The Federation is also
busy keeping officials and politicians
informed about the issues. he said.
"All this for $150 (the OFA
membership fee)" he said.
He thanked Federation members
for the opportunity to serve as
president. "Where else could a poor
immigrant like me become president
of a farmers' organization." he said.0
NOVEMBER 2002 31