When will the creek be ‘clean’?
People often ask, “How much of the creek still has to
be cleaned up?” or “When will the clean-up be finished?”
Small groups of volunteers have been removing
garbage from Junction Creek for a number of years, particularly in the Flour
Mill and Supermall areas. A more organized clean-up effort began in the
summer of 1999, shortly after the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee was
formed.
Since that time, well over 60,000 pounds of
garbage have been pulled out of the creek, by volunteers and by workers doing
community placements through Ontario Works.
With help from a Home Depot grant and the Ontario
Works program, the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee organized an intensive
clean-up project this summer.
For four weeks beginning in late June, clean-up crews
were out in the creek four days per week removing everything from gum wrappers
to shopping carts.
Crews began at Martindale Road, and worked
through sections that were missed last year and some that needed more
attention. While no cars were found this year, they did collect nearly
enough auto parts to put one together. Other items pulled out include a
lawnmower, several bicycles, empty oil drums, lumber, bricks, cinder blocks,
patio stones and other building materials. This year, workers found
“only” about 70 tires, compared with more than 100 last year.
There were some more positive findings,
including a very large crayfish living in the Martindale area, plus lots of
fish, frogs, ducks and bugs throughout the creek.
Volunteer clean-up days on June 16th and July
14th attracted about 40 volunteers in all. The numbers were somewhat
disappointing compared with last year, but the enthusiasm of those who took
part was impressive.
Both the volunteer clean-ups took place in the
vicinity of Twin Forks playground in New Sudbury.
More than 50 kilometres of Junction Creek runs
through the City of Greater Sudbury. Much of the creek is not easily
accessible. Some is simply too deep, while other parts are too far from
city streets to make garbage removal practical. As well, sections far
from residential and industrial areas, seem to not contain very much debris.
Most of the reasonably accessible areas have now been cleaned up at least
once. This is shown on the map below.
Some areas have been covered several
times. For example, groups of volunteers have returned over and over to
the Flour Mill area, and a group of Sea Cadets has cleaned up the section
behind the Supermall for several years running.
Although the stewardship committee is pleased
with what has been accomplished, it cannot be said that the clean-up is
completed. Volunteers will be needed on an ongoing basis to maintain the
creek’s improved condition.
How tree planting helps Junction Creek
Over the next few years, the Junction Creek
Stewardship Committee will be concentrating a good deal of effort towards
planting trees in the Junction Creek watershed.
A watershed is simply all the land that drains
(or “sheds”) into a particular water body. The Junction Creek watershed
is all the land that drains into Junction Creek. Everything that takes place
within the watershed could potentially affect Junction Creek. Much of the
City of Greater Sudbury is contained within the Junction Creek watershed.
Trees and other vegetation have several
positive effects on the creek and organisms that live in it. The roots of
vegetation trap sediment, so it doesn’t flow into creeks and other water
bodies. This is good for water quality because sediment can carry
contaminants, and because too much sediment may hamper the survival and
reproduction of fish and other aquatic species.
Adequate vegetation along the creek also helps
to build and maintain stable banks and a healthy channel shape.
Vegetation also reduces the impact of heavy rainfall by absorbing excess
precipitation and releasing it gradually during drier periods.
Another important role for trees is providing
shade. Some fish and other aquatic organisms require cool
water to survive and reproduce. The brook trout released into Junction
Creek over the past two years are a good example of this. Shade is
essential to keep the water temperature cool enough on hot summer days.
Trees and other plants also help maintain
biodiversity, by creating habitat for birds and other other wildlife, plus many
invertebrate and plant species.
Sudbury Community Foundation supports Bug Search
As reported in the last newsletter, the
stewardship committee is organizing a program called The Great Junction Creek
Bug Search, to get young people interested in Junction Creek. Grade 8
students from across the city will determine water quality in a section of
creek near their school, by sampling the organisms inhabiting it.
The program is set to run in September and
early October. The Junction Creek Stewardship Committee is able to
provide this program to several hundred students at no cost to them, through
the generous support of a number of partners, including INCO Ltd., Environment
Canada’s EcoAction 2000 program, and the Nickel District Conservation
Authority.
Recently,
the Sudbury Community Foundation agreed to contribute $1,500 towards equipment
costs for this project. The Junction Creek Stewardship Committee would
like to thank the Sudbury Community Foundation and the rest of our supporters
for making this program possible.