The scope of the project includes completing a Rapid Geomorphic Assessment (RGA) and a Rapid Stream Assessment Technique (RSAT) for the 10-kilometre naturalized section of Lower Four Mile Creek. It will involve characterizing the stream and riparian conditions, where access permits, to better understand the current state of the watercourse. The assessment will also identify areas that are prone to erosion, sedimentation, and flooding. Based on these findings, conceptual mitigation and restoration plans will be developed for priority areas to support long-term hazard reduction and ecological restoration efforts. This study is a key component of the Four Mile Creek Watershed Management Plan.
Background Information
In 2022, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) initiated a detailed study of Four Mile Creek by conducting a Rapid Geomorphic Assessment (RGA) and a Rapid Stream Assessment Technique (RSAT) along a six-kilometer stretch of the creek, from Line 9 southward into the headwaters above the Niagara Escarpment. This assessment identified problem areas related to flooding, erosion, and sedimentation, and provided a foundational understanding of the channel and riparian conditions. It also informed a series of priority areas for hazard mitigation and ecological restoration.
Building on this work, NPCA is now seeking to extend the assessment to the remaining naturalized 10-kilometer section of the main channel. This new study area stretches from the outlet at Lake Ontario southward to north of Line 5, ending just before the channel transitions into a municipal drain. The study excludes the Virgil Reservoir (located near Line 2 to between Line 3 and Line 4).
This second phase of the project will apply the RGA, RSAT, and include conceptual mitigation planning to further identify restoration opportunities and hazards, with the goal of guiding future conservation and management efforts within the watershed.
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Lower Four Mile Creek
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