Archive: Rivers
Another tree planting event…
….this time in Maple Ridge Park a total of 42 evergreen trees including Western Red Cedar and Douglas Fir. The trees were planted along the banks of the South Alouette River and was part of the many events of the Silver Valley Spring Festival 2008.
Between 500-600 people attended this event which included a fish release coordinated by the Alouette River Management Society [ARMS] along with a Katzie blessing by Willie Pirie.
The spring floral arrangement contest was enjoyed by all.
The 2009 Festival is now being planned
We thank the many volunteers and the support from the District of Maple Ridge
As a follow-up to the November 7 Open House, you are invited to attend a 2nd Open House to provide input to the recommendations of the Alouette Rivers Flood Management Task Force. The purpose of the Task Force is to recommend to Council a strategy on managing the flood hazard along the Alouette Rivers. A brief presentation from the Task Force Chair will be made at 7:30pm. Your opinions will greatly help the Task Force in recommending a strategy to Council.
Date: Wednesday February 20, 2008
Time: 7:00pm to 8:30pm - Presentation at 7:30pm
Location: South Lillooet Centre (Yennadon Community Centre), 12854 232nd Street, Maple Ridge
Task Force members will be available to answer questions. Your attendance is welcomed.
Should you have any questions regarding the Open House, please feel free to contact the Engineering Department at 604-467-7339.
Via: MapleRidge.ca
Morse Creek is one of the few remaining “Uptown” Creeks in Maple Ridge and forms a major component of the north slope watershed as it flows towards the south Alouette River.
Morse Creek on 11 July 2006, 10 days after the infraction at the source of the dispute. Photo: © Ken Hemminger
I applaud the District of Maple Ridge and particularly the Staff, in their successful position they took to protect a watershed in the Smart Growth Area of Maple Ridge.
If someone wanted to know how much soil was moved by the owner of this property on July 1 2006, you just have to look at the trees!
A positive step to environmental sustainabilty, an example to all.
Proposed Residential Development of 12256 - 222St, Maple Ridge. Development Permit: DP/032/07
This proposal has requested a variance to the setback from the T2 watercourse [referred by the Developer as a drainage channel!] in the amount of 2.27 meters and 1.33 meters – these were the numbers presented by the developer at the Public Information Meeting of Dec 17, 2007.
Background information for this north slope watershed in Maple Ridge:
- The District of Maple Ridge at this point has spent approximately $60,000 protecting Morse Creek which is part of this north slope watershed, to prevent it’s compromise. So why wouldn’t the DMR require a building design that preserves this part of the watershed?
- The “Smart Growth on the Ground - Bulletin 3 June 2004” indicates that the DMR has committed to completing an integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP) for each watershed. This commitment includes public participation.
- The 2004 Progress Report with the GVRD[now Metro Vancouver] – Liquid Waste Management Plan
states on
- Page17 C38, that there is a “Silver Valley Storm Water management Plan”, and
- Page 17 - C39 states that 2 studies for watersheds will be completed in 2005 [These are the two watersheds mentioned in the Technical Bulletin June 2004]
The above-mentioned documents [the watershed studies] directly relate to this application DP/032/07 [at 12256 222 St] in that T2 [a creek that empties into the South Alouette] is part of this watershed. This variance request applies to the underground parking as well as the building, so the recharge area for T2 will not just be a surface challenge. The volume of material that would have to be removed [due to the underground parking] will affect the soil hydrology and its’ water carrying capacity for T-2.
This same creek passes through agricultural land and includes a parcel of agricultural land owned by the DMR, so maintaining pre-development base flows on T2 is very important for the District. The newly formed Agricultural Advisory Committee should be informed of these developments.
The District is also planning on improving the 128/Abernathy connection in connection with the Golden Ears Bridge so we shouldn’t have to spend taxpayer’s money on over sizing the road culverts on 128th Ave to compensate for any increased storm water from upstream developments.
Upcoming meetings of the Advisory Design Panel
The next meeting of the Advisory Design Panel is May 13, 2008 so the above mentioned project may be on that agenda and the District staff may want to consider the down stream impact of this “variance ” request for 12256 – 222 Street, Maple Ridge.
If you have any concerns about this application please contact the Planning Staff at the District of Maple Ridge or the Mayor and Councilors. 604-463-5221.
Read the rest of this entry »
After attending the 7 November 2007 Public Open House on the Alouette Rivers Flood Management Task Force it seems that local officials would be wise to address taxpayers concerns as the wet season nears and the possibility of flooding looms large.
Hot spots and their affect on the Alouette River
Initially, we need to reduce some of the ‘hot spots’ on the rivers. The spots, including such blockages as ‘log jams’, ‘gravel buildup’, and ’silted-in areas’ that divert the natural waterways in the Alouette Watershed. Of course, we are now beyond the DFO window to work in and about a watercourse, so that presents a timeframe problem for the Municipality. The reality, though, is that the presence of these hot spots will not allow natural scouring of stream channels, especially considering the level of deposits that occurred over the past few years.
Eliminating downstream impact of development
As was indicated at the meeting by District of Maple Ridge staff, it’s important to ensure that what people do in one area, does not affect adversely other peoples’ property and its use.
Since it is evident that upstream development is having an impact in the Alouette River Watershed, the DMR should go to the next step. The DMR should follow and enforce the currently accepted principles of Integrated Storm Water Management, in which the majority of developmental storm water is re-infiltrated at source. In other words, the DMR should reduce or eliminate the use of streams and / or watercourses for the purpose of disposing water from hillside developments. One of the ways that this reduction can be achieved is by reducing housing density in hillside areas.
The above may not create a balanced or holistic solution but it’s a start.
South Alouette Concerns and Observations
1. The continued erosion and silt entering the S. Alouette at Mud Creek [approx 1.5 km south of the Alouette Dam - please note that there are two Mud Creeks]
2. The northwest corner of the property at 24085 130 Avenue; the owner has created a slide situation which continues to allow silt to enter Millionaire Creek
3. The property at 13300 240, a 25 acre parcel that was logged [without a Tree Removal Permit] and then in the fall of 2005 had major amounts of blast rock placed on it [no soil permit] this allowed creek surging and downstream soil erosion. The Ministry of Environment has had a water monitoring device at the mouth of Main Millionaire Creek since 2001, so if the Task Force needs some base-line data, the data is available from the MOE [I have copies].
4. The property at 23762 132 Ave. NE corner - this is the Headwater area of T-13 or Fern Creek. Again, this area has many loads of blast-rock placed on it [mid February 2006]
5. With the recent approval of the DMR gravel pit on 256 St and 140 Ave areas it is important to determine the base flows of the four creeks [Dickens, Doggett, Frodo and Mud Creeks] prior to any extraction process. The base flow info is imperative to determine if the extraction process will affect this part of the watershed and then also the down stream areas of the Alouette Watershed. We need a proactive, not reactive approach for the long term protection of the Alouette River Watershed.
I understand that there are other segments of the North Alouette River that need to be addressed.
Today, we had two events occur in the Millionaire Creek Watershed!
The not so good: oil entering storm drains
An asphalt paving company sprayed oil over a large portion of 239B St near 130A Avenue in Maple Ridge. With heavy rain, this oil washed into the storm drain system that empties into Main Millionaire Creek (and then into South Alouette River). This type of activity indicates clearly that development practices within watersheds is in need of improvement and a higher level of monitoring is an absolute necessity.
Spawning salmon in Millionaire Creek
So closely intertwined that it doesn’t really need explanation is the spawning salmon that was sighted under the fish counting program being carried out by the Alouette River Management Society (ARMS).
“You never know where fish will go!”
P.S. An additional thought about where the spilt oil goes! After running off the roadway the fluid enters into the storm drain system which consists of a Vortechnic device and a flow control system. These systems should be cleaned by the developer before the District assumes responsibility.
On September 22, Maple Ridge volunteers participated in the TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. Adopt-A-Block and the Alouette River Management Society (ARMS) organized the event, which focused on collecting litter along the South Alouette River where it flows through Maple Ridge Park.
Between one and two dozen volunteers of all ages turned up to scour the river bank and adjacent parkland for garbage. Everything from discarded beverage containers, cigarette butts, shoes, an old lawn chair, bundles of undelivered newspapers, and even an old bed comforter were collected. Pieces of balloons, broken glass, clothing items and batteries were also removed. All of these things do not belong in our waterways. Not only are they unsightly to look at, but they pose serious threats to wildlife, ecosystems, drinking water and consumer fish.
The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup offered an opportunity to remove some of these potential hazards and also a chance for volunteers to work together toimprove the community in which they live. In addition, the event aimed to increased awareness and change attitudes about litter. With enough community effort and knowledge, perhaps our waterways will stop
being used as a dumping ground.
As one 3 year old volunteer at the event said, “Shoes don’t live in rivers, fishes do!”
In the Sun newspaper on Nov 26, 2004 there was a revealing article on the “Fraser River Basin”, this basin consists of 13 major watersheds along the Fraser River’s 1400 kilometers. The sustainabilty report on the Fraser Basin talks about personal health, house prices, private vehicle use, flooding, Agriculture Land Reserve and GHG (green house gas emissions - if BC were a country we would be ranked number 4 in per capita GHG).
So what do we do? Join an environmental group. Plan a “carbon neutral event“. Sell your SUV. Ask your municipal councils what they are doing. Plant coniferous trees. Email us your thoughts.
