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The Cardinal Creek valley and surrounding area is currently the subject of an environmental study by the City of Ottawa in cooperation with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. Residents of the study area are invited to attend a public Open House on November 22, 2007 in the Library Room of the Ray Friel Recreation Complex at 1585 Tenth Line Road. City staff and consultants will be available from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. to discuss what has been learned during the field investigations, and to receive residents’ input on local environmental issues or features of interest.
The official name of this study is the Greater Cardinal Creek Subwatershed Study, because it includes the Cardinal Creek drainage basin (subwatershed) as well as an adjacent unnamed subwatershed along the Ottawa River. The study area, shown on the accompanying map, is located between Tenth Line Road and Dunning Road, and extends as far south as Regimbald Road. This is a primarily rural area with farms and country estate subdivisions. It also includes some rapidly developing neighbourhoods within the urban area west of Cardinal Creek.
The City and its Conservation Authority partners undertake subwatershed studies in different areas of Ottawa to learn more about the local environmental conditions so that sensitive features can be protected, impacted features can be restored, and the overall health of the natural system improved.
Generally, a subwatershed study is carried out in two consecutive stages: the characterisation of existing conditions, in which information is gathered and potential issues are identified; and the development of the subwatershed plan, in which various actions are recommended for implementation. Existing and approved land uses are taken into account when recommendations are made, so that the most effective and practical solutions can be found. Input from local residents and landowners is essential to these studies, to assist in the characterisation of existing conditions, the identification of local issues, and the development of recommendations.
The first stage of the Greater Cardinal Creek Subwatershed Study, the characterisation of existing conditions, began last year with field investigations of the watercourses and other natural features such as woodlots. The City asked landowners with features of interest on their properties to allow access to the study team, and received permission to access over 70 properties. This strong community support greatly assisted the study. Some additional field investigations are being carried out in 2007, to assess slope stability and areas of erosion within the Cardinal Creek valley.
The study area includes some well-known natural features of interest, such as the Petrie Islands provincially significant wetland and the Cardinal Creek karst (limestone cave) formation at Watters Road, along with several smaller features that have not been studied previously. The woodlands within the study area support hundreds of species of plants and animals. The hayfields and pastures within the study area also support grassland birds such as the Grasshopper Sparrow and the Eastern Meadowlark, which are declining in many parts of eastern North America due to habitat loss and other factors. The creeks support many common species of fish such as Creek Chub and various small minnows. The lower reaches of Cardinal Creek also support game fish such as Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass.
A second Open House will be scheduled in late winter or early spring next year, during the second stage of the study, to facilitate public input into the proposed recommendations for the subwatershed plan. The City would like to thank all the landowners who have participated in the Greater Cardinal Creek Subwatershed Study to date. Continued involvement by the landowners and other residents will greatly benefit the study and, ultimately, the local environment.