3 July 2019

Meeting Notes

Friends of Tod Creek Watershed meet the first Wednesday of every second month.
You are welcome to join us.

Mission: To protect and enhance the integrity and biodiversity of the Tod Creek Watershed.

To view notes from previous meetings, use the “Meeting Notes” Archive links on the right panel.

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Friends of Tod Creek Watershed

Agenda: July 3, 7:00pm, Maltby Lake

Mission: to protect and enhance the integrity and biodiversity of the Tod Creek Watershed

Thank you to Carmel and Woody for hosting our meeting

Attendance: Bernie Bowker, Pat Carfra, Winona Pugh, Audrey Barnes, Joanne Delage, Anne Allen, Carmel Thomson, Mary Haig-Brown, Gwen Curry, Ian Duncan, Lori James Derry

1. Adoption of Agenda: passed
2. Adoption of Meeting Notes: passed
3. Treasurers Report: Account total for May $465.64 [$50 to Dave Renfroe

4. Announcements:

a. Congratulations to Mary as recipient of the Saanich Environmental Long Term Achievement Award and to Oluna and Adolf Cheska for the Biodiversity Conservation Award. MAC Renovations were recognized in the Business category and the teachers at Prospect Lake Elementary School, Laurel, Anita and Jane received Honorable Mention in the Individual category. Thank you to Pat for hosting a wonderful post awards celebration at her home.

b. Metchosin Biodiversity Walk and Talk – Fridays dates and topics at http://tandw.metchosinbiodiversity.com

c. Tiffany Joseph [from Tsartlip], Co-ordinator of SNYD?E? Resiliency Project will lead a walk with stories at Tod Inlet. She will host up to 25 people.

d. Calling for interest in coffee party with David Merner, new Green Party candidate for the Riding. They do Tuesday or Thursday at 7:30 pm or weekends in the afternoon.

5. Previous Business:

a. Mary Haig Brown Recognition Award – the draft criteria was circulated for comment; go to our Awards Page and scroll down to this subpage: https://www.todcreekwatershed.ca/mary-haig-brown-recognition-award

b. Bayside school released their classroom fry at Whitehead Park on May 3 and Prospect Lake Elementary School released their fry into Wray Creek on May 2. Laurel Evans, with her class, did a great job.

As an aside, Laurel [along with Jane Schwann and Anito Ko, all from Prospect Lake Elementary] were 2019 Saanich Award Winners: Honourable Mention.

https://www.todcreekwatershed.ca/kids-page

* of note: This Pen Streams sign shows how tagged salmon returning to Tod Creek are photographed.

Posted at Tod Creek Fishway: an example of tagged fish photographed for counting.

c. application completed to partner with Invasive Species Society of BC on Clean, Drain and Dry educational project. We will meet with Eva Riccius from Saanich Parks to discuss the partnership with Saanich. Signs will be posted at Whitehead Park, Estelline, Eastlake & Echo.

d. opportunity to partner with Invasive Species Society of BC on the removal of yellow flag iris in the watershed. The partnership could provide supplies equipment and educational materials for removal projects.

e. Ian and Anne have offered to lead a bat house building workshop in the summer: Dates to be decided.

More counters needed for the bat count/s: with 6 people counting we got about 250 bats/ with 8 people counting we got 415. Next dates are: Thursdays July 18th & July 25th.

f. SEP Community Workshop (May 31 –June 2) at VI University, provided excellent information and networking opportunities:

Adapting to Climate Change
Great presentations
talked about successes, very up-beat

g. Geothermal Loop update:

Thank you Chris for providing the following research. The South Island Natural Resource District issued a Licence of Occupation in February 2019 for a geothermal loop to a waterfront resident on Prospect Lake. An authorization under Section 11 of the Water Sustainability Act for changes in and about a stream was also issued by West Coast Regional Ecosystems staff.
Although Saanich Council did not support the project in the referral process, they continued to refer to a cumulative effects study being completed. The Council did not seem to be moving forward with the study. Saanich does not have a policy for use of geothermal loops.
The project was also referred to the Capital Regional District who indicated their interests were not affected.
The biggest public and Council concern expressed was with the potential rise in lake temperature if the geothermal loop system was to be used for cooling the residential home in the summer. The applicant acknowledged they would not be using the system to cool in the summer and furthermore the district made this a condition of the approval that they could not use it for cooling in the summer.
There is currently another geothermal loop on the lake that has been in operation since 2009 (the applicant does not use the loop to cool his house).
Both the 2009 approval and the current approval are for a 10 year term which should give Saanich Council or an interested group time to complete cumulative effects studies

h. David Gray documentaries- we would like to plan a showing during Heritage Week in February [possibly at Lana Popham’s office meeting room. ] Also, hoping Gwen Curry will join us there with her new book, for a signing.

6. New Business:

a. We will be hosting the Quebec Exchange students for a work party at Whitehead Park on Wednesday July 24 from 7- 9. Volunteers to assist will be appreciated 3 should be enough. Caleigh Aalders has volunteered. We will be focusing on Lamium, Ivy & Blackberries.

b. A date for the annual Aquatic Plant survey will be set for the end of August. Joanne & Ron will let us know when they and their floating barge will be available.

c. Monthly water quality and flow measurements to be planned for July. Mary now has a rain gauge at their house. Date to be announced; and how do we want to store the data?

d. Saanich Environmental Policy Framework – passed around during the meeting.

e. Plan to organize regular meetings at Lana Popham’s office: see 5. h) above.

7. Projects:

a. Tod Creek Flats: new interest in returning the area into wetland; we need a plan on how to proceed: partners, funding sources, biological inventory, other data?

b. Whitehead Park: Audrey has been pulling thistles and Winona’s mimulus are blooming;

c. Watershed Management Plan

d. Peninsula Streams: Fundraiser will be Nov 9th at Saanich Fairgrounds;

e. Website: Lori is talking to Dave Renfroe about upgrading the site;

f. Heritage Society: Continuing to collect ‘Prospector’ Newsletters; we might hold our AGM at Parsell’s Winery [Winona will follow-up and let us know];

g. Maltby Lake: Progress recently delayed r/t lawyer;

h. Reports: see above;

i. Tours: Fort Rodd Hill Native Plant Tour Winona will arrange; and Shawn at MAC Reno’s has offered a tour of their facility to see what they do.

j. LakePulse: http://lakepulse.ca