Author Archives: Lori_James_Derry

Friends of Tod Creek Watershed Agenda

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

Attendance: Winona, Caleigh, Mary, Bernie, Anne, Ian, Sherron, Kathleen, Pat, Audrey, and Lori.

Thank you Mary And Bernie for the opportunity to hold our socially distanced outdoor meeting.

1. Adoption of agenda: passed;

2. Approval of March to August activity reports: passed;

3. Treasurers report: TBA

4. Announcements:

a] Yellow Flag Iris Control Workshop Wednesday September 23, 9 – noon or 1 – 4: To register contact Jenny Eastman at jeastman@crd.bc.ca

b] Partnership for Water Sustainability Workshop – NALT and the Partnership for Water Sustainability are proceeding with a “Video Trilogy Series” in the last half of November 2020; and this will constitute the 3rd in the Annual Symposia Series. The re-imagined virtual symposium comprises three 90-minute online events spread over a 3-week period, with each one corresponding to an original program module.

TO DOWNLOAD A PROGRAM SYNOPSIS, CLICK ON https://waterbucket.ca/viw/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/07/3rd-Annual-Symposium-Reimagined-as-Video-Trilogy-Series_30July-2020.pdf

Winona & Mary have signed up; the link above allows anyone to sign up;

c] Our Backyard – Deadline for submissions for the Fall issue is October 1.

5. Previous and Ongoing Business:

a] Biosolids at Hartland Landfill – Mt Work Coalition has obtained information about the full expansion plans for Hartland Landfill. Please see the communication below:

The Executive Summary and Section 4 identify that the CRD is looking at not only application on inactive cells but also at applying biosolids on up to 10 hectares of land surrounding Hartland. https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/biosolids-pdf/crd-biosolids-short-term-contingency-plan.pdf?sfvrsn=a2b023cc_2

The CRD Board is reviewing its solid waste management plan on September 9 and the Environmental Services Committee is meeting on September 16. These will be available on their website. There are no agendas yet available;

b] Thank you Michael and Lori for completing the Secchi Dip In for Prospect Lake. The readings are consistent with the past few years indicating little change in the water transparency;

c] Mountain Road -The Friends of Mountain Road Forest are preparing a presentation for the next CRD meeting and are working with CRD staff to identify important aspects of the proposal to use Land Acquisition funding to acquire the 49 acre property [ Price approx 3.5 M];

d] The Aquatic Plant Survey will be conducted within the next month. There is a movement to bring a mechanical weed cutter to Prospect Lake again. A concern is the argument supporting the weedcutter is based on 2015 data from our first Aquatic Plant Survey. The 2019 survey identified Eurasain Milfoil at 2 sites on the lake; Carolyn Richman at Saanich Environmental Services is aware.

For FTCW Aquatic Plant Survey: we will plan for social distancing re barge &/or kayaks/ canoes. Ian & Michael will fashion a new weed collector.

6. Projects: a]Bus tour of the watershed in partnership with Peninsula Streams – possible Spring event;
   b] Tod Creek Flats – we will connect with the Invasive Species Council of BC to develop a mapping plan of yellow flag iris. We will also ask about the Eurasain milfoil in Prospect Lake. The Victoria Foundation has a “Focus Grant” for $15,000 which we can apply for through Pen Streams;
   c] Whitehead Park – Restoration work has resumed in the park and Katie has requested a plant list from the Pulling Together groups. Heavy public use and lack of port-a-potties on the west side has created a difficult work situation. We would like to host a Walk and Talk through the restoration site.
   d] Peninsula Streams update – Oct 5th AGM coming up: $10 membership can be arranged on-line, meeting will be virtual, so contact Pen Streams https://peninsulastreams.ca to ask for the Zoom code to join in;
   e] Website – the Hydrology page has new information and photo point monitoring has been helpful in confirming flow patterns over the past year. Lori will talk to Dave Renfroe about WHC’s Web Pro package for our website management. He is hoping we will find a new web master, requests are being made;
   f] Heritage Society – The Prospector Newsletter Collection has been completed and Anne has loaded all of the newsletters onto a memory card. We are waiting for Saanich Archives to recover from flooding and COVID shut down before donating the collected material to the archives;
   g] Maltby Lake –The identification of fresh water jelly fish in Killarney Lake has led to renewed interest and research into this rare but natural occurrence.
   h] July and August Water Quality measurements have been completed and are now posted on the website
7. New Business: We will be counting bats next year on our own and will consider the best way to proceed; Bernie shared that the Meadowbrook Berry Farm sale did not happen as planned. Laura & John and her parents are now the owners of the farm and subsequently the 27 acre water license. Bernie has talked to neighbours about the environmental impact everyone’s actions have re the dam/ reservoir/ and fish.
   
8. Next meeting: Wednesday November 4