28 October 2007
lost and found
This writer's first encounters with Canadian history, gentle reader, took place within the confines of musty classrooms of the Old Berlin High School (still retained within the walls of todays Kitchener Collegiate Institute). Those were the times when a young Queen Elizabeth II looked on as students rose to sing "God Save the Queen," and the Union Jack was mounted on every flagpole. History as it was taught then focussed on 1) the American Revolution and perhaps the war of 1812-14 (Grade 9); 2) World War II and the Cold War as taught by a WWII veteran turned history teacher. Rather boring, all in all.It was only when RR starting reading local histories that Canada's past acquired some fascinating, colourful personalities. Tiger Dunlop (cf. photo above) was the first to capture RR's attention. History tells us he was a tall, red-headed Scottish surveyor who tramped through the bush to survey the Huron settlement road between Guelph and Goderich (now Highway 8). He is said to have had as his constant companions affectionately named the twelve Apostles--- a chest containing twelve bottles of the best Scotch to be had anywhere. His most enduring claim to notoriety is his last will and testament -- a document that RR had misplaced and as of today found again.
"I, William Dunlop of Gairbraid in the County and District of Huron, being in sound health of body, and my mind just as usual (which my friends who flatter me say is no great shakes at the best of times), do make this my last Will and Testament."
"I leave the property of Gairbraid, and all other landed property I may die possessed of, to my sisters Helen Boyle Story and Elizabeth Boyle Dunlop: the former because she is married to a minister whom (God help him) she henpecks. The latter because she is married to nobody, nor is she like to be, for she is an old maid, and not market-rife."
"I leave my brother Alan my big silver snuffbox as I am informed he is a rather decent Christian with a swag belly and a jolly face."
"I leave John Caddle a silver teapot, to the end that he may drink tea therefrom to comfort him under the
affliction of a slatternly wife."
"I leave my books to my brother Andrew, because he has been so long a jungley wallah, that he may learn to read with them."
"I give my silver cup, with a sovereign in it, to my sister Janet Graham Dunlop, because she is an old maid and pious. And also my Granma’s snuff mull, as it looks decent to see an old woman taking snuff."
"I leave my sister Jenny my bible and when she knows as much of the spirit of it as she does of the letter, she will be a better Christian than she is."
Photos copyright Sandamara Images 2004 (counterclockwise starting at bottom): 1) Huron Road subdivisions within Kitchener city limits; 2) Huron Road (1828) Wilmot Township proceeding westward; 3) Huron Road/Wilmot Township pioneer cemetery; 4) Huron Road farm bale of hay at sunset.
Labels: history
26 October 2007
permits to take water
GRCA pilot project ESTABLISHING ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTED STREAMS IN THE GRAND RIVER WATERSHED* set out to develop a framework to manage [water] takings in different watershed situations. It found that there was "a lack of scientifically based assessments of the effects of water takings to the watershed, or for defining thresholds to protect fish and aquatic ecosystems."
Herewith a sampling of comments made in that report:
1." The issue of cumulative impacts of water takings in a watershed [is] unknown and [requires] more scientific study."
2. "It found that there was a lack of scientifically based assessments of the effects of water takings to the watershed, or for defining thresholds to protect fish and aquatic ecosystems."
3. "Due to high demands and low-flow conditions during dry summer periods, management of water takings will be critical at these times."
4. "However, the potential effects of large takings (into storage) during the spring and the effects of abstractions on critical over-wintering habitat also need to be considered."
5. "The key importance when considering the water taking permits is the relative amount of demand compared to the supply at any given time and place. Once the aggregate amount of all the permits is calculated, it must be compared to the water supply in that subwatershed."
6. "The Permit to take Water (PTTW) program promotes water as a public resource that cannot be diminished in either quality or quantity by any user in a way that would harm another user."
7. "Unfortunately, the maximum allowable limit is not an accurate assessment of the actual takings that typically occur. Follow-up after a permit has been granted is seldom done, unless the permitted amount is very high; actual water takings need not be metered and assessed."
8." Also, review of compliance with permits is lacking. It was found by the ECO (2001) that permit application decisions did not appear to consider the availability of water in the watershed or the quantity allocated to a
water use sector."
9."The Ontario process for environmental monitoring and public consultation involving water issues is completed through the Environmental Bill of Rights and the Ontario Low Water Response Plan (OLWRP).One benefit of the Ontario model is the electronic registry, but this public consultation needs to begin earlier in the process."
The report looked at specific watersheds. Two are pertinent to local residents:
a) "The last several years throughout the Grand River watershed have experienced drought conditions and lower flow levels, as indicated by Mill Creek** showing a higher occurrence of flows below the threshold in Figure 7.50. In the past several years, Mill Creek has been subjected to flows below the root zone maintenance flows, getting as low as 0.13m3/s. Root zone flow maintenance is only a concern during the months between May and October, the growing season for vegetation....Frequent dewatering of the root zone is likely to result in scorched or desiccate vegetation that eventually dies. If this occurs, the banks lose their ability to maintain their channel form due to vegetative control if the vegetation is lost."
b)" The Blair Creek sub watershed*** study identifies concerns related to the management of water resources in this sub watershed. The sub watershed is currently going through some major land use changes that have potential to negatively impact the hydrology and ecology of the subwatershed....Even slight changes in runoff associated with urban development of the watershed [i.e. Blair Creek] could increase the frequency of bed-mobilizing flows, resulting in channel adjustment and erosion of the current stream bed. This is an important consideration from an urban development perspective."
"A single water management issue cannot be considered in isolation;
water takings, reservoir operation, urban development and stormwater management
among other activities need to be managed in an integrated fashion."
water takings, reservoir operation, urban development and stormwater management
among other activities need to be managed in an integrated fashion."
Notes: *This report is being finalized under a new title: "Lifting Ontario's Permit to Take
Water Moratorium: A Method for Assessing Water Use in Ontario Watersheds": **see previous blogs about Aberfoyle/Mill Creek watershed and also "message in a bottle" re Nestle proposed bottled water takings; *** Doon South residential development proposes a marked increase in impermeable cover that is worrisome to say the least.
Photo copyright Sandamara Images 2004: Grand River flowing over bedrock just south of Belwood Lake.
Labels: Grand watershed, water
24 October 2007
wasted water & leaky pipes
G. D. Barkwell's report(1), A Study of the Status of Full Cost Recovery and Sustainability of Ontario Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems (2007) examined unexplained water losses in 11 Ontario municipalities:
1. Several of the participating municipalities are experiencing high (in excess of 25%) variances in unbilled water compared to the total water supply.* They have investigated metering error and malfunction, illegal hook-ups and billing errors but in the end realize most if not all is unexplained loss in the system.
2. This unaccounted for volume of water translates into a financial cost that is passed on to the consumer not to mention the waste of a valuable resource. These wasted dollars could be put to better use if they were directed towards the replacement of old, crumbling and leaky piping systems. **
3. Higher rates are being charged to offset the financial cost of the water loss and impairs the municipalities' ability to raise sufficient funds to support the future capital replacement of the system.
4. Recommendation #1 – Notwithstanding the recent passage of Ontario Regulation 453/07 pursuant to the Safe Drinking Water Act, Bill 175 the Sustainable Water and Sewage Systems Act should be proclaimed as soon
as possible and detailed regulations and guidelines issued along with timing for full compliance by municipalities.
Potable water is too valuable a commodity
to be allowed to leak back into the surrounding groundwater,
not to mention the possible health risks that may be attached to a
leaky water system.--G. D. Barkwell
to be allowed to leak back into the surrounding groundwater,
not to mention the possible health risks that may be attached to a
leaky water system.--G. D. Barkwell
Notes: *From the same report: based on 360 cubic metres annual use, Niagara consumers paid $925.00 residential water/sewer cost in 2006; in 2007 can expect increases of +6.6% water & + 1.9% wastewater. Halton residential water/sewer users with an ave 2006 bill of $741.00 can expect the largest price hike @ +10.8% water & +11.6% wastewater. City of Kitchener residential customers have had to absorb +9.9% increase in wholesale water & +14.9% increase in sewage treatment costs. Do note that Kitchener was not one of the communities examined in the Barkwell report.
** Note also proposals to augment water supplies in the Grand watershed by means of constructing pipelines from Lake Erie. Concerned citizens of Guelph have organized to stop the proposed pipeline.
The latest federal Speech from the Throne spoke about funding twin pipelines to Lake Erie. In this regard, RR has bookmarked Sierrra Club's "Threats to our Water." D Definitely worth reading as the media has not followed discussions that were held earlier this year regarding continental water supplies at a conference to prepare for a summit meeting of Prime Minister Harper with the presidents of USA and Mexico.
Action alert: The City of Guelph is preparing a 50-year Wastewater Treatment Master Plan. The purpose of the Master Plan is to develop a strategy to provide direction for wastewater infrastructure planning, investment and implementation to the year 2054.
** Note also proposals to augment water supplies in the Grand watershed by means of constructing pipelines from Lake Erie. Concerned citizens of Guelph have organized to stop the proposed pipeline.
The latest federal Speech from the Throne spoke about funding twin pipelines to Lake Erie. In this regard, RR has bookmarked Sierrra Club's "Threats to our Water." D Definitely worth reading as the media has not followed discussions that were held earlier this year regarding continental water supplies at a conference to prepare for a summit meeting of Prime Minister Harper with the presidents of USA and Mexico.
Action alert: The City of Guelph is preparing a 50-year Wastewater Treatment Master Plan. The purpose of the Master Plan is to develop a strategy to provide direction for wastewater infrastructure planning, investment and implementation to the year 2054.
The Public Information Centre takes place:
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Holiday Inn, 601 Scottsdale Drive, Guelph (parking available)Photo copyright Sandamara Images 2004: Grand River flowing south from Belwood at Garafraxa Twp 2nd line.
Sources: full report is available at website of Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association
Labels: water
water quality
"Based on information gathered between 1999 and 2002, the headwaters of the Grand and its tributaries are rated “good”. As the waters move downstream, taking in rural and urban runoff and the outflow from sewage treatment plants, the water quality declines into the “fair” category. As it passes by the major cities, water quality falls into the “poor” category because of the presence of high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen...Some occurrences of low dissolved oxygen levels take place in the central Grand on very hot summers and during periods of low stream flow and high stream temperatures. When river flows are higher and temperatures are cooler, there were few instances of low dissolved oxygen levels. (1)
Photo copyright Sandamara Images 2004: Canoeing the Grand River at Glen Morris: positively idyllic? waters flowing to City of Brantford/Six Nations/Caledonia water intake pipes are heavily polluted thanks to Region of Waterloo's urban population "needs."
Source: (1) GRCA, Ten-Year Monitoring Report - Appendices--available on GRCA website.
Labels: Grand watershed, water
water reservoirs
Photo copyright Sandamara Images 2004: Damascus Reservoir provides Upper Grand water storage.GRCA maintains major reservoirs and multi-purpose dams(Shand Dam, Conestoga Dam, Guelph Dam, Luther Dam, and Woolwich Dam) to a) ensure flood control and b) low-flow augmentation. Normally these reservoirs are filled to capacity by 1st May with runoff from the spring freshet; after that date there is little capacity left for flood control. Water held in storage is released during the summer months May through early October. During dry years there may be insufficient runoff to completely fill these reservoirs and during wet years there may be insufficient capacity to regulate floods. Flow augmentation season typically runs from June through early October; however, during dry years may extend from late April through the remainder of the year. Flow augmentation in the Grand River at Blair Reach can approach in excess of 90% of the flow in the river. (1) ====> Why augment flow? 1) to dilute the teated sewage effluent that the Cities of Waterloo and Cambridge are pumping into the river above the Blair Reach; 2) to supply water for municipalities downstream who depend on Grand River for their water supply (Region of Waterloo, Brantford, Caledonia).
Source: GRCA pilot project report, Establishing Environmental Flow Requirements for Selected Streams in the Grand River Watershed, 2005.
Labels: Grand watershed, water
18 October 2007
full of sound and fury
The past twenty-four hours, gentle reader, have afforded serendipitous moments for this media junkie. The occasion?-- the much-anticipated throne speech setting the direction for this delayed session of Parliament. Why delayed? to afford this country's hockey coach time* to negotiate a deal or two with a Maritime premier regarding the federal-provincial sharing of resource revenues. ====> to buy more votes?
RR started paying attention during the CTV national newscast when the anchor read a report to the effect that the popular satirist Colbert had announced that he was running for the U S presidency. That brief report was followed immediately with a short clip of Stephane Dion, leader of the Official Opposition, asserting to the House: " I intend [ RR's bolding] to become Prime Minister" in the juxtaposition of those two news items. ====> reread these two sentences to note the editorial sub-text i.e. fat chance that Dion will ever be P. M? Intended? yes. Subtle ? yes.)
Although Monsieur Dion apparently had just spent 45 minutes drawing attention to weaknesses in this throne speech, he concluded that the Official Opposition would not support the NDP/Bloc Quebecois non-confidence motion as he, Dion, believes that Canadians do not want another election. The official opposition rose to applaud their humiliated leader & hence, the next photo opp that graced the local print media's report of yesterday's parliamentary performances: a big colour photo**** of Stephane Dion (eyes revealing pain, pursed lips holding back emotions) with his deputy but former rival for the Liberal leadership, Michael Ignatieff***, immediately behind him. Ignatieff too stands revealed fully to the camera's eye: calculating eyes creased with smile lines but oh that grin even with pursed lips....that smug and self-satisfied grin says it all, "gotcha!" ====> a positively Shakespearean moment: Julius Caesar (Harper), Brutus (Dion) and Cassius (Ignatieff).
They call laughter the kiss of death in politics --
and the smooches rained down upon Stephane Dion from the Conservative benches yesterday.
By the time he finished a 45-minute speech in which he declared he would not bring down the
government, the Liberal leader was deluged with derisive guffaws. (1)
and the smooches rained down upon Stephane Dion from the Conservative benches yesterday.
By the time he finished a 45-minute speech in which he declared he would not bring down the
government, the Liberal leader was deluged with derisive guffaws. (1)
After mulling over the federal tragi-comedy as reported by the national media, RR turned to James Travers for a more considered reflection. Per usual, Travers offers up several honed sentences: "Clever as ever, the prime minister is rephrasing the political question....[Dion's] tortured reluctance to topple the Conservative minority over a throne speech crafted to offend his sensibilities buys time...All of this makes capital theatre even if elsewhere this brinksmanship is watched in disbelief...Harper described a country many of its citizens would struggle to recognize-- a Canada that breaks its international treaty commitment
"U.S. power, both economic power and political power, has peaked...The United States is in
considerable economic and financial stress....Next year, economic growth in Canada will outpace
that of the U.S. by as much as 2.3 per cent..Spurred by the subprime mortgage crisis in the U.S.,
housing prices in much of the United States are collapsing, while they are soaring in much of
Canada. Overseas investors are buying in Toronto after divesting their portfolios of assets
denominated in American dollars, she said. Toronto also attracts investment because it is seen as
less vulnerable to terrorism. “--Sherry Cooper, Bank of Montreal economist (3)
considerable economic and financial stress....Next year, economic growth in Canada will outpace
that of the U.S. by as much as 2.3 per cent..Spurred by the subprime mortgage crisis in the U.S.,
housing prices in much of the United States are collapsing, while they are soaring in much of
Canada. Overseas investors are buying in Toronto after divesting their portfolios of assets
denominated in American dollars, she said. Toronto also attracts investment because it is seen as
less vulnerable to terrorism. “--Sherry Cooper, Bank of Montreal economist (3)
Travers was equally thoughtful as to what was missing from this throne speech: "Canada's head remains firmly buried in its tar sands and energy superpower ambitions as others surge past searching for innovation, sustainability and, yes, profit. A "new'' government with a record as bad as the old is making common-cause with the worst polluters, minimizing persuasive scientific evidence and ignoring a watershed change in international consciousness.... Along with fast accumulating evidence of the gathering climatic storm there's the compelling case that doing too little is more costly than doing what prudence demands." (4)
"Ontario homeowners and businesses are taking action to clean up our environment by choosing 100% green, carbon-free electricity from Bullfrog Power." Today's photo shows one Kitchener home already doing its part to combat climate change even as the Harper government says going green cannot be done.
Sources: (1)
Labels: climate change, politics
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