Erosion Control Installation at Hall's Creek

Thursday, 30 July 2015 07:46

The UTRCA is installing over $22 000 worth of erosion control along Hall's Creek.

INGERSOLL - The Upper Thames Conservation Authority has received over $22 000 to make improvements to Hall's Creek.

For a while now, the creek has been a cause for concern as it slowly eroded the banks. Community Partnership Specialist with the Conservation Authority Brad Hertner says with help from a few different sources they will be able to help preserve that area. "It was about a year and a half ago we applied for some funding from the RBC Blue Water grant and also from a fund from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment called the Great Lakes Guardians Fund. And we were successful and received just over $22 000 to do some erosion control work to shore up the bank there and stop the erosion."

The creek winding through the area just downstream of Smith's Pond has been eating away at the banks for some time now. It's especially notable after a heavy rain when the water is fast flowing. To combat this, the Conservation Authority will be places stone along 100 metres of stone along the shoreline to help keep the creek where it is.

"It's a nice stretch of the creek there. And Hall's Creek has very nice water quality," Hertner says. "You get a lot of benefits from erosion control. The structures in the creek will actually provide habitat for the fish, but also you get the benefit of not having that soil eroded off the banks and covering up the fish habitat at the bottom of the creek."

Fish will also be seeing another benefit - riffles will also be installed. Riffles are small, rapid like structures that allow fish to move more freely around the concrete block left behind by the old mill. Riffles also help with the oxygen content of the water.

All this work will also keep the nearby path from being damaged further by the erosion.

Work will begin just after 10:30 a.m. at Smith Pond Park.

The Town of Ingersoll has also been a partner for this project, and Carmeuse has donated 200 tonnes of stone.