Beckett’s Creek Subwatershed Study
Ottawa City Council approved the Beckett’s Creek Subwatershed Study on May 10, 2023. This study addresses the Beckett’s Creek subwatershed and four adjacent unnamed tributaries that all drain to the Ottawa River east of the Village of Cumberland.
You can ready the study using the links provided below.
Executive Summary
The City of Ottawa initiated the Beckett’s Creek Subwatershed Study to examine the existing conditions of the area and to identify any needed actions to improve its environmental health and condition over the long term. City staff, government agencies and the development industry should use the resulting Subwatershed Plan to inform how future development proceeds within the study area.
Information was obtained from various reports and studies undertaken by the City and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA). The Beckett’s Creek subwatershed drains to the Ottawa River east of the Village of Cumberland. The study area also includes four small unnamed catchments adjacent to the east and west of the Beckett’s Creek system that drain directly to the Ottawa River. Crop farming is the predominant land use in the study area, followed by natural areas (woodlands, wetlands and valleylands). The Village of Cumberland, the Village of Sarsfield and the French Hill rural estates subdivision are settlements that are partially located within the study area.
Issues and Opportunities
- Beckett’s Creek is primarily a cool-warmwater system with many species of fish, but water quality is being impacted from adjacent land uses. The implementation of best management practices, such as vegetated buffers, tile drain control structures and appropriate manure storage, would help to reduce these impacts to the creek and its tributaries.
- The Vars-Winchester Esker is a valuable source of groundwater, and it is recognized in the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan as a Highly Vulnerable Aquifer. It is also a valuable source of mineral aggregates such as sand and gravel. The extraction of aggregate resources should be balanced with protection for the hydrologic function of the esker through studies and policy development.
- The City's Natural Heritage System identifies several woodlands and valleylands as significant features. There are also many unevaluated wetlands throughout the study area. Stewardship efforts by private landowners can play an important role in the restoration and enhancement of these natural habitat areas and wildlife corridors.
- Natural hazards, including flood plains, unstable slopes, unstable soils (e.g., sensitive marine clays) and karst geology present risks that should be addressed by site-specific studies and appropriate setbacks (where applicable) prior to any future development.
- Private servicing within the study area may be constrained by thin soils, karst geology and/or variable groundwater quantity and quality and should be evaluated at the site-specific level prior to development.
- Climate change is expected to impact subwatershed health as temperatures rise and precipitation becomes more variable with increased intensity of rainfall as well as risks of drought. Development should consider future climate conditions to protect natural heritage features and reduce risks to property owners within the subwatershed.
Recommendations
The Subwatershed Plan contains numerous recommendations to be implemented by the City of Ottawa, the RVCA, the development industry and/or private landowners. Taken together, the recommendations aim to protect and enhance the overall environmental health and ecological integrity of the study area including its aquatic and terrestrial features. The Subwatershed Plan categorizes the recommendations into these key themes:
- Identification of the Natural Heritage System
- Management of Natural Hazards
- Protection of Groundwater Features
- Restoration of Natural Habitat
- Protection of Surface Water Quality
- Stormwater Management
- Monitoring
Beckett’s Creek Subwatershed Study – Main Report [ PDF 4.288 MB ]
Appendix A – Public Consultation [ PDF 19.378 MB ]
Appendix B – Photographs [ PDF 15.821 MB ]
Appendix C – Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s City Stream Watch Reports [ PDF 9.807 MB ]
Appendix D – Species at Risk [ PDF 557 KB ]
Additional City Stream Watch reports prepared by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority.
For further information, please contact:
Tara Redpath
Natural Systems Planner
Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development
110 Laurier Avenue West, 4th Floor
Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1
613-580-2424, ext. 16822
E-mail: Tara.Redpath@ottawa.ca