Terraview and Willowfield Stormwater Pond Sediment and Water Quality

Stormwater ponds have been widely used to control increased volumes and rates of surface runoff resulting from urbanization. Stormwater ponds have also been designed to provide multiple other benefits; including protection of downstream waters, sediment and habitat (land/aquatic) quality, provision of educational, recreational use as well as aesthetic amenities. Stormwater ponds create unique opportunities for enhancing community benefits, but they also cause ecological concerns with respect to the quality of the newly created habitat. Stormwater ponds receive untreated runoff from urban areas and transportation corridors, and such runoff transports sediment and pollutants from urban sources into the stormwater facilities.

Built in the mid 1990s the Terraview and Willowfield stormwater ponds currently receive water and sediment runoff from 9 hectares of a 16-lane freeway and runoff from 30 hectares of residential lands.

This dataset contains stormwater data from two stormwater ponds (Terraview and Willowfield) located within the Toronto and Region Area of concern (AOC). The data are water and sediment chemistry, and are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the two-stormwater ponds in providing a suitable habitat for aquatic species and wildlife species over a two-year period (2007 and 2008). Water and sediment samples were analyzed for trace metals such as calcium, nickel, and lead as well as 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Supplemental Information

Funding for this study was provided in part by the Government of Canada’s Great Lakes Sustainability Fund (GLSF) in conjunction with the Government of Canada’s Great Lakes Action Plan (GLAP) in support to Toronto and Region Area of Concern.

In 1987 under the revised Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, 43 areas of concern (AOC), 12 of which are located in Canada, were identified as having severely impaired beneficial uses and water quality. As funded by the Great Lakes Action Plan, a Remedial Action Plan was formed for each area of concern bringing together experts from government, industry, municipalities and environmental non-government organizations to address these impacts. Today over 900 restoration projects have been successfully completed by Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners including Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades, fish and wildlife habitat restoration, and water quality improvements. Today Wheatley Harbour (Lake Erie), Collingwood Harbour and Severn Sound (Georgian Bay) have been de-listed as an area of concern. Spanish Harbour and Jackfish Bay (Lake Superior) are now areas in recovery. Today scientific monitoring and research is continuing in the remaining AOCs to measure response of remedial efforts.

For more information please visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/great-lakes-protection/areas-concern.html

Supporting Projects: Great Lakes Action Plan (GLAP)

Canada’s Great Lakes Sustainability Fund (GLSF)