East Cross Creek Aquatic Resources Management Plan

East Cross Creek originates on the Oak Ridges Moraine, flowing northward through Cadmus and Nestleton before emptying into the Scugog River. Draining an area of 108 square kilometres, the creek is situated within the Municipality of Clarington, the Township of Scugog and the City of Kawartha Lakes.

East Cross Creek is a major tributary of the Scugog River and supports the highly sought after game fish established in the area.

Through the East Cross Creek Aquatic Resources Management Plan (ECCARMP), we are assessing the past and current state of the fish community, the extent and limitations of this fishery, biological water quality and the physical conditions of the subwatershed affecting aquatic resources. From this, we will gain an understanding of the current health and sensitivity of aquatic resources. This information will assist in the formation of a comprehensive management plan for the aquatic resources in the upper portion of East Cross Creek.

Map of East Cross Creek

Objectives

• Report on the composition and distribution of aquatic resources within East Cross Creek and identify factors that could influence these resources.
• Establish a comprehensive management plan within the context of municipal, regional, provincial and federal policies and initiatives.
• Collaborate with landowners, resource agencies and stakeholders to protect and enhance aquatic resources.

Methods

At this time, we have completed field-sampling efforts for the ECCARMP within the Township of Scugog. In total, we have sampled 22 sites in the upper portion of East Cross Creek through 2006, 2007 and 2009 in order to collect information on the composition of fish and benthic macro-invertebrates (stream dwelling insects), as well as fish habitat.

Fish Sampling

We collected the majority of fish and fish habitat information using the Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol (OSAP), a standardized approach for sampling fish in shallow, wadeable streams. This involved backpack electrofishing; a non-lethal sampling technique that uses electricity to temporarily stun fish, permitting effective capture. After capture, we identified the fish, measured them for length and weight, and then returned them back to the stream.

We assessed fish habitat by setting up a series of equally spaced transects along a section of a stream. Measurements taken along these transects included: in-stream cover, bottom substrate, water depth and velocity, and channel stability.

Backpack electrofishing

We sampled the deeper, non-wadeable sections of East Cross Creek by setting hoop nets. As a non-lethal technique for trapping fish, hoop nets are usually deployed from a small boat and left in the stream for 24 hours. After capture, we identified the fish, measured them for length and weight, and returned them back to the stream.

Hoop netting

Benthic Invertebrate Sampling

We sampled benthic macro-invertebrates following the procedures in the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network protocol (OBBN). This standardized protocol involved the “kicking and sweeping” method to dislodge insects from the substrate. The insects then floated downstream where we collected them with a dip net, then identified and tallied them. The diversity (number of unique species) and abundance (number of individual specimens) of in-stream macroinvertebrates provides valuable information on the water quality of the upstream waters.

Benthic macro-invertebrate sampling

Preliminary Results

From the sites inventoried on East Cross Creek through 2006 to 2008, we identified 24 species of fish representing 9 families. The most abundant fish within the watershed included minnows, followed by sunfish and perch.

Future Directions

In order for the East Cross Creek Aquatic Resources Management Plan to be successful, we are forming a steering committee comprised of a wide range of stakeholders (including landowners) to help guide the development of the plan. In addition, we are setting up “Open Houses” within the East Cross Creek watershed as a means of gaining vital public input into the planning process.

Contact us to get involved.

For more information on the East Cross Creek Aquatic Resources Management Plan please download the Terms of Reference (pdf).