Sentinelles Petitcodiac Riverkeeper

January 31, 2005

Petitcodiac Riverkeeper’s Third Annual List of the:

10 Worst “Pollution Sources” of the Petitcodiac River System* in 2004

*The 3000 km2 Watershed and its tributaries that comprise the Petitcodiac River, Memramcook River and Shepody Bay

Methodology

The term “Pollution Source” in this document refers to an activity by individuals, corporations or government agencies that has caused and continues to cause a single or multiple negative impact on the water quality, the habitat and the ecological integrity of the Petitcodiac River system.

In selecting the “10 Worst Pollution Sources” of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004, the following four criteria were applied:

1. Activities that have multiple negative impacts on the water quality, the habitat and the ecological integrity of the watershed;
2. Activities that are continuously negatively impacting the watershed;
3. Activities that have short and long-term negative impacts on the watershed;
4. Activities that have clearly identifiable parties responsible for these negative impacts on the watershed.

1. Petitcodiac Causeway (Province of New Brunswick)

Owned and operated by the Province of New Brunswick, the Petitcodiac causeway, built in 1968, has dramatically and extensively altered natural ecosystem functions in the entire 3000 km2 Petitcodiac River and Shepody Bay ecosystem. The causeway continues to create an obstruction to natural fish passage conditions to nearly half (1,340 km2) of the river system, and has caused the elimination of 21 km of upstream estuary, substituting the historical tidal range of the river from the Village of Salisbury to Moncton.

The Petitcodiac causeway is responsible for the elimination of at least five aquatic species from the river system: the Dwarf wedgemussel (the first case of a mussel being declared extirpated from Canada – the Petitcodiac River was its only known Canadian location), the distinct Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon (declared eliminated from the Petitcodiac in the mid-1990’s and now declared Endangered in Canada), American shad (formerly a run of over 75,000 in the Petitcodiac and declared eliminated in the late-1990’s), Striped bass and Atlantic tomcod. (Aubé, Hanson, Klassen, Locke, Richardson, 2000).

The Petitcodiac causeway is also responsible for the buildup of massive silt deposits downstream from the structure, reducing the width of the Petitcodiac River from an average of 1 km in 1968 to a mere 100 m currently at the Moncton level. The Petitcodiac causeway continues to be responsible for the ongoing buildup of massive deposits of silt reaching as far as 35 km downstream to Shepody Bay. The Petitcodiac has now acquired the unfortunate distinction of being one of the few rivers in North America where you can see man’s destructive influence from space.

The Petitcodiac causeway has further caused the near elimination of the once world-renowned Petitcodiac River tidal bore, formerly Canada’s most spectacular tidal bore and one of Atlantic Canada’s top tourist attractions. Once the pride of Moncton’s tourism industry, the Petitcodiac River tidal bore has become an embarrassment for local tourism operators, as well as the focus of ridicule by visitors and local residents.

Once home to a thriving and proud shipbuilding industry, natural navigational conditions for commercial and recreational boaters have been eliminated on the Petitcodiac River in Moncton as a result of the extreme silt buildups. Because of the Petitcodiac causeway, the community of Moncton has become one of the few in North America to lose its inherent right to a navigable waterway.

The battle to restore free flow to the Petitcodiac now spans four generations, making this one of the longest standing environmental battles in Canada. Throughout a 40-year period between 1961 and 2001, over 132 reports were conducted on the Petitcodiac River and its causeway. The account of these 132 reports on the Petitcodiac River constitutes one of the most documented cases of a declining ecosystem in Canada. In July 2003, as a result of the extensive ecological damage brought about by the Petitcodiac causeway, the environmental organisation Earthwild International designated the Petitcodiac as Canada’s Most Endangered River.

The overwhelming evidence demonstrating its multiple negative impacts on the entire ecosystem, its habitat, its water quality and all of its living species makes the Petitcodiac causeway (Province of New Brunswick) The Worst Pollution Source of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem: Return the Petitcodiac River to free flow conditions in the interim (open gates advocated by Department of Fisheries and Oceans since 1979) while preparing the groundwork to replace the causeway with a partial bridge (permanent solution).

2. Sewerage Primary Treatment Plant (Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission)

Owned and operated by the Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission (GMSC), which is publicly owned by the municipalities of Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview, the Sewerage Primary Treatment Plant is responsible for treating the Greater Moncton region’s wastewater effluent. Promoted in the early 1990’s as a state-of-the-art plant that would eventually offer full wastewater treatment, the wastewater effluent continues to receive advanced primary treatment only (i.e. a removal of the solids) before being released directly into the Petitcodiac River. More than twenty years after the project was first initiated and eleven years after the plant was commissioned, the GMSC has still not made publicly available its plans to upgrade the plant to secondary or tertiary treatment.

On average, the plant discharges directly into the Petitcodiac River between 50 and 70 million litres of primary treated effluent every day. Not only are there suspected toxic substances and hormone-related chemicals entering the river at the outfall, but the extreme richness of this effluent’s bio-load likely causes the water to be overloaded with nutrients. This can cause excessive microbial activity and deoxygenation. Trying to navigate a stretch of river lacking in oxygen is a big hazard to any fish that might try to swim upstream or downstream at this location. The coliform bacteria count at the outfall is also known to routinely exceed the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines set for recreational use.

Of growing concern since the last few years is the plant’s wastewater dilution factor as the primary treated effluent reaches the Petitcodiac River. Initially calculated in the mid-1980’s to account for a larger flow in the river, the dilution factor in the receiving waters of the Petitcodiac has continuously decreased as a result of the ongoing buildup of massive silt deposits in the river channel. Under low flow conditions during the summers of 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 (between 12 and 18 hours a day), the amount of discharge was estimated to be equal or superior to the amount of receiving waters available in the Petitcodiac River at the location of the outfall. This has increased the concentration of primary treated effluent in the river and increased the risk of environmental harm to aquatic species at this location during low flow periods.

The continued discharge of primary treated effluent directly into the Petitcodiac River, at an average rate of between 50 and 70 million litres a day, and with no public plans to upgrade the plant to advanced secondary or tertiary treatment, makes the Greater Moncton Primary Treatment Plant (Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission) our Number 2 Worst Pollution Source of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem: Prepare detailed plans to upgrade treatment to advanced secondary and tertiary, and develop financial scenarios (federal/provincial/municipal partnerships, long-term borrowing arrangements, etc.) to achieve this objective.

3. Former Moncton Riverside Landfill (City of Moncton)

Owned and operated by the City of Moncton, the former Moncton landfill is located on 35 hectares (87 acres) of land along the Petitcodiac riverfront. It began operating shortly after the causeway was built in 1968, and was closed in 1992 after more than 20 years of operation. Historical records reference the following notable wastes disposed of at the facility: petroleum waste oil, liquid animal waste, asbestos pipe insulation, urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI), cleaning solution - sodium hydroxide SCA-134, septic waste, sewage sludge and medical wastes. (GEMTEC Report, 1995).

An environmental investigation conducted by the Environmental Bureau of Investigations (EBI) and the Petitcodiac Riverkeeper in the summer and fall of 2000, revealed that between 100,000 and 300,000 litres of toxic leachate was entering the Petitcodiac River every day from various discharge points of the former Moncton landfill along Jonathan Creek. In February 2002, charges were subsequently laid by Environment Canada’s Enforcement Branch against the City of Moncton and a consulting firm in relation to this case (Gemtec case is still before the courts).

The City of Moncton plead guilty to these charges in September 2003, and agreed to a court order and a closure plan that would eliminate the discharge of toxic leachate into Jonathan Creek and the Petitcodiac River. This closure plan is still being reviewed by the federal and provincial regulatory agency, and until it is implemented the discharges of toxic leachate will continue.

The continuous discharge of toxic leachate directly into Jonathan Creek and the Petitcodiac River, at an estimated rate of tens of thousands of litres per day, makes the Former Moncton Riverside Landfill (City of Moncton) our Number 3 Worst Pollution Source of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem (GEMTEC Report, 1995): Construct a leachate collection system and an impermeable cap to cover the landfill.

4. Memramcook and Shepody Causeways (Province of New Brunswick)
Owned and operated by the Province of New Brunswick, the Memramcook and the Shepody River causeways, built in 1973 and 1958 respectively, have completely altered natural ecosystem functions in the 400 km2 Memramcook and the 550 km2 river systems. These two causeways, designed with no fish ladders whatsoever, continue to create an obstruction to natural fish passage conditions to nearly two-thirds (approximately 250 km2) of the Memramcook and 90 percent (500 km2) and the Shepody River systems. Both causeways have also caused the elimination of several kilometers of upstream estuary, affecting the historical tidal range and the salt-fresh water exchange in the system.

Both the Memramcook and the Shepody causeways are responsible for the elimination of nearly every historical fish species in these river systems, including the distinct Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon (formerly a run believed to have been between 1,000 and 2,000 in each river), American shad, Striped bass, Atlantic tomcod, Sea run brook trout and others.

The Memramcook and Shepody causeways are also and continue to be responsible for the buildup of massive silt deposits downstream from the structure, reducing the width of the Memramcook and Shepody Rivers and affecting Shepody Bay’s mudflats, a critical habitat for migrating shore birds.

Built against the will of the communities living in the Memramcook River valley in the early 1970’s, the Province of New Brunswick initiated in the fall of 1999, at the request of these same communities, the steps necessary to restore free flow at the Memramcook causeway. Five years after this public commitment was made, the plan to operate the gates year-long on the Memramcook causeway (which entails rebuilding several of the marshland dikes) to allow free flow was still not operational in 2004.

The evidence demonstrating its multiple negative impacts on this entire river system, its habitat, its water quality and all of its living species makes the Memramcook and Shepody causeways (Province of New Brunswick) our Number 4 Worst Pollution Source of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem: Return the Memramcook and Shepody Rivers to free flow conditions in the interim (year-round gate management plan) and undertake a detailed assessment to return these rivers to full tidal flow by replacing these causeways with a partial bridge (permanent solution).

5. Wetland Destruction (Province of New Brunswick, City of Moncton, City of Dieppe and various private developers)

One of the foremost examples of habitat loss in the Petitcodiac River system is the destruction of wetlands resulting from urban sprawl, pollution and drainage. The incremental loss of wetlands is not limited to Atlantic Canada. In fact, wetlands are among the most threatened habitats on earth. Since these had in the past no apparent use for human consumption, wetlands were traditionally perceived as wastelands. Consequently, they were filled in for development, transformed into solid waste dumps, or diked for agriculture.

In Moncton’s Jonathan Creek watershed alone, over 90 % of the wetlands were lost to urban development between 1953 and 1996 (Petitcodiac Riverkeeper, 2004). In the Halls Creek watershed, over 70% of the wetlands were lost in this same period (Levesque et al, non-published document, 2002). Although the importance of wetlands has been officially recognized by the provincial and federal governments, their destruction continues in some areas of the Petitcodiac River system. This includes portions of the Jonathan Creek wetland (approximately 20 acres) to make way for the approaches to the new Gunningsville Bridge, and portions of the Chartersville wetland (approximately 5 acres), to build a new access for Virginia Street.

The importance of wetlands rests in several ecological functions. The first of these is the purification and filtration of contaminants destined for lakes, rivers, streams, coastlines and drinking water supplies. Secondly, they store water that can be released during droughts, absorb water during floods and serve as buffers against coastal storm surges. In addition, a variety of animals such as songbirds, fish, waterfowl, and plants depend on wetlands for their survival. Not only are wetlands the most productive ecosystems in Canada, they are considered among the most productive in the world.

The construction of an artificial wetland in Moncton’s Centennial Park, for instance, illustrates the value of these services. In fact, the economic cost of this project puts the current value of wetlands at approximately $100,000 per hectare.

The evidence demonstrating its multiple negative impacts on the Petitcodiac River system, its habitat, its water quality and its living species makes wetland destruction (Various Private Developers) our Number 5 Worst Pollution Source of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem: Implement urban planning policies to protect wetlands and increase the enforcement of environmental laws.

6. Watercourse and Habitat Destruction (Various Private Developers)

Environmentally insensitive developments carried out by residential, commercial and industrial developers with the endorsement of the watershed’s Planning Commissions can have multiple, severe and irreversible impacts on the ecological components of river systems. And in the Petitcodiac River system, most of these environmentally insensitive developments occur in the Greater Moncton Planning Commission’s territory of influence. The main impacts of these include habitat destruction and the alteration of watercourses.

The main habitats within watersheds upon which aquatic life and water quality depend are wetlands and riverine areas. The latter includes the watercourses themselves, the riparian zones (i.e. ecological buffers) and the surrounding forests.

These different components work together to assure the environmental integrity and the maintenance of adequate habitats for plants, fish and other animal species. The physical properties of streams and riverbeds, also called substrate, will determine what type of plant and animal life live and spawn there. Fish need certain types of substrate for the deposition of eggs during the spawning season, for adequate shelter and food. Vegetation along streams and riverbanks (i.e. the riparian zone) also has an important role to play in the river system. It filters water trickling down along the edge of a watercourse, reduces erosion and provides shade, keeping water temperatures cool in the summer time, thus promoting high levels of dissolved oxygen, which is crucial to fish survival.

The destruction of habitat and the region’s watercourses continues at an accelerated rate in the Petitcodiac River system as a result of urban sprawl. This has both ecological and socio-economic consequences. The socio-economic and ecological consequences of the destruction of habitat are not as obvious as those seen by the destruction of wetlands but can be as severe. For example, piping brooks underground can hinder fish passage and restrict the access of anadromous fish to spawning beds upstream, which may lead to the reduction in commercial and sport fish populations. As a result, estuarine fishermen may suffer reduced catches, substantial economic setbacks and the eventual loss of livelihood. This last example illustrates the tightknit relationship between coastal and watershed ecosystems, and how the prosperity of communities depends on the health of the local environment.

The evidence demonstrating its multiple negative impacts on the Petitcodiac River system, its habitat, its water quality and all of its living species makes watercourse and habitat destruction (Various Private Developers) our Number 6 Worst Pollution Source of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem: Implement urban planning policies to protect fish habitat, their watercourses and their riparian zones, as well as increase the enforcement of environmental laws.

7. Untreated Sanitary Sewage Discharges (Various Municipal Governments including the Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission)

Operated by various municipalities in the watershed including the Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission, sewerage systems are designed to direct sanitary sewage from residential and commercial users to dedicated treatment plants before being released into the environment. As a result of improper maintenance or poor design, untreated sanitary sewage continued to be discharged directly into streams of the Petitcodiac River watershed in 2004.

These discharges, which are concentrated in the greater Moncton area, can have severe environmental impacts. Due to the presence of disease causing agents (fecal coliform, ecoli, etc.), the discharge of sanitary sewage into our waterways is a threat to public health. Sanitary sewage also has an impact on aquatic organisms. It contains high levels of nutrients that contribute to the excessive proliferation of aquatic plants and algae. Microorganisms that decompose sewage and related organic matter require high levels of dissolved oxygen. Consequently, aquatic organisms that need high levels of dissolved oxygen for their survival, such as trout or salmonids, will leave the area or die in anoxic conditions (i.e. oxygen deficient).

In areas where oxygen levels have been depleted, anaerobic microorganisms, which do not require oxygen, will proliferate and further deteriorate water quality through the release of odorous compounds. The discharge of hormone and other potential endocrine disruptive substances through sanitary sewer discharges can also have a severe impact on aquatic organisms (June 2002 Humphreys Brook oil spill, August 2002 textile mill effluent spill being such examples).

Its multiple negative impacts on the Petitcodiac River system, its habitat, its water quality and its living species makes untreated sanitary sewage discharges (Various Municipal Governments including the Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission) our Number 7 Worst Pollution Source of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem: Maintain sanitary sewerage infrastructure in proper working order, correct cross-connections defaults and design greater sewerage water retaining capacity to avoid overflows.

8. Stormwater Discharges (Various Municipal Governments and the Province of New Brunswick)

Operated by various municipalities and provincial government agencies in the watershed, stormwater systems are designed to direct rainwater from residential and commercial developments to settling ponds, dedicated treatment plants or directly into watercourses. As a result of poor design or detrimental development policies, stormwater systems continue to discharge directly into our waterways a wide variety of pollutants throughout the Petitcodiac River watershed in 2004.

Stormwater is water that is not absorbed into the ground but that rather trickles rapidly on impermeable surfaces before being discharged into watercourses. Due to the widespread presence of hard surfaces such as roads and parking lots, cities contribute a considerable amount of stormwater runoff into our local waterways. The growing prevalence of impermeable surfaces also reduces groundwater infiltration, which in turn reduces water levels in rivers and streams.

Stormwater outfalls can alter riverine habitats and reduce water quality. Stormwater discharges can also reach high velocities during heavy rainfalls, thus leading to the erosion and widening of adjacent streambanks. Stormwater discharges can elevate stream water temperatures during summer months, and these drastic temperature changes can in turn be lethal to a variety of aquatic organisms. Finally, the contents of stormwater can also be very harmful to aquatic life. Pollutants, such as sediments, petroleum, metals, pesticides, bacteria and nutrients, accumulate on streets, buildings, lawns, parking lots and are carried off by storm water directly into our watercourses.

The evidence demonstrating its multiple negative impacts on the Petitcodiac River system, its habitat, its water quality and all of its living species makes stormwater discharges (various Municipal Governments and the Province of New Brunswick) our Number 8 Worst Pollution Source of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem: Develop and adopt standards, as in other jurisdictions in North America, to incorporate storm water filtration systems and storm water settling ponds to the design.

9. Various Abandoned Dams and Barriers of all Types (City of Moncton (Jones Lake Dam – 60 km2), Town of Riverview (Navy Dam – 50 km2), Tandem Fabrics Ltd. (Humphreys Brook Dam – 38 km2), City of Moncton (McLaughlin and Irishtown Reservoirs – 34 km2), Province of New Brunswick (Fox Creek aboiteau – 34km2)

Owned and operated by the City of Moncton, the Town of Riverview, one private owner (Tandem Fabrics Ltd.) and the Province of New Brunswick, abandoned dams and barriers of all types located on tributaries of the Petitcodiac River continue to create 100 percent obstacles to fish passage and are affecting the ecological integrity of these streams and the larger watershed.

The Jones Lake Dam (impacting 60 km2), the abandoned Navy Dam (affecting 50 km2), the abandoned Humphreys Brook dam (affecting 38 km2), the McLaughlin and Irishtown reservoirs (affecting 34 km2) and the Fox Creek aboiteau (affecting 34 km2) are believed to be responsible for the elimination of nearly every historical fish species in these tributaries, including the distinct Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon, Sea run brook trout and others.

All of these barriers and abandoned dams continue to be responsible for the buildup of silt deposits upstream from these structures, for the increase in water temperatures and the decrease in water quality in these reservoirs. Built for a variety of uses (aesthetic, energy, flood control, water supplies) as far back as the late 1800’s and as late as the 1950’s, some of these barriers have since been abandoned and no longer serve their intended purpose.

Decommissioning plans have now been prepared for the abandoned Navy Dam on Mill Creek (Riverview) and the abandoned dam on Humphreys Brook (Moncton), and await approval from the owners and funding before restoration projects can begin on these streams. One of the gates of the Fox Creek aboiteau could also be potentially opened to free flow conditions, an option that needs further study.

While the reservoirs of Irishtown and McLaughlin have long since been utilized for the purposes of supplying drinking water or emergency water to city residents, these dams continue to operate. Jones Lake in Moncton, in the meantime, has filled up with sediment as a result of development activities and the City is considering dredging it at the cost of millions of dollars.

The evidence demonstrating their multiple negative impacts on the tributaries of Jonathan Creek (Jones Lake), Mill Creek, Humphreys Brook, West Branch Halls Creek, Ogilvie Brook and Fox Creek, its habitat, its water quality and all of its living species makes these abandoned dams and barriers of all types (City of Moncton, Town of Riverview, Tandem Fabrics Ltd., Province of New Brunswick) our Number 9 Worst Pollution Source of the Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem: Remove the abandoned dams on Mill Creek and Humphreys Brook, conduct assessment on restoring partial free flow conditions in Fox Creek, conduct assessment on the future of the Irishtown and McLaughlin reservoirs, and conduct a feasibility study on restoring fish passage and/or tidal flow in the Jones Lake estuary.

10. Widespread Cosmetic Pesticide Use (Cosmetic Pesticides Users)

The cosmetic use of pesticides (and herbicides) by individual, commercial and government property owners is widespread throughout the Petitcodiac River system. The synthetic organic compounds found in pesticides can find their way into groundwater by leaching into the soil or into surface water through runoff. Only a very small percentage of the 7000 pesticide products on the Canadian market have been tested for carcinogenic or mutagenic properties. Pesticides have been linked with the development of cancer, Parkinson’s disease and birth defect. However, due to the diversity of interacting factors, such as age, heredity and so on, making the link between pesticide use and human health is not an easy task.

The non-lethal or indirect effects of pesticide exposure can be as devastating to a given population as those that kill immediately. These include the deterioration of reproductive function, behavioral change, loss of weight, and habitat loss. For example, a particular fish population can loose a vital food source if a particular insect species is eliminated from the local food chain. Similarly, these same fish species can decline from the loss of habitat as a result of the destruction of vegetation related to pesticide use, or a reduction in water quality.

Pesticides concentrate up the food chain through a process called bioaccumulation. Their impact on animal and plant species increases with time as these products build-up in living tissues. The problem is even more worrisome when we consider the widespread distribution of pesticides in our environment. According to a leading U.S. study, 96% of all fish, 100% of all surface waters and 33% of all acquifers tested had traces of one or more pesticides. The extensive dispersion of pesticides is not solely due to their cosmetic use. However, people should consider alternatives to cosmetic pesticide use when dealing with common household “pests”.

The documented and potentially devastative effects of pesticide use on the health of all organisms within the Petitcodiac River system and on human health makes Cosmetic Pesticides (Cosmetic Pesticide Users) our Number 10 Worst Pollution Source of Petitcodiac River System in 2004.

Documented solution to correct the problem: Enact municipal, provincial and/or federal regulations and legislation, as well as promote alternative and non-chemical lawn care methods, to eliminate the use of cosmetic pesticides in the watershed.