Report card reveals 'slow' progress on cleanup of Hamilton Harbour

Getting started on the  cleanup of contaminated sediment at Randle Reef marks a significant step forward in the decades-long cleanup of Hamilton harbour amid slow but steady progress on many other fronts.

The 2017 Towards Safe Harbour Report Card was released Monday by the Bay Area Restoration Council (BARC), the group which keeps tabs on local efforts to "bring back the bay" since it was classified as a Great Lakes environmental hot spot.

We know the path to success is long and hard. We're making our way along it.- Chris McLaughlin, BARC

While the report says progress is being made to improve conditions as part of the Remedial Action Plan introduced in the 80s, things will be slow for a while yet.

The high point is the beginning — after decades of failed attempts — of the $140 million Randle Reef remediation project, which will be completed by 2022. It  aims to reverse decades of damage done by industrial contamination in the harbour.

• Read more: Hamilton's Randle Reef cleanup will undo generations of damage

But many more challenges remain, including the threat of invasive species and climate change.

"Slow progress can be very frustrating, but it's progress nonetheless," said Chris McLaughlin, executive director of BARC. "Contaminated sediment is only one of many problems."

He says while the Randle Reef project is a huge accomplishment, there are still other known deposits of contaminated sediment in the harbour that need to be dealt with.

Invasive species threatening native

Moreover, the threat of invasive species that can withstand polluted waters and tend to displace native species continues. BARC has seen some initial success with the re-introduction of walleye in the harbour, but they have largely been dominated by a high presence of pollution-tolerant species like carp and discarded goldfish.

• 50K walleye put into Hamilton Harbour
• Discarded goldfish are taking over Hamilton's harbour
• Round goby fish thrive in Hamilton Harbour's contamination

"There's a lot of goldfish now. Among all the other invasive species of the Great Lakes, it just makes the job that much more difficult."

Adding to the struggle this year are record-breaking high water levels, leading to mixed results. Cootes Paradise marsh, protected from invasive carp by a permanent structure, has to be bolstered this spring to keep the carp from bypassing the barrier. It was important step, since BARC says half of the plants in that marsh have regrown thanks to the carp barrier. 

On the other hand, a smaller barrier made up of donated Christmas trees protecting the Grindstone marsh has washed away this year, leaving carp to swim freely in and out of the marsh. 

The high levels in the bay come a year after the marsh experienced low water levels, a sign of how variable conditions can be.

Water quality

Above all, water quality needs to drastically improve over the next five years, says McLaughlin, even as the forecast suggests an upward trend for improved conditions for wildlife and people.

In the last five years, hundreds of millions of dollars have gone into wastewater treatment for Burlington, with the sewage treatment plant now completed. However, the level of phosphorus is still much higher than what is needed under the RAP, and hasn't seen much change.

"So many of our objectives hinge on better water quality," said McLaughlin. "Hopefully we'll see that with the upgrades to wastewater treatment, but once those are done in the next 4-5 years, half the water will be coming in from the watershed. That'll be the issue for the first time in 100 to 150 years."

"We know the path to success is long and hard. We're making our way along it, and we're seeing great successes but we're encountering new problems as well," said McLaughlin.

Full report card

Healthy Water and Habitat: C +

"As a community, our ability to improve Harbour water quality has never been stronger, but our technology and processes must keep up with challenges posed by regional population growth, land development and climate change."

Fish and Wildlife Populations: C +

"Success in re-introducing walleye, a top native predator, is countered by a nearshore fish community dominated by non-native and pollution-tolerant species (such as carp). Colonial bird communities are doing relatively well, but poor water quality threatens native fish population recovery."

Toxic Contaminants and Sediment: B -

"The construction of the Randle Reef containment facility is the single most significant step forward in containing toxic sediment in the Harbour."

Research and Monitoring: Very Good

"Compared to other badly polluted bays and rivers on the Great Lakes, research and monitoring of Hamilton Harbour have been extraordinary and have benefited from recent investment in the science behind restoring habitat, water quality, aquatic plants and fish and wildlife."

Watershed Management: Good

"The impact of positive steps – like evolving farming practices and Hamilton's improved control of its combined sewers in real time – are contributing to better water quality, but those benefits are reduced by the influence of changing land uses and development across the watershed."

Public Information, Education and Access: Very Good

"Educational programs continue to expand, including enhanced subwatershed report cards and multi-agency public outreach, while projects at Windermere Basin and the West Harbour along with future residential and commercial development at Pier 8 are enhancing recreational shoreline access."