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Truax Dam No Longer Exists

Hi Karl.

We have a position from the MNRF about the regs and the fact that the Truax Dam no longer exists as a barrier or has a fish ladder etc. Please see below and share with OS if you like.

Thanks
Kelly

Todd Craig MNRF
 To Kelly

I have had a chat with Conservation Officer Zadworny for his enforcement perspective – also chatted with our supervisor Tracy and fish and wildlife staff Ben.

The overall consensus is:
1. page 13 under general fishing regulations no longer applies as there is no obstruction, fishway or leap
2. page 119 will stand as it is – there will continue to be a extended season as usual starting at the remnants of the dam

Tracy has contacted the policy folks in Peterborough and it is too late to change the regs for 2020 so they will read the same as they do for 2019 we may request changes to the extended season starting line – could be the “remnants of the dam”, could be the highway bridge or some other obvious visual marker along the river in that area that will show up in the wording for 2021.

Hope that helps

Sincerely,

Craig Todd
Partnership Specialist
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry
Midhurst District/ Owen Sound Field Office
 1450 7th Ave. E. Owen Sound, ON N4K 2Z1
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Hepworth Anglers Club 2019 Spring Update

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula at the Volunteer BBQ on May 14, 2019, Hepworth Anglers Club President, Tony Amorosa was the recipient of a Volunteer of the Year Award for 27 years of personal guidance and stewardship.

Heather Barnes, is the recipient of the 2019 South Bruce Peninsula Heritage Award for achieving signing an Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) agreement. The agreement removes 11 acres of land from cultivation on both sides of Spring Creek. 2400 trees were planted on the 11 acres in 2018; additionally Heather planted 2000 trees on the farm in 2019 thus, further protecting a natural Heritage Feature called Spring Creek; this is a creation of the huge Hepworth Karst Drainage System.

The Hepworth Club thank the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and Meridian Credit Union for funding the purchase of elderberry shrubs to be planted along Spring Creek.

Bill Nafziger,
Hepworth Anglers Club
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Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority gives green light to Truax Dam project in Walkerton

</br“This is the current view of the Truax Dam in Walkerton. – GSS Engineering Consultants Ltd.” This is the current view of the Truax Dam in Walkerton. - GSS Engineering Consultants Ltd.
This is an artists rendition of the proposed changes to the Truax Dam in Walkerton. – GSS Engineering Consultants Ltd.

April 15, 2019, by Don Crosby, Walkerton Herald-Times

WALKERTON — Saugeen Conservation removed the final obstacle to demolition of part of the Truax Dam. The concern was weather removing part of the dam would further erode “the cliff” high earthen ban along the Saugeen River just upstream from Yonge St.

“It’s like a big oxbow corner in the river and the river has been grinding away at that cliff for years and years and it’s been a concern among councils since the 1980s,” said engineer Jeff Graham.

Graham says while the project engineers are fairly confident the removal of the dam will not cause additional erosion, they had to be able to prove this to Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA) staff beyond a doubt.

“It’s in an active stage of erosion now, so our recommendation is that the cliff is in an active stage of erosion now before the dam comes out; we don’t think we’re going to make the erosion of that cliff any worse than it is now after we take the dam out, but our modelling hasn’t been able to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that is the case,” he said.

Wayne Brohman, general manager of Saugeen Conservation, said the board of directors were satisfied with the engineer’s explanation and issued a permit.

The permit included several conditions that the engineers have to meet, such as allowing SVCA onto the site of the work to make sure it’s being done according to the permit.

Graham was satisfied that the conditions were not unexpected and in keeping with the project.

“I thought they were very fair, so we look forward in the next step,” he said.

He is still waiting for approval by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), but he expects to have that soon.

“They were interested in knowing how we were making out with Saugeen Valley (Conservation).”

Graham said he has answered all of their concerns.

The next step is for Brockton council to approve the contract by Moorefield Construction for $550,000. Cost of the demolition is being paid for by Bruce Power.

Graham said initial prep work on the shoreline, such as building a temporary access road around the dam, will likely begin around Aug. 1.

“We anticipate most of the dam would be broken out between the middle of August and middle of September,” he said.

Removal of part of the dam promises to improve fish migration and address liability and safety concerns for Brockton.

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: This project has been in the works for a couple of years and has finally jumped through its final hoop.

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Reminder the O.S. Derby is this Saturday

REMINDER – Ontario Steelheaders are hosting the annual spring steelhead trout derby at the Denny’s Dam Park located on the Saugeen River – on Saturday May 4th.

Brian will be at the park Friday morning for early registration. The derby starts Saturday at daylight and ends at 5 pm sharp.

Donations of salads and desserts are requested Hamburgers, Hotdogs and non-alcoholic refreshments are supplied.

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Salad and Dessert Donations are Requested for the Spring Derby

Ontario Steelheaders are hosting the annual spring steelhead trout derby at the Denny’s Dam Park located on the Saugeen River.

Donations of salads and desserts are requested on May 4th. Hamburgers, Hotdogs and non-alcoholic refreshments are supplied.

Please join us for a great day of fishing, social event for members, families and friends who love to catch steelhead trout. Prizes are awarded for largest steelhead rainbow trout, important information updates and a cozy campfire afterwards. It will be a fun day spent fishing with family and friends.

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Truax Dam public info sessions quell fears about ice on Saugeen River

By Adam Bell March 30, 2019 1:10pm
Blackburnnews.com

Brockton residents got a first-hand look at plans for the partial removal of the Truax Dam.

Engineer Jeff Graham was on hand earlier this week to answer questions from the public, which revolved mostly around safety issues, recreational opportunities, as well as questions around ice, specifically the breakup of ice as it flowed over the dam.

The project, which is being financed by Bruce Power, aims to return the Saugeen River to a more natural state.

Most questions from the public dealt with ice, as residents noted the dam’s presence creates an incline which breaks up large sheets of ice. Graham assured residents the ice would continue to break up as it continues to flow towards Walkerton.

Brockton Residence Post Apr 5 2019
Engineer Jeff Graham provides a look at what the area will look like after a portion of the Truax Dam is removed (Photo by Adam Bell)
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Truax dam to be partially removed

Don Crosby
Published on: March 29, 2019 | Last Updated: March 29, 2019 5:25 PM EDT
Owen Sound Sun Times

Removal of part of the Truax Dam is set to take place in late summer, engineer Jeff Graham said during a public meeting Tuesday.

In a presentation attended by about two dozen people, Graham said the dam is old , it’s too far gone to benefit from expensive repairs and there is really no advantage to rebuilding it at a huge cost. There are environmental benefits to removing it and its removal will reduce safety hazards. And removal of the east portion would minimize ice accumulation.

Moorefield Construction was the lowest bidder for tenders last fall at $550,000. The company has agreed to hold its bid until the removal takes place.

Bruce Power has committed $700,000 toward the removal of the east wing of the dam and related costs. It has also promised an additional $800,000 over the next 10 years to help restore fish habitat above and below the dam increase the number of fish moving down the river toward Lake Huron.

The plan calls for removal of the east arm (about 60 feet) but leave the west part intact where a beach area made up of layers of stone and sand would be constructed for safe public use.

Graham said there is a provisional plan to install a stairway on the western portion of the dam to allow people who want to access the river to safely get down to the water’s edge.

“The main idea of the stairway is for people who are up on the beach or at a higher level and want to get down to the water to launch their canoe or kayak or just get down to the water, even to swim or fish. They can walk down the stairs safely as opposed to trying to walk down the large armour stone which to me is not a safe way to go,” he said.

Graham said the dam is currently a barrier to most fish species other than trout and salmon, which are the only species that can use the fish ladder on the east side of the river. The fishway is only useable once the water flow is up around 30 cubic centimetre per second . “And if there a real flood (the fish) will probably never find it.”

“The removal of the east portion of the dam will facilitate the movement up and down stream of all fish species just like they did before the dam was built,” said Graham.

Graham also noted that removal of the eastern portion of the dam would facilitate movement of ice out of the head pond above the dam.

“If the dam is removed we’re always going to have current going through there, the ice will not form in the river; any ice that forms from points further upstream will float in small pieces through town. So there should be a net improvement of ice conditions in Walkerton,” he said.

Graham said the bottom of the head pond is quite clean of silt and other debris and he doesn’t expect movement of silt and mud when the portion of the dam is released

“There should be no batch release of silt or mud that comes down from the dam because there is no silt or mud stored above the dam.”

Graham said he is just waiting for SVCA to sign off on the proposal which has received approval from Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Brockton council has given preliminary approval for the project. A meeting with council on Tuesday April 9 is expected to complete the approval process.

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Spring 2019 Denny’s Damn Park Conditions

The park is open; some trailers have been brought in from storage, but it’s too muddy to move more at this time. Efforts will be made again this weekend to move more. The park was damaged by ice jams this spring and still very much a mess, be patient.

Resized_2 Picture taken 2 weeks ago; note the entrance to the park is in the upper right hand side of this picture

If visiting the park, please please, do not park or drive on the grass use only the gravel parking lot for all vehicular traffic as the park as a whole is very muddy.

The river is high and dirty with huge ice chunks on the banks of the river – both sides. Exercise extreme caution.