NVCA to host public meeting seeking landowners interested in partnering on river restoration in Adjala-Tosorontio

UTOPIA, Ontario (June 19, 2024) – The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) is inviting landowners interested in partnering on river restoration and stream bank stabilization to attend a public meeting to learn more about the Nottawasaga River Restoration Program (NRRP).

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Hockley Historic Community Hall & Church at 994174 Mono Adjala Townline. River restoration experts and landowners who have previously participated in restoration efforts have also been invited to share their expertise and experiences.

Restoration works are proposed for the upper Nottawasaga River, east of the Village of Hockley where excellent water quality from the Niagara Escarpment deteriorates quickly. The decline in water quality is caused by soil and nutrients released from eroding river banks and surrounding lands. Summer stream temperatures also rise quickly in this section as there are gaps in the forest cover which provides shade to the river.

Since 2019, NVCA and the South Simcoe Streams Network have worked with landowners and volunteers to stabilize eroding riverbanks and enhance fish habitat in the upper Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek. 

“Thanks to our volunteers, and funders such as Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s and
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, we are able to provide cost share opportunities for landowners interested in partnering on river restoration,” said Fred Dobbs of Manager, Stewardship Services at NVCA. “These restoration efforts help improve water quality and fish habitat, reduce the potential for flooding and increase property values.”

Under the NRRP, river restoration works are intended to improve water quality and fish habitat, and are not for the purposes of protecting infrastructure threatened by erosion.

For more information about the meeting, call 705-424-1479 or email Fred Dobbs at fdobbs@nvca.on.ca or Laura Wensink at lwensink@nvca.on.ca.