(North Bay, May 27, 2019) The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA), in conjunction with the City of North Bay, is seeking public comment on a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) to address long term erosion and bank instability along Chippewa Creek near Oak St.
The Chippewa Creek Erosion Control Study, completed in 2015, identified 10 high priority sites along Chippewa Creek where repairs are needed. The Class EA focuses on the creek from Main St. to the railway bridge upstream of Stanley Street.
“The stretch of the creek near Oak St was identified as priority site #1 in the Erosion Control Study. The channel is degrading and needs to be addressed in order to protect the integrity of the channel, private property and public infrastructure,” said Brian Tayler, NBMCA CAO.
First, a baseline environmental Inventory (BEI) assessed the current state of the creek and banks in the study area. Several design alternatives were developed and presented at a Public Open House on November 8, 2018. Each of the alternatives was then evaluated to determine if all environmental impacts could be mitigated. It was determined that all impacts could be avoided or mitigated, and recommendations for mitigating the issues were provided.
The preferred option was determined to be the removal of the pedestrian bridge, the old rail bridge, and any other hard structures, with a new retaining wall on the south bank and bank regrading north bank, new abutments, and a new prefabricated steel pedestrian bridge.
The Class EA report will be available starting on May 27, 2019 for a 30 calendar-day public review period. This study was conducted in accordance with the Environmental Assessment Act and Conservation Ontario’s Class Environmental Assessment for Remedial Flood and Erosion Control Projects.
Subject to comments received in response to the Class EA Report, and the receipt of all the necessary approvals, NBMCA and the City of North Bay intend to proceed with the detailed design and construction as documented in the Class EA report.
The Class EA Study was funded by the City of North Bay, NBMCA and the Ministry of Natural Resources and
Forestry through the Water and Erosion Control Infrastructure Program. The project budget was $128,000.
The report and notice can be viewed at www.nbmca.ca under Studies and Reports/Chippewa Creek Class Environmental Assessment 2019 at at NBMCA 15 Janey Ave., North Bay or North Bay City Hall, 6th Floor Engineering Department.
The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority was founded in 1972 by the Province of Ontario and its 10 member municipalities. A non-profit organization, the NBMCA works closely with the public to balance human needs with environmental needs throughout the region’s watershed. The NBMCA is one of 36 Conservation Authorities who are members of Conservation Ontario.
You can follow NBMCA on facebook.com/NBMCA and twitter @theNBMCA.
Contact:
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Kurtis Romanchuk, NBMCA Water Resource Engineer 705 474-5420
Sue Buckle, NBMCA Manager Communications and Outreach 705 474-5420