Newsletter 14

Advancements in equipment have enabled government departments to monitor water characteristics in a more efficient and reliable manner. The Souris River Watershed is fortunate to be equipped with several of these sophisticated devices, with funding provided by the National Water Program.
Situated around the Souris River Watershed are three well monitoring sites. These wells are fitted with two sensors which work in conjunction to provide accurate readings of ground water levels. Ground water levels fluctuate with season and weather conditions, but these readings allow specialists to track trends and determine recharge rates. Unlike previous devices requiring on-site data retrieval, these measurements are transmitted via radio transmitter to the office of the provincial watershed monitoring specialist. This environmentally sound system is entirely solar powered. In addition to these ground water monitoring sites, an in-stream system has been installed in the Souris River. Equipped with a variety of sensors, this HydroLab allows specialists to evaluate such parameters as water level, temperature, turbidity, ammonia, and conductivity, all in real time. Data retrieved is constantly fed to government offices via transmitter, allowing specialists to monitor events as they occur.

The above ground (left) and in-stream (right) components of the HydroLab in the Souris River

The installation of these devices represent exciting advancements in the field of water monitoring and, ultimately, environmental protection in the Souris area. website is being developed which will allow the public to view the data as it is collected, and we will relay that address as soon as it becomes available.

With the 2008 crops in the ground, it is time to calculate acreages for qualifying structures/practices in year two of the Ecological Goods & Services pilot project. The success of the project will, partly, depend on producer uptake in this year. So far successful uptake seems promising, and is evident in producer's fields and agricultural practices.
For this season there will be eight EG & S nutrient management trials in the Souris watershed, compared to last year's five. Three of these trials are a continuation of last year's potato trials, and are currently in barley. The other five nutrient management trials are being conducted on potatoes. The producers who are participating in nutrient management trials for 2008 are Black Pond Farms, Arthur Mooney & Sons, Lily Pond Farms, Rollo Bay Holdings (3), and Kevin MacAulay (2). These trials will be monitored throughout the season through soil and tissue analysis, and comparisons will be made between conventional and nutrient management fertility.

A Nutrient Management site planted by Black Pond Farms

Another significant increase in producer uptake has been in eliminating red soil over winter. Approximately 500 acres in the Souris watershed were either spring ploughed or under residue management this year. Although increased snow cover played a major role in decreased soil erosion by wind, there was less exposed soil in the watershed to be blown around this winter. The general public appears to be at least somewhat satisfied, as there seemed to be less "red" houses making the evening news.

In addition to these practices, there have been smaller increases in other areas of EG&S. Approximately 4000 ft of hedgerows were planted in the watershed this spring, and one producer is currently working with the Department of Agriculture to construct soil conservation structures. The number of acreages of grassed waterways, and grassed headlands also appears to have increased. Overall, things are looking promising for 2008 and every increase will count, big or small.

4-H members demonstrate the calves they raised for Achievement Day

Earl MacDonald, along with his wife Judy, operate a mixed farm on the Grant Road. The family raises a number of beef cattle, while tending to crops such as forages and blueberries. Earl is one producer who is participating in the Ecological Goods & Services pilot project in the Souris watershed. He has updated his Environmental Farm Plan this year, and is working towards completing components of his action plan by starting to soil sample his fields. Earl has about an acre of hedgerows surrounding his cropped fields and homestead, which provide a number of environmental benefits. These benefits include acting as windbreaks/living snow fences, maintaining biodiversity, creating a corridor for wildlife, and providing shade for cattle.

Aside from everyday activities on the farm, Earl spends some time acting as a 4H leader. There are six girls who have been training with Earl, on a weekly basis, in preparation to show their 4H calves on Achievement Day. If you think Megan Allen, Jessica Chapman, Rebecca Chapman, Hannah Conway, Amy Gragtman, or Carly MacDonald would shy away from crazy "Mamma" cows or cow manure, let me tell you that is not the case!!

These ladies worked very hard to prepare their calves for Achievement Day, and Earl was a great teacher. It is refreshing to see young ladies with an interest in agriculture, and farmers who are willing to spend their free time providing leadership and guidance.

In recent weeks, much attention has been paid to the issue of water quality in Prince Edward Island. Media releases have been dominated by news of anoxic events and silt laden rivers in many areas of the Island. These issues are indeed very important, and indicate serious environmental problems in these areas. Our area is not impervious to such events, as the Souris River experienced anoxic conditions in 2003. However, the Souris Watershed Management Committee is pleased to report that no such events have been documented in the Souris River this summer.
Despite heavy rains (which cause runoff events) and high temperatures (which contribute to anoxic conditions), the river remained clear and suitable for aquatic life. While pertinent problems still exist with regards to environmental health in our area, it is encouraging to see that the Souris River remained productive despite the adverse conditions. It appears that the environmentally responsible practices implemented by area farmers, in combination with the efforts of the Souris Wildlife Branch, have benefited the health of the Souris River in a very meaningful way.
Souris Nitrate Clinic Results
On July 24th, the Souris Wildlife Branch and the Dept. of Environment, Energy, and Forestry, partnered to host the second annual Nitrate Testing Clinic. Held at the Souris Ski Club, this clinic was designed to provide the public with invaluable information pertaining to the quality of their drinking water. Like the first edition, this year's clinic was well attended, clearly demonstrating the public's growing awareness of the importance of water quality in the Eastern Kings area.
Current Health Canada standards deem nitrate levels below 10 mg/L as safe for human consumption. From the interpretation of the clinic results, it's evident that the majority of samples (96%) fall within this range. However, the presence of some samples over this point (4%) means that residents must remain prudent with regards to their drinking water quality and continue to have it tested regularly. Results from the clinic are summarized in the following figure;
Water quality specialist David
Clarke explains test results to a
resident at the Nitrate Clinic.
The Souris Wildlife Branch looks forward to hosting another clinic next year, and encourages the public to monitor their drinking water quality closely in the meantime.
President's Comments
The Souris Wildlife website, www.souris.wl.ca, continues to grow in both content and popularity. Since February 22nd, 2007, the site has had over 150,000 views. The site has been explored regularly by individuals from countries around the world including the United States, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK, and France. Interestingly, some of the site's most frequent users are Australian students using it as an educational resource.
Much work goes into the development and maintenance of this website. Webmaster Waldron Leard has been busy chronicling all of our activities and compiling extensive photo galleries. The site features descriptions of all events and projects that our group is involved with, as well as a profile of the history of the Branch. One of the most valuable components of the site is the Ecology section, which features descriptions of the life histories, behaviours, and habitats of many wildlife species found in our area. Included in this section are many pictures helpful for field identification. This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about the creatures around us, including students, outdoorsmen, and naturalists. This section of our site will continue to grow in the coming months, as more species are added to the database.

The home page of the Souris Wildlife website at www.souriswl.ca
As the popularity of the website grows, so too does the popularity of the Wildlife Photo Contest. To date, approximately 750 entries have been received, compared to 470 last year. The panel of international photography experts serving as judges have been particularly impressed with the high quality and originality of many of the entries. The deadline for this year's contest is October 31st, and the Souris Branch encourages all residents to get involved.
Steve Cheverie
President, Souris and Area Branch of the PEI Wildlife Federation
Chairperson's Comments
Where has the time gone? It feels like just yesterday we were speaking about the goals for this work season, and now it is almost over! Nonetheless, the Souris River Watershed Management Committee is quite pleased with the strides taken by our crews this year.
In particular, the HADD Project in Gowan Brae is nearing completion. Although very time and energy consuming for our crew, this project will benefit the Souris River and all watershed stakeholders for years to come. The last trees are in the process of being installed, marking the culmination of a remarkable effort put forth by everyone involved. To all the landowners who donated trees, know that your generosity has contributed greatly to ensuring the long-term health of the Souris River.
The crew in front of the HADD Project work site
As the season draws to a close, I hope that everyone has had a relaxing and enjoyable summer, and I look forward to talking to you again in the fall!
Paul Deveau
Chairperson,
Souris River Watershed Management Committee
Coordinators Comments
While still productive, this stream enhancement season has been somewhat of a disappointment thus far. Having a limited crew dedicated to stream enhancement has left us struggling to meet our goals. Like many other watershed groups on Prince Edward Island, staffing issues continue to hinder our work. However, we are fortunate to have an extremely hard working crew that can be relied upon to complete the necessary work.
Aside from these staffing issues, beavers constitute the most serious problem hampering our efforts. On almost all river systems in the Eastern Kings area, beaver dams block fish passage and cause elevated water temperatures. Sections of stream that were cleared of obstructions in previous seasons have now been re-colonized with beavers. It's obvious from our river assessments that beaver populations in our region are becoming problematic. The harsh reality of the situation is that to ensure the survival of viable fish populations in our streams, beavers must be eliminated from key areas. For this reason, after weeks of negotiations, we received nuisance permits in late July, allowing experienced hunters to remove beavers from the main tributaries of area rivers. The public should be assured that these actions are being taken responsibly, and that beaver removal only occurs when their presence poses a serious and immediate threat to fish populations. We ask for your continued support as we confront this growing problem.

A large beaver dam in East Lake before being breached
In spite of the aforementioned problems, the stream enhancement effort continues in the Eastern Kings area. This year, many of the rivers in this region have received attention. A major beaver dam was breached at the head of East Lake, and a number of beavers were removed from that area.
The Fortune River has been enhanced from the head of tide to the Little Trout River Rd., with beaver dams and alder congestion removed. Cross River has been cleared of obstructions from McInnis' Dam to below the residence of Claude Clements on the Souris Line Rd. In addition to beaver dam removal, brushmats installed by previous crews received necessary maintenance. Cow River has been enhanced from the Northside Rd. to the Selkirk Rd., and the river has been assessed West of the Selkirk Rd. In this system, beavers appear to be a significant issue, with crews removing several and more present further upstream.
The Naufrage River has received particular attention, as this system has been identified as exceptional Atlantic Salmon habitat. The main stream has been enhanced from tidal to Larkin's Dam, and the South branch has been enhanced from Hazel McInnis' to the New Rd. Over 1 km of the Southwest branch has also been enhanced. In total, over 20 beaver dams have been removed from this system. The Souris River, having been completely cleared of obstructions in previous years, required only maintenance this year.
In addition to traditional stream enhancement, other beneficial activities have been completed this season. With funding from the Shell Environmental Fund, we were able to construct and install cover structures and a retaining wall in the Souris River at Gowan Brae. The Alice and Cyril MacDonald Brook Trout Nursery at Harmony Junction received necessary maintenance, and 500 native trees were planted in various watersheds throughout the area. Finally, to improve the view of our scenic lakes and ponds, small trees have been cleared from beside numerous roadways in the Eastern Kings area.
With only days left in the work season, several objectives remain to be reached. We are hopeful that North Lake Creek will receive some attention, as will Hay River and the East branch of Priest Pond Creek. In addition, several Bald Eagle perches are in the process of being assembled and will be installed around the Souris River. While accomplishing this work in such a short time may be impossible, we will devote all our resources to make this a reality.
Fred Cheverie
Souris River Watershed Coordinator
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Souris Branch of the P.E.I. Wildlife Federation
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