The Restoration of Silver Creek



Silver Creek, noted on the map below as Southcrest Ravine has been degraded over time from flooding, erosion, sedimentation, and neglect.  This area is the top restoration project on Friends of the Coves Subwatershed Inc.'s agenda.  Friends of the Coves and the City of London are partnered in this project and have contracted Stantec to assess the area with a restoration report and will contract them to perform the restoration project.

Background
Silver Creek, which flows through the Coves, has been severely degraded by ongoing erosion possibly caused by numerous storm sewer outfalls that release large volumes of water during rainfall events.

Objectives
The project objectives are to protect and improve ecological functions (e.g., address erosion issues, improve habitat, improve water quality and water quantity) within the restoration reach and associated portion of the valley.

Project DescriptionThis initiative is a conservation and restoration effort; it is planned in such a way that will restore Silver Creek to a healthy and sustainable environment.  It has an impact on the lives of 95,000 people in the community.
This ecologically restorative project for Silver Creek in the southwest portion of the Coves Environmentally Significant Area (ESA) will have a positive impact through implementation of a Stream Channel and Ravine Restoration Design (SCRRD).  The Silver Creek erosion and bank stabilization issue is mentioned in both FOTCSI’s Coves Subwatershed Study: Final Report and the Council approved Coves ESA Conservation Master Plan (CMP) with recommendations that reference the need for a SCRRD.  The aquatic ecosystem in the Coves is generally degraded. Extreme sedimentation, erosion, and unstable stream channel morphology are a result of intense urbanization of most the Subwatershed.  Silver Creek is in poor condition as the impact of flows from large storm events appear to be:

· scouring the bank
· depositing large debris and sediment
· impacting the ravine woodland
· adding to the siltation of the Coves ESA ponds and the Thames River
· reducing bank stability 


The banks of the channel are unstable because of these processes, and this has added to the complexity of the proposed pedestrian bridge project needed to implement the Council approved CMP and trail connections for the Coves ESA. The implementation of a SCRRD is the first necessary step in the project that will return Silver Creek and Southcrest Ravine to its natural ecological state and will create bank stabilization that is necessary to increase public access through the construction of a pedestrian bridge.  Pollution will be mitigated and air quality will be improved by this restorative project as trees that will be planted to restore affected woodland near the banks will sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) and produce oxygen (O2), also excessive sedimentation that is polluting the stream will be reduced and phosphorus will be taken up by the vegetation that will be allowed to grow when the disturbance of flooding is reduced.  Environmental protection will be increased as a result of this restoration project because it will allow for the construction of managed paths and a bridge that will act as an interface between pedestrians and nature.  Also, the bridge will prevent foot traffic across the stream, which will reduce erosion and damage to the bank.




Here are some pictures of the degradation of Silver Creek that we aim to restore so that ecological functions may be enhanced.

Undercut banks and fallen trees
Failing Gabions

Log jams and bank scours
Over widened channel with poor floodplain access


Leaning trees
More leaning trees

Bank failure and trees falling
Damaged storm water infrastructure

In restoring Silver Creek careful attention is paid to environmental responsibility.  In this area of concern Stantec has performed background research on and around the restoration site, which includes and is not limited to terrestrial field studies; research of records, and screening for significant species; and aquatic and vegetation assessments.
The information gathered in this process will allow for the restoration of Silver Creek to be performed without interfering with significant species such as the endangered Butternut Tree, or ecological functions such as habitat formations, and pollution sequestration.


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