Windermere Basin – environmental assessment and restoration

Challenge

Windermere Basin is located in the southeast part of Hamilton Harbour. Identified by the International Joint Commission as one of 42 Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes Basin, remedial action plans for restoration of Hamilton Harbour, including Windermere Basin, have evolved through time.

Solution

SLR biologists conducted investigations to characterize existing environmental and ecological conditions in the 15-ha wetland. Together with fluvial geomorphologists and engineers, SLR biologists designed spawning shoals, in-water habitat including coarse woody debris, a fishway, a snake hibernacula and restoration plantings.

SLR collected a background data and information in order to appropriately characterize Windermere Basin. Recommendations from the human and ecological risk assessment included capping the basin sediments to isolate existing contaminants from the natural environment.

Impact

Results from these investigations informed the design of wetland and habitat features.