Carruthers Creek Watershed Plan

STATEMENT

Posted November 26, 2021

The Carruthers Creek Watershed Plan (CCWP) was completed and endorsed by Durham Region Council on June 23, 2021 and later approved by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) Board of Directors on September 24, 2021.

The CCWP evaluates current conditions and identifies measures to protect, enhance and restore the health of the watershed. The CCWP does not state that development in the upper reaches of the watershed (the “headwaters”) should not proceed; instead, it identifies potential impacts of such development and provides a series of mitigation measures that will manage any potential impacts.

On July 20, 2021, TRCA stated in a public letter:

“The draft CCWP does not state that development in the headwaters of Carruthers Creek should not proceed. Instead, it identifies potential impacts of development and proposes a series of mitigation measures to manage those impacts should development be considered within the headwaters.”

In keeping with the CCWP, any increased runoff from urban development would be managed through measures such as stormwater management detention, low impact development measures, and conveyance improvement to ensure the risk of downstream flooding is not increased.

It is TRCA’s mandate to review studies accompanying planning submissions to ensure that these issues have been sufficiently addressed. Any proposed development cannot proceed until it is demonstrated that all stormwater impacts and flood risks are mitigated.

Carruthers Creek Watershed Plan

The development of this watershed plan has been a collaborative effort between Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), the Region of Durham, Town of Ajax, and City of Pickering. This watershed plan will help to guide future decision-making in the watershed.

cover page of Carruthers Creek Watershed Plan

The Carruthers Creek Watershed Plan was approved by TRCA’s Board of Directors on September 24, 2021. Durham Regional Council previously endorsed the Carruthers Creek Watershed Plan on June 23, 2021.

For technical analyses completed in support of this watershed planning process, see the Watershed Characterization Reports and Scenario Analysis Technical Reports.

For data files that supported this watershed planning process, see the Carruthers Creek Watershed Plan section on TRCA’s Open Data Portal.


If you have any questions about the watershed plan, or this process, please email carruthers@trca.ca and a project team member will respond.

As we strive to develop a comprehensive watershed plan for the Carruthers Creek watershed, TRCA acknowledges that this watershed planning was undertaken within the traditional territory and treaty lands of the Anishinaabeg of the Williams Treaty First Nations, and the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat Nation. As stewards of land and water resources within the Greater Toronto Region, TRCA appreciates and recognizes the history and diversity of the land, as well as our shared values and interests and is respectful of working in this territory.



How Do You Create a Watershed Plan?

TRCA will revisit the Vision and Management Philosophy established for Carruthers Creek watershed in 2003 as a foundation for the new Plan.

Scientists working on the Watershed Plan assess the watershed’s current conditions by studying various features and functions, including groundwater, geology, plants and animals, water quality, and the movement and changes in the stream over time.

Our scientific work will be reviewed by independent experts in each field, to ensure we relied on the best available science and our work is impartial and rigorous.

The resulting Watershed Plan will make recommendations for the protection, restoration, enhancement, and overall management of the watershed over the long term.

Learn more about peer review of the Watershed Plan.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

  • You can review the Plan’s Draft Management Framework
  • You can join our project email list to learn about our progress.
  • You can send us an email if you have questions or there’s information you’d like to share with our study team.
  • You can follow TRCA on Facebook and Twitter, where updates about the Plan will be posted, and you can see comments from others.

Where is Carruthers Creek Watershed?

Carruthers Creek watershed study area map

OUR PROCESS

blue checkmark in green circle 2015-2016
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) scientists conduct field and desktop research to study the watershed’s current conditions.
blue checkmark in green circle 2016-2017
Field research is analysed by TRCA scientists in technical reports which are reviewed by peers.
blue checkmark in green circle Late 2017 – Early 2018
Research is integrated to create an overall assessment of the health of Carruthers Creek watershed.
blue checkmark in green circle Early 2018
Stakeholders and the general public are asked for feedback on the original Vision and Management Philosophy.
blue checkmark in green circle Mid 2018
Feedback on the original Vision and Management Philosophy is gathered to the end of September. Technical work continues to study and analyse the natural features and functions of the watershed.
blue checkmark in green circle Late 2018
Computer models run scenarios regarding potential land use changes to estimate how the watershed’s natural features and functions may change over time.
blue checkmark in green circle Late 2018 – Early 2019
Results of scenario models and other analyses are used to formulate Management Recommendations.
blue checkmark in green circle Mid 2019
Stakeholders and the general public are asked for feedback on the draft Management Recommendations.
blue checkmark in green circle Late 2019
Draft Watershed Plan Completion: Recommendations are finalised based on feedback and the Draft Watershed Plan is complete.
blue checkmark in green circle 2020
The Draft Watershed Plan is released for public review.
blue checkmark in green circle 2021
The Final Watershed Plan is approved.

QUESTIONS?

Got a question about the Carruthers Creek Watershed Plan? Submit your question here and a project team member will be happy to provide the answer!

  • PLEASE NOTE: Your email address will not be made public.
  • You may unsubscribe at any time by using the link at the bottom of every email, or by contacting the Carruthers Creek Watershed Plan team at carruthers@trca.on.ca | 416.661.6600, or by mailing to 5 Shoreham Drive, Toronto, ON M3N 1S4.

 

PROJECT CONTACT

Tony Morris
Senior Project Manager, Watershed Planning and Reporting
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
Email: carruthers@trca.on.ca