Post Monitoring

Restoration Guidelines

Post-Monitoring of restoration sites is an integral part of our water management program. The photographic records aid in the development of future ditch restoration and maintenance procedures, and provide a means to track the recovery time of a particular site. All sites are databased, and information includes dates of site visits, all information pertaining to hand cleaning work, and mosquito breeding data. Such information enables CMMCP to track the efficacy of our restoration projects and allows for improvement of prevention methods for mosquito breeding sites.

All completed ditch maintenance projects will be inspected immediately upon completion and randomly monitored for a period at least two (2) years to ensure that desired results are attained and no significant adverse impact occurs as a direct result of ditch maintenance activities. Any problems that may occur will be immediately rectified.

  • Site Review: Periodically review the site to observe current conditions and record any problems that may impede the flow of water or cause negative impact and report to appropriate authority.
  • Photographic Record: From numerous pre-chosen, fully recoverable stations once annually for two consecutive years during period of peak vegetation.
  • Ditch: Observe stabilization and condition of ditch.
  • Vegetation: Observe vegetation recovery in areas of spoil deposition, and make note of the general site impact that may or may not be apparent from the restoration work. Monitor for any occurrences of invasive plant species.
  • Mosquito Breeding: Randomly check for mosquito breeding.
  • Sediment Loads: Water samples may be taken during maintenance and post maintenance to determine suspended sediment loads. Monitoring suspended sediment loads will help to identify if problems exist with erosion, and will ensure that pollution from excess sedimentation does not result downstream from a restoration project.
  • Stream Velocity: The stream velocity may be measured post maintenance to determine any changes in the rate of flow. The data can be used to monitor the efficiency of the restored ditch, and can assist in the determination of need for future maintenance. The data can also be used to monitor effects that may occur as a result of increased flow to rivers and streams that the tributary feeds into.

After an excavation is complete, CMMCP field crews routinely hand clean the ditch in order to prevent any blockages from causing flooding or breeding problems. This also allows the ditch to remain functional for longer periods of time without having to re-excavate. CMMCP will continually improve upon its restoration practices and guidelines in order to provide an efficient service with low-level environmental impacts.