How can Hamilton assess the impact of shoreline changes to help the environmental priority in the city?
Project Description: In 2017, the City of Hamilton experienced weather events that damaged the shorelines, negatively impacting City of Hamilton assets. As the City of Hamilton adds rip-rap (large boulders and support) to restore the local shoreline damaged by severe weather events in recent years. There is concern that round Goby (bottom-dwelling fish that thrive in rocky habitats) will nest and flourish among these rocks and compromise native fish species. Our Mischief in the Harbor course will assess Goby populations in a rehabilitated and unaffected site to determine the impact of rip-rap on the success of round Goby populations.
City Staff: Cynthia Graham – City of Hamilton
Instructor(s): Erin Leonard, Redeemer University
Department: Field Ecology
Students: Grace Rajballie, Jesse Halliwell, Jonathan Pereboom, Jordy Meijering, Joshua Sloots, Melissa Pol, Nolan Togeretz
Course: BIOLOGY-333-A, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-315-A
Deliverable(s): Data on diversity and abundance of fish species along the shoreline of Lake Ontario near Hamilton as well as a funding proposal to implement native fish breeding habitat in the Spring of 2020.
Location: Ward 2 & Ward 3
City Strategy Priority: Community Engagement and Participation, Healthy and Safe Communities, Clean and Green