Spanish Harbour: Area of Concern (In Recovery)
Spanish Harbour was designated an Area of Concern (AOC) in 1987 under the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Industrial and municipal wastewater contamination and habitat loss from historical logging operations contributed to the degraded water quality and environmental health. Six out of 14 beneficial use impairments (BUIs) were identified, which measure the environmental, human health and economic impact of poor water quality. An additional three beneficial uses were deemed “requiring further assessment”, meaning more information was required to determine whether it was impaired.
Accomplishments
In 1999, Spanish Harbour was redesignated as an Area of Concern in Recovery. This means that all required actions to restore water quality and ecosystem health are complete, and the area needs time to recover naturally. Monitoring has shown environmental recovery is occurring.
Over the past 35 years, there has been significant progress in restoring the water quality and ecosystem health in the harbour. This includes:
- improvements to the Town of Espanola’s municipal wastewater treatment, which led to large reductions in pollution: 70% less oxygen-demanding waste (biological oxygen demand), 94% less phosphorus and 80% fewer suspended solids compared to 1990 levels
- improvements in water quality, including the virtual elimination of toxic dioxins and furans from the paper mill, to comply with federal and provincial regulations before its closure in late 2023
- the return of native Muskellunge (or “musky”) after a decades-long absence
- reduced exposure of wildlife to harmful chemicals, with an 82% reduction of toxic dioxins and furans found within colonial waterbirds compared to 1994 levels
Restoration of beneficial uses
Significant progress has been made to improve environmental conditions. These beneficial uses are no longer considered “impaired”:
- degradation of fish and wildlife populations (1999)
- beach closings (1999)
- added costs to agriculture and industry (1999)
- bird or animal deformities or reproduction problems (1999)
- degradation of phytoplankton and zooplankton populations (1999)
- loss of fish and wildlife habitat (1999)
- restrictions on dredging activities (2020)
For the remaining two beneficial uses, all restoration actions have been completed and time is required for the environment to recover and for environmental quality objectives to be met. These beneficial uses are:
- restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption
- degradation of benthos
Recent actions
The overall health of Spanish Harbour has improved. In 2018, a Status Report was prepared and presented to the community. The results showed that the health of the benthic community (sediment-dwelling organisms) has improved, fish consumption advisories are comparable to other Lake Huron locations and local fish-eating waterbirds have amongst the lowest levels of contaminants across the Great Lakes.
Remaining actions
We will continue to work with local and provincial partners to support environmental monitoring and assessment studies needed to confirm environmental quality objectives are met. Priorities are to:
- continue implementing a long-term monitoring plan to track further recovery, with a focus on the benthic community and fish contaminants
Outlook
Spanish Harbour has made significant progress towards restoration since its designation as an AOC. It will remain an AOC in Recovery until monitoring confirms the remaining beneficial uses have been restored. Once restoration has been confirmed, Spanish Harbour will be removed from the list of Great Lakes AOCs.
Partners
We partner with other levels of government, non-government groups, Indigenous communities and members of the public. This restoration work requires a large amount of scientific and technical expertise, local knowledge, hard work and the help of:
- Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Friends of the Spanish River (1994 to 2011)
- Métis Nation of Ontario
- Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
- Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation
- Serpent River First Nation
- Town of Spanish