Rowe Channel Upgrade Study Environmental Assessment

The Town, in partnership with Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA), has started a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to identify possible improvements to Rowe Channel. The channel is located between Lake Ontario and the Whitby GO Station.

The channel drains surface runoff from three main areas into Lake Ontario:

• The residential area north of Highway 401
• Whitby GO Station
• Nearby areas south of Victoria Street West.

The channel is made of concrete or lined with gabion baskets. Gabion baskets are wire cages that contain rocks that prevent erosion (see photo). The wire in the gabion baskets is starting to fail because of old age. If the baskets are allowed to break, the rocks will fall into the channel. The channel will not be able to properly convey water and flooding may occur. Soil and invasive vegetation (phragmites or reed grass) have also built up in the channel over time, further reducing its ability to properly drain surface water to Lake Ontario.

The project team has identified and evaluated a range of design options to decrease the risk of flooding, the presence of invasive species and the Town’s costs to maintain the channel, while improving channel aesthetics. Based on the results of the evaluation, the preliminary preferred solution is a replacement of the existing channel with an open channel lined with armour stone.