Teeterville wetland depends on dam repair

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TEETERVILLE – A citizens group has raised the alarm over the state of the Teeterville wetland pond complex.

The group, which has about a dozen members, says the 400-acre ecosystem has been in decline since the Teeterville dam was deemed unstable several years ago. When that happened, the Long Point Region Conservation Authority removed stop logs to ease pressure on the old structure.

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With the logs gone, the former mill pond has dropped about two feet. The Teeterville Wetland Pond Stewardship Group says the lower water level is degrading the ecosystem while endangering species-at-risk.

Their spokesperson is Greg Deyne, a native of Teeterville and a former wildlife biologist with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. Deyne and others worry the dam will not be fixed and that the wetland will continue to decline.

“We’re not confrontational,” Deyne said Monday. “We’re just trying to raise awareness about the wetland system. That’s our agenda.”

Teeterville is a popular destination for anglers looking for yellow perch, largemouth bass, crappie, blue gill and sunfish.

With the lower water level, Deyne says these populations have declined because of poor water quality. Carp and stickleback are plentiful but sports species have suffered.

The lower water level has also had an impact on waterfowl.

“The five days I’ve been here I’ve seen two ducks,” Deyne said. “You used to see them here by the hundreds.”

Deyne added the lower water level is also affecting Teeterville-area farmers who rely on the wetland for irrigation.

Deyne has identified species-at-risk that rely on the wetland for habitat. These include Blanding’s turtle, barn swallows and the eastern bobolink. Declining fish stocks also have implications for fish-eating birds such as kingfishers, herons, egrets and ospreys.

The dam crosses a section of Big Creek about 30 feet in width. Its future is uncertain. Engineers are preparing reports and drawings that should be ready for the LPRCA’s consideration next spring.

Langton-area Coun. Roger Geysens, a past chair of the LPRCA, says these findings will determine what needs to be done and how much it will cost. This week, Geysens said plans are to repair the structure.

“We’re on top of it,” he said. “I know it’s being worked on. We’re the ones who are going to fix it. We have some money for that from the MNR.”

In the meantime, Deyne says Teeterville residents and people who enjoy the wetland must do what they can to keep the issue in front of the LPRCA and the politicians who run it.

Deyne is a resident of Timmins. He conducted pond-side lessons for students at Teeterville Public School last Thursday, Friday and on Monday. Principal Ian Summers said the school’s involvement is strictly educational.

“We understand, as a community, that there is a politicized angle to this,” Summers said. “We want to stay out of that. Our focus is education, appreciation and conservation.

“All of this is right in the kids’ backyard. There are many beautiful locations in Norfolk, and many of them are unknown. Our job for the young people is to educate them as to what’s out there and to help them make informed decisions as local and global citizens. Sometimes we just don’t appreciate what we have in our own backyard. We want to keep that for future generations.”

The first dam in Teeterville was built around 1830. It was needed to float logs to a sawmill. Around the time of Confederation in 1867, Teeterville was a bustling industrial town larger in size than Delhi and Waterford.

MSonnenberg@postmedia.com