Tintamarre National Wildlife Area

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Document reference number: 2

 

Sept 16, 2021

Supplemental Information

 

Prepared for Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Sackville, New Brunswick by Ducks Unlimited Canada

 

 

 

Supplemental Information

 

Background

Tintamarre National Wildlife Area (NWA) is located within the Chignecto Isthmus, just north of the Tantramar Marsh in southeastern New Brunswick (Figure 1).  It was established in 1978, and protects 4,795 acres of habitat, including freshwater wetlands, peatland, and upland habitats.  

Figure 1.  Tintamarre NWA, Sackville, New Brunswick (https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-wildlife-areas/locations/tintamarre.html)

 

The Tintamarre NWA provides migration and breeding habitat to a variety of waterfowl and migratory birds, as well as habitat for other wildlife.  Prior to the establishing the NWA, many of the wetlands were ditched and drained for agriculture.  Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) began restoring these wetlands in 1965 and now manages 2,554 acres of wetland habitat, which is 53% of the entire NWA (Figure 2). 

 

These conservation efforts have resulted in significant increases in waterfowl and water bird production.  Ten species of waterfowl regularly breed at the NWA, including American black duck, mallard, green-winged teal, northern pintail, blue-winged teal, American wigeon, ring-necked duck, wood duck, northern shoveler and Canada goose.  Marsh birds such as sora rails, American bittern, Wilson's snipe also nest in the area and sand hill cranes and northern harriers are commonly seen.

Figure 1.  DUC Managed Wetlands in the Tintamarre NWA, Sackville, New Brunswick

 

DUC restored wetlands within the Tintamarre NWA include:

NWA	Project/Segment	Project Number	Acres
Tintamarre	Front Lake	7464-001-001	519.3
Tintamarre	Paunchy Extension 1	7453-001-001	29.8
Tintamarre	Paunchy Extension 2	7453-002-001	29.7
Tintamarre	Paunchy Extension 3	7453-003-001	45.7
Tintamarre	Paunchy Lake 1	7471-001-001	42.9
Tintamarre	Paunchy Lake 2	7471-002-001	25.1
Tintamarre	Paunchy Lake 3	7471-003-001	20.3
Tintamarre	Paunchy Lake 4	7471-004-001	40.6
Tintamarre	Paunchy Lake 5	7471-005-001	145.5
Tintamarre	Paunchy Lake 7	7471-007-001	16.4
Tintamarre	Fillmore's Hole	7469-001-002	439.9
Tintamarre	Mud Bog 2	7625-001-001	60.4
Tintamarre	Tower Goose Lake	7557-001-001	104.3
Tintamarre	Tower Goose Lake Extension	7582-001-001	149.3
Tintamarre	Hog Lake	7482-001-001	219.2
Tintamarre	Robinson Brook	7448-001-001	664.7
		Total	2,553.9

Restoration Plan

DUC has been managing the restored wetlands within the Tintamarre NWA since 1965 and now many of the dikes and water control infrastructure have reached their life expectancy and need to be repaired or replaced. 

Approximately 16,690 metres of dike will be restored and 7 water control structures will be rebuilt over the next two years.  This work is required to maintain the water levels in the managed wetlands and ensure that this important habitat remains for the next 30+ years.

Local fill and gravel will be used to build up the dikes at Robinson Brook, Hog Lake, Mud Bog, Towers Goose, Towers Goose Extension, Paunchy Lake, and Paunchy Lake Extension.  Some trees will be removed from the dikes prior to topping, and the dikes will be widened slightly to 12 feet, to allow for construction equipment to access the water control structures for replacement.  The side slopes will be 3:1 and the bottom footprint of the dike will remain unchanged. 

Concrete water control structures and beaver levelers will be replaced as construction continues along the dikes.        

Environmental Impact Mitigation

Restoration work will occur outside biologically sensitive times (i.e. after nesting is complete) in 2022 and 2023.

All construction will be completed by skilled contractors using heavy equipment under provincial and federal permit stipulations.  Exposed soil material around the new water control structures will be mulched and seeded to prevent siltation into the watercourse and erosion control measures will be installed to stabilize the bank until vegetation is established.  

Contractors will be required to work under Environmental Protection Guidelines, which include, site set-up and decommissioning, a sediment and erosion control plan, hazardous materials management, and guidelines for working adjacent to watercourses.

Monitoring

DUC will continue to complete annual inspections of the managed wetlands to ensure the wetlands are functioning properly.  Water levels will be managed to provide breeding and migration habitat to a variety of waterfowl and other water birds.  This project will have a minimum 30-year life expectancy.

 

APPENDIX:

 

Photos of a dike rebuild in 2012.