In order to reduce the negative effects of stormwater, towns and cities like Newmarket create control facilities, such as storm sewers and stormwater ponds. Newmarket also takes proactive steps to minimize the pollution of stormwater through street sweeping and catch basin cleaning. The Town maintains more than 251 kilometres of storm sewers and over 7,000 catch basins. To date, Newmarket has 62 Stormwater Management Facilities (including wet ponds, dry ponds and underground storage). Newmarket also has 38 Oil and Grit separators that remove oil and sediement from stormwater in areas where a stormwater pond does not exist to help manage stormwater.
A stormwater management system is essential for maintaining a safe and healthy community by lowering the risk of flooding that can damage property and the environment. Newmarket's stormwater projects include:
Low Impact Development Policy
The Town of Newmarket recently adopted a Stormwater Management and Low Impact Development Policy, 2017. The goal of this policy is to minimize, and ultimately eliminate the adverse effects of stormwater on the built and natural environment. This policy declares that the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority's document entitled
"Technical Guidelines for Stormwater Management Submissions", or its successor, as be amended, shall apply to all public and private development and redevelopment within the Town of Newmarket. It includes submission requirements, design criteria, stormwater targets and maintenance requirements.
To view the full policy please contact:
Engineering Services
905-895-5193
[email protected]
Wayne and Waratah Stormwater Management Study
The Town of Newmarket has now completed a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to develop a stormwater management (SWM)strategy to address flooding concerns in the Wayne Drive and Waratah Avenue Area (See Study Area Map). The EA study has defined existing problems and opportunities, considered and evaluated solutions and identified preferred SWM solutions. The study follows the Master Planning Process of the Municipal Engineers' Association Municipal Class EA Approach #2, which will fulfill the requirements for Schedule B projects.
Two Public Information Centres were held at the Town offices; October 16th, 2016 and May 18t
h, 2017
The preliminary preferred SWM strategy has identified two Schedule B projects whose requirements are being satisfied under this Master Plan. These projects are described as follows:
Project 1: Install a berm around Waratah Avenue Channel Outlet with improved inlet control structure;
Project 2: Construct SWM facility within Philmore Hamilton Park.
Engineering Services, along with the Recreation and Culture Department, are embarking on an innovative approach to engineering designs in order to address stormwater management, uncover hidden opportunities, and to combine social, cultural and recreational benefits into otherwise "idle" or under-utilized public spaces through a
Co-Creation Approach.
Interested persons may provide written comments to the Town of Newmarket representative:
Craig Schritt, Sr. Climate Change Specialist
395 Mulock Drive, P.O. Box 328, STN Main
Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 4X7
905-953-5300 ex. 2506
[email protected]
Co-Creation Project
The Town is piloting a new process of designing to resolve engineering problems which includes incorporating the public into the planning and re-design of infrastructure and services in local neighbourhoods. The goal is to integrate the design of stormwater management with the development of recreational opportunities in under-utilized public spaces by co-creating with local residents and businesses. The outcomes will be to address water quality, water quantity and to increase access to recreational opportunities which meets the needs and interests of our residents.
The first step was the public IWonder Event held on January 27th, 2018 at the Lions Hall Community Centre, where residents were invited to a multi-sensory, interactive event to provide feedback on the redesign of public spaces.
Stay tuned as this project progresses. Contact the Recreation or Engineering department for more information.
Lions Park Drainage Improvements
The Town of Newmarket has completed a Schedule 'B' Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) study to examine the opportunity to improve surface water drainage and create recreational space within Lions Park as well as wildlife habitat within D'Arcy Creek. Approximately 2 hectares of surrounding land drains into Lions Park, creating flooding issues and unusable recreational space.
The final design includes the: Rehabilitation of the watercourse including clean out, widening, profile adjustments and riparian buffers. Development of an approximately 2,000 m2 wetland within the west portion of Lions Park including plantings, signage and walkway. Placement of the excavated material within the east portion of the park to reduce flooding. The project is now completed.
This project was conducted in partnership with Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Support was also provided by York Region's Greening Partnership Action Fund and Dufferin Simcoe Land Stewardship Network
CB Shield Catch Basin Project
As part of its ongoing efforts to adapt to climate change, the Town of Newmarket is conducting a water quality pilot project for stormwater management. The project involves placing a product called "CB Shield" in seven (7) catch basins located on the south side of John Bowser Crescent and Glenway Circle. CB Shield is designed to change the flow of stormwater entering a catch basin to improve the settling of sediment and the phosphorus that is attached to it. The project will test the effectiveness of the CB Shield product and will consist of a monitoring program in partnership with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA).
The Town of Newmarket's application of sand for winter road maintenance, along with the accumulation of trash and organic debris such as leaf litter, results in build-up of sediment that washes into the Town's stormwater infrastructure. Sediment and phosphorus make up a significant portion of material that washes into the stormwater system and are two of the major contributors to poor water quality in our stormwater ponds and our lakes and rivers from urban stormwater run-off. The sumps at the bottom of catch basins have a limited sediment storage capacity. As a result, sediments that are resting in the sump can sometimes be disturbed and re-suspended into the stormwater during major rain storms.
The suspended solids can then wash through our storm sewers into ponds or lakes and streams. Each CB Shield monitoring location and adjacent control point will have a measuring device installed by the LSRCA monitoring team to record the accumulation of sediment at each location on a seasonal basis.
Ray Twinney Low Impact Development Retrofit
The Town of Newmarket, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and Environment and Climate Change Canada have made environmental improvements to the front parking lot at the Ray Twinney Recreation Complex. Improvements include stormwater management works by using low impact development (LID) techniques such as using permeable interlocking pavers in the parking lot and the installation of rain gardens in the median areas. These retrofits will improve downstream water quality and reduce flooding in the Western Creek by allowing water to infiltrate into the ground naturally. There is 500 cubic metres of storage under the parking lot and garden area for rain water. This project is now complete, swing by the Complex to check out the improvements. Before and after photos are highlighted below.
Stormwater Management Facility Maintenance Program
The Town has developed a Stormwater Management Facility (SWMF) Maintenance Program for all Town owned and operated stormwater facilities. The main objective is to perform an inventory and survey of these facilities to complete a detailed SWMF Inventory and Maintenance Needs Plan. The program includes an annual inspection of Town SWMF in order to develop short and long-term maintenance requirements. Maintenance for 2017 is now complete and the 2018 program will start in the Spring.
Stormwater Charge
The Town has recently introduced a stormwater management rate. A user rate, based on the amount of hard surfaces a property has, helps fund the three major cost drivers for the service, which are flood prevention, environmental protection, and aging infrastructure. For more information visit the
stormwater charge webpage.
Comprehensive Stormwater Management Master Plan
The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan (LSPP) has identified urban stormwater runoff as a significant source of phosphorus entering Lake Simcoe and its tributaries. As a result the LSPP requires municipalities to prepare and implement a Comprehensive Stormwater Management Mast Plan (CSWMMP). The Town of Newmarket recently completed its Master Plan, which provides an integrated assessment of existing and proposed future conditions with respect to stormwater management within the Town.
The report also details opportunities for improvement and recommendations for future actions. For a copy of the report please contact the Town 905-895-5193.
Low Impact Development: Forest Glen Road
The Town of Newmarket, in partnership with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, initiated a pilot demonstration project for Low Impact Development (LID) as part of a municipal road improvement project on Forest Glen Road, north of Queen Street. The objective of this project is to implement LID stormwater drainage solutions to improve water quality (including phosphorus removal), reduce erosion at Western Creek, increased infiltration and groundwater recharge, and provide maximized flood control while providing a landscape aesthetic and streetscape element. This project is now complete.
Learn more about the Low Impact Development on Forest Glen Road by watching the video below:
