Location

The Humber Pond and connected Humber Wetland sit just west of Highway 27 along the West Humber Trail. Coming from Humber College North Campus, the pond and wetland are found on either side of the trail that heads down from the corner of Parking Lot 4, with the wetland directly behind the parking garage. The pond has two outflow points where it connects to the West Humber River, which in turn connects to the main Humber River and flows south to Lake Ontario.

Built with Purpose

Both the Humber Pond and the Humber Wetland are constructed landscape features. The Humber Pond, which is about 8700 m², was built sometime in the mid-80s. The wetland was built in 2019 as part of the Humber Pond Revitalization Project. Both were built to help manage runoff water from the campus. On a rainy day or when snow is melting in the spring, runoff water in urban areas can pick up pollutants and sediment from construction, roads, and winter sanding; fertilizers and landscaping waste; and oil and grease from vehicles. By channeling excess water into the pond, some of that sediment and pollution has a place to settle before clearer, calmer water moves into the West Humber River. 

The Humber Pond Revitalization Project was broken into three phases:

• Phase 1: Re-construction of the pond to improve water quality and wildlife habitat. This included the construction of the step pool conveyance channel, sediment forebay, shoreline restoration, and porous treatment berms. This phase began in the spring of 2019 and was completed mid-September 2019.
• Phase 2: Construction of a treatment wetland, installation of trails and benches, final grading of the site, and planting of native trees and shrubs. The construction work is complete with plantings ongoing.
• Phase 3 (pending funding): Future plans include the creation of an outdoor classroom and social gathering space on the pond's island.

Read on for details on how each of these actions contributed to revitalizing the pond.

Replace the Outgoing Culverts

In the spring of 2018 the City of Toronto replaced the culverts where the water flows from the pond out to the West Humber River and repaired the trail over the culvert. Although it was finished first, this area represents the last stop for pond water before it joins the river's flow. These spots may be used as a location for water testing to check for impacts of the project on water quality. 

Create a Step Pool Conveyance

In the original pond design, runoff water from Humber College North Campus would flow into a metal culvert and be dumped into the pond. Not only did this design do nothing to slow or treat the water, but the metal pipe had eventually worn through in some places, and rushing water was eroding the ground beneath and around the culvert itself.

During Phase One the old culvert was taken out and replaced with a step pool conveyance, a series of descending pools.  This slows the water and captures some of the sediment in the runoff before it even reaches the pond. Unlike the old culvert the pools are open to the air and sun, which creates additional habitat while offering a visually engaging feature - sort of like a natural water filtration waterfall. 

Add a Sediment Forebay and Treatment Berms

Once water does enter the pond at the bottom of the step pool conveyance, it will enter a deep settling basin. The basin is part of a sediment forebay which is designed to capture more of the small particles swept along by the runoff water. Caught in the forebay, this sediment sinks to the bottom of the basin leaving clearer water to join the pond's ecosystem.

At the other end of the pond, porous treatment berms once again slow the water and help capture more sediment before the flow reaches the culverts heading out to the West Humber River.

Regrade the Shoreline

More gently sloping shorelines around the pond will allow a variety of vegetation to take hold and create habitat for fish, mollusks, crayfish, and insects.

Build a Brand New Wetland

For many years, part of the meadow just south-west of the Humber Pond was known as “The Paddock” due to its history as part of Humber College’s old equine program. But that name doesn't fit anymore, as part of Phase Two of the Humber Pond Revitalization Project was constructing the brand new Humber Wetland.

The area was dug out and connected to the pond through a new culvert. The new wetland will further improve water quality by increasing the area's ability to capture and filter runoff. This increased capacity will also help decrease the impact of large storm events. The shallower water and connection to the pond also expands and diversifies the available wildlife habitat.

Plant Native Species

Staff from the City of Toronto, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and the Humber Arboretum have all been involved in the restoration plantings. There have also been several volunteer planting events, such as the large tree planting event which took place on National Tree Day 2019. Humber College students from programs such as Landscape Technician and Sustainable Energy and Building Technology have participated in planting and seeding with their classes.

While much of this work was completed as part of Phase Two, additional rounds of planting will continue for several years.

Role and Species

Plants are a key part of pond and wetland ecosystems. They will help:

• stabilize the new shorelines and prevent erosion with their root systems
• improve water quality by slowing the flow and capturing toxins
• capture the energy of sun while storing carbon and creating oxygen
• provide food and shelter for wildlife 

The focus is on species that are part of the natural ecosystem of the Carolinian bioregion and so have relationships with local wildlife. This includes trees, shrubs, grasses, and other flowering plants. Aquatic plants and plants that thrive in wet soil are especially important in pond and wetland ecosystems. This includes submergent plants, which grow entirely under water, and emergent plants which grow in shallow water or at the water's edge with their roots and part of their stems underwater and their leaves and flowers above. 

Here are some of the species which have been planted so far:

Shrubs

• Bebbs willow (salix bebbiana)
• Shining willow (salix lucida)
• Speckled alder (alnus rugosa)
• Downy serviceberry (amelenchier arborea)
• Smooth serviceberry (amelenchier laevis)
• Black chokeberry (aronia melanocarpa)
• Buttonbush (cephalanthus occidentalis)
• Alternate-leaved dogwood (cornus alternfolia)
• Grey dogwood (cornus racemosa)
• Red-osier dogwood (cornus sericea)
• Silky dogwood (cornus amomum)
• Bush honeysuckle (diervilla lonicera)
• Ninebark (physocarpus opulifolius)
• Choke cherry (prunus virginiana)
• Fragrant sumac (rhus aromatica)
• Staghorn sumac (rhus typhina)
• Black raspberry (rubus occidentalis)
• Purple flowering raspberry (rubus odoratus)
• Common elderberry (sambucus canadensis)
• Meadowsweet (spirea alba)
• Nannyberry (viburnum lentago)

Trees

• Tamarack (larix laricina)
• White spruce (picea glauca)
• Silver maple (acer saccharinum)
• Sugar maple (acer saccharum)
• White birch (batula papyrifera)
• Hackberry (celtis occidentalis)
• Black walnut (juglans nigra)
• Balsam popular (populus balsamifera)
• Trembling aspen (populus tremuloides)
• White oak (quercus alba)
• Bur oak (quercus macrocarpa)
• White cedar (thuja occidentalis)

Grasses and Sedges

• Big bluestem (andropogon gerardii)
• Little bluestem (schizachyrium scoparium)
• Sideoats grama (bouteloua curtipendula)
• Switchgrass (panicum virgatum)
• Indiangrass (sorghastrum nutans)
• Virginia wildrye (elymus virginicus)
• Riverbank wild rye (elymus riparius)
• Fringed brome (bromus ciliatus)
• Bebb's sedge (carex bebbii)
• Fox sedge (carex vulpinoldea)
• Hop sedge (carex lupulina)
• Retrorse sedge (carex retrorsa)
• Woolgrass (scirpus cyperinus)

Cattails, Bulrushes and Bur-reeds

• Cattail (typha x glauco)
• Giant bur reed (sparganium eurycaroum)
• Hardstem bulrush (scirpus acutus)
• Dark green bulrush (scirpus atrovirens)
• Softstem bulrush (scirpus validus)
• Dark fruited bulrush (scirpus atrovirens)

Water-plantain and Arrowheads

• Common arrowhead (sagittaria latifolia)
• Water plantain (alisma plantago-aquatica)

 Other Flowering Plants

• Blue flag iris (iris versicolor)
• New England aster (symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
• Upland white aster (solidago ptarmicoides)
• Showy trefoil (desmodium canadense)
• Bergamot (mondara fistulosa)
• Brown eyed susan (rudbekia hirta)
• Virginia mountain mint (pycnanthemum virginianum)
• Foxglove beardtongue (penstemon digitalis)
• Pale coneflower (echinacea pallida)
• Common milkweed (asclepias syriaca)
• Swamp milkweed (ascepias incarnata)
• Boneset (eupatorium perfoliatum)
• Joe pye weed (eupatorium maculatum)
• Blue vervain (verbena hastata)
• Hoary vervain (verbena stricta)
• Evening primrose (oenothera biennis)

Add More Habitat Features

Along with the habitat created and enhanced by the plantings, other features were added to create a better space for wildlife. Carefully placed rocks and logs are used as basking platforms by turtles. Partially submerged driftwood provides both hiding places for fish, crayfish, and insects under the water, and perches for flying insects and birds above the water. Branches, brush piles, and vertical logs provide even more perches, and all of that dead wood is perfect for insects to burrow into.

Construction of the new shorelines even included a sandy bank specifically added as an ideal spot for the pond's snapping turtles or painted turtles to lay their eggs.