Fox Creek is the major system that flows through the Town of Dieppe. The watershed area is about 29 km². The watershed is characterized by heavy residential and commercial development. The physical habitat for the middle and lower parts of Fox Creek are of relatively poor quality because of their sand and silt bottoms.

The headwaters of this system drains part of Dieppe's industrial sector. Approximately 200-300 metres of the brook were piped in this area. Bank erosion is also of concern for certain parts of the creek. For example, severe bank erosion behind Fishermen's Paradise off Champlain Street is, in our opinion, a major contributor to the sand and silt found in the streambed at/near this location. The two culverts that cross underneath Champlain Street have been badly damaged. The cause of this damage is unknown, but the culverts on the downstream site of Champlain Street cause serious obstacles to fish passage. One of the two culverts is 0,3 - 0,6 metres off the streambed and the other is broken in a downward fashion.

The middle reach of the creek had good to fair buffer zones and this provides some shade and stability to the creek. The Dieppe Rotary Nature Park also borders the lower end of the creek for approximately 1-2 km on its true right bank. One point source of pollution (sewage cross-connection) was noted entering the creek between Melanson Road and Chartersville Road. There was also a slight scent of hydrocarbons coming from this pipe. The source of this hydrocarbon scent could not be determined at the time of the survey.

Surface water runoff has been a concern for the Town of Dieppe in recent years since flooding along Chartersville Road and along Amirault Street have prompted the town to modify some of its public infrastructure. This past summer (2001), work started to expand Dieppe's industrial park all the way up to Chartersville Road. As of December 2001 the plans for the industrial park expansion will accommodate surface water runoff coming from this development by utilizing a series of storm water wetlands and detention ponds. Technically this approach should minimize flooding downstream. In recent years, flooding in the lower parts of Fox Creek may have contributed to its poor water quality (see Table 26).

Some debris and junk have also been noticed in and near the waters of Fox Creek. For example, after an important rain event in the summer of 2001, an old oil storage tank floated down into a pond area of the Creek.

In conclusion, the middle and lower reaches of Fox Creek still supports abundant wildlife like deer and fox populations. These two species were observed while surveying this area. With the tremendous amount of development that Dieppe is seeing, it is important for the town's administrators to set aside green areas for these species. With the major flooding that this creek has seen lately, the public infrastructure and residential development should be done in order to limit rapid water runoff to the creek. In addition flood events degrade water quality by carrying fine sediments, nutrients, hydrocarbons and bacteria into the creek's waters thus adding to its degradation.

Water quality highlights for Fox Creek

Section	Principal Water Quality Influences	Water Test Highlights 1997-2001
Fox Creek at Pascal Street (PWMG 53)	Dieppe industrial park, road runoff, road construction (summer 2001), bank erosion, inadequate cluvert installation, urbanization, residential, storm sewer outlets	Alkalinity, Cadmium, Chloride, Conductivity, Chromium, E-Coli, Total dissolved solid, Turbidity
Fox Creek at Route 106 (PWMG 31)	residential, road runoff, storm sewer outfall, flooding, tide	Alkalinity, Aluminium, Conductivity, Chromium, Copper, E-Coli, Iron, Manganese, Total Coliforms, Turbidity

Recommended preliminary classification:

Class C : for all of Fox Creek

Recommended actions:

>> fix cross connection between Melanson Road and Chartersville Road;
>> apply best management practices to new commercial and residential development along Fox Creek (ex. storm retention ponds, berms etc.);
>> conserve and enhance the brook's buffer zones;
>> installation of bank stabilization structure behind Fisherman's Paradise
>> modify storm water infrastructure to accommodate high rain events to prevent flooding;
>> remediate all obstructions to fish passage (culverts underneath Champlain Street);
>> clean up garbage/debris along the creek;
>> daylighting upper sections of the brook;
>> reduce and eventually phase out the use of cosmetic pesticides.