Dr. Cody Ross and his student associates at the University of Toronto Scarborough are conducting Black Creek Outfall Monitoring.

The Black Creek, a major tributary of the Humber River, has relatively poor water quality that is exacerbated by flooding. The southern portions of the Black Creek watershed are highly urbanized and were developed prior to the integration of separated stormwater control measures. Following intense storms, several outfalls from the combined sewer system may transport a mixture of storm water and water from sanitary systems to the Black Creek. The combined sewer infrastructure is aging and has degraded, resulting in the conveyance of water to the Black Creek even during dry periods. The aim of a targeted investigation over the 2024 summer is to assess the chemical composition of water flowing from five outfalls of the combined sewer system during dry periods. By sampling the outfalls and upstream and downstream positions of the Black Creek, we can ascertain water sources contributing to the outfalls, assess the water quality, and determine the overall impact on water quality in the Black Creek. Several large-scale infrastructure projects are planned for the Black Creek over the next decade, and our data may also serve as a benchmark for interpreting how the infrastructure changes affect, and hopefully improve, water quality. Personnel for field sampling and bacterial analysis with Swim Drink Fish is supported by Water Pathways at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and support for analyzing samples for stable isotopes in water is provided by Dr. Claire Oswald of Toronto Metropolitan University.