Taquanyah Reservoir Dam Removal

The Taquanyah Nature Reserve located near Cayuga was once the site of a 90 acre reservoir which was created in the 1960's by damming Mill Creek. 

Headed by Ducks Unlimited, this project involves the removal of the dam on Mill creek, making way for the replacement of the warm water reservoir with a spring fed cold water creek with naturalized brook trout habitat, plus four off line wetlands, two fishing ponds and critical nesting habitat for bird species at risk.  More information about this project is available from the Grand River Conservation Authority in the May /June 2005 Grand Actions newsletter.

Benefits of the dam removal have extended down stream on private property all the way to the confluence of Rogers creek, which flows into the Grand River. The BIG plus in this stream is the presence of a massive, natural spring feeding huge amounts of clear cold water, up to30% of the total flow! This has created what appears to be excellent brook trout habitat! There is only one other stream in Haldimand County with trout.

The Taquanyah Project includes a plan to restock Mill creek with the local strain from the other creek, McKenzie creek, to maintain the local gene pool. This strain would be used to repopulate this lower section as well.