Hamilton pitches everything from floating wetlands to greener golf courses to clean up Cootes Paradise

A floating wetland of plants designed to treat pollution.

Stream naturalization through Chedoke golf course.

New efforts to keep garbage juice from leaking out of the west Hamilton dump.

Those are just a few of the city's novel proposals to help clean up sewage-soaked Cootes Paradise marsh in response to a provincial order issued after an infamous four-year, 24-billion-litre spill.

The province is already reviewing a city plan to do ordered dredging of sewage sludge in Chedoke Creek.

But the latest report going to councillors Wednesday focuses on nearly 20 mitigation" and offsetting" projects that could help prevent and treat pollution in Cootes Paradise without digging up the marsh.

It also looks at bigger picture" watershed issues under study in consultation with community groups, said Chris McLaughlin, executive director of the Bay Area Restoration Council.

It's encouraging that the city is taking a collaborative approach," said McLaughlin, who is participating in the larger Chedoke watershed study. That study is separate from the provincially ordered cleanup - but city consultants are leaning on it as a blueprint for possible projects to pitch to the province.

I'm hopeful that this approach will lead to better water quality all the way upstream."

The cleanup order requires the city to submit a Cootes report to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks by March 22 - but don't expect much action in the marsh this year.

Most major projects up for consideration require additional study and at least a year or two of prep work, according to consultants Wood Environmental and GM Blue Plan.

For example, major infrastructure projects that would help - like storm sewer separation, bigger pipes or new sewage-trapping tanks - require a couple of year-long environmental assessments first.

If the province signs off on the Cootes report, the city must come up with a specific schedule and work plan - including costs, which aren't included in the latest report - within six weeks.

Here's a selection of interesting options:

Floating vegetation mats

Think of it as a pollution treatment plant made out of ... plants. The floating wetland sucks up excess nutrients - a potential boon for Cootes Paradise, which is now overloaded with algae-feeding phosphorus.

A greener Chedoke golf course

Better run-off management at the golf course would keep fertilizer and pesticides out of Chedoke Creek - and work could start relatively soon. Naturalizing the portion of creek that runs through the course is also an option.

Landfill pollution

Chedoke Creek runs right beside one of Hamilton's oldest landfills (you likely know it as Kay Drage Park.) The city could do more to stop leachate - the garbage juice that leaks out of the dump - from escaping into Chedoke.

Highway pollution

Water quality improvements along the busy Highway 403 - like salt management - could help keep Cootes cleaner.

Constructed wetland

The Royal Botanical Gardens, which owns and manages Cootes Paradise, has proposed treating water as it exits Chedoke Creek into the marsh using a mix of nature and technology. Think air pumped mechanically into the oxygen-starved creek combined with pollution-straining wetlands and poop-eating bacteria.

Matthew Van Dongen is a Hamilton-based reporter covering transportation for The Spectator. Reach him via email: mvandongen@thespec.com