5 May 2006
A River Doesn't Run Through It
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Trees caught under a train trestle could cause the river to
flood.
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Toronto - Large tree branches sent swirling down the Don River during last August's
spectacular thunderstorm have been hung up under a railway trestle ever since, creating a potential flooding problem.
The storm tore trees from the ground near waterways, many of which were swept downstream. When the water receded, trees and branches
were left choking creeks and streams that are needed to channel flood water away from people, homes and buildings.
A large tree branch is suspended on a thick cable in one of three channels running under an old railway trestle that crosses the Don
between Riverdale Farm and the Don Valley Parkway.
The channel closest to the west bank is also blocked by sand and silt causing the river levels to be much higher than normal.
If river levels suddenly rose and more debris got caught, it could potentially flood the DVP, as happened during the August thunderstorm
when people had to be rescued from vehicles.
STATUS: We started calling city officials a week ago, trying to figure who's responsible. Nobody seemed sure. We tried the Toronto
and Region Conservation Authority, which has stewardship over local waterways. They didn't know, either. We were finally called by Elio
Buccella of Toronto's water department, who said the cable holding up the trees belongs to Bell Canada. The city will remove the trees,
but the silt will stay until it is washed further downstream by high water, he said.
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