Conservation Authority urges caution as Rivers and Streams Rise (media release, December 28, 2025)
December 28, 2025 Conservation Authority urges caution as Rivers and Streams Rise The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) expects local rivers, streams, and ditches to start rising later today in response to the heavy rain in the forecast. Everyone is reminded to use extra caution and avoid all waterways. Forecasts are for 30-60 mm of rain, with locally higher amounts possible. Temperatures will stay above freezing overnight before [...]
Water Levels expected to Rise Quickly due to Heavy Rain (flood bulletin, December 28, 2025-January 2, 2026)
Water Levels expected to Rise Quickly due to Heavy Rain Flood Watch 2025 Flood Event 5, Bulletin 2 (Issued December 28, 2025, at 10:30 am; Valid until: January 2, 2026, at 1 pm) Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a heavy rain warning for today into Monday. Forecasts are for 30-60 mm of rain, with locally higher amounts possible. Temperatures are forecast to remain above freezing overnight before [...]
Flooding Expected from Forecast Rain and Rising Temperatures (flood bulletin, December 27-28, 2025)
Flooding Expected from Forecast Rain and Rising Temperatures Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook 2025 Flood Event 5, Bulletin Number 1 (Issued 2025-12-27 at 11:45 am; Valid until 2025-12-28 at 3:00 pm) A low-pressure system is forecast to enter the region tomorrow afternoon, bringing 20-45 mm of rain and a daily average temperature of 5 degrees Celsius. The Upper Thames River basin received 10 mm of freezing rain and [...]
Rain and Warm Temperatures Causing Water Levels to Rise (flood bulletin, Dec. 19-22, 2025)
Rain and Warm Temperatures Causing Water Levels to Rise Watershed Conditions Statement - Water Safety 2025 Flood Event 4, Bulletin Number 1 (Issued at 10:00 am on Dec. 19; Valid until Dec. 22, 2025 at 12 noon) Above zero temperatures and rain over the past two days is causing water levels across the Upper Thames River watershed to rise. Approximately 10 – 20 mm of rain was received, with above zero temperatures as high as 8 deg C measured [...]
UTRCA Board Responds to Bill 68
UTRCA Board Responds to Bill 68 For the latest news, go to our webpage on the Proposed Consolidation of Conservation Authorities On November 7, 2025, the provincial government opened public consultation on an Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO #025-1257) proposal to consolidate Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities into 7 large regional authorities. Under this proposal, a new Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority would be created by merging eight existing conservation authorities — Catfish [...]
2025 Field Surveying Season Concludes
2025 Field Surveying Season Concludes The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority's (UTRCA) 2025 field surveying season has come to an end as the snowy weather settles in. Beginning in early June, the team of surveyors used a high-accuracy Global Positioning System (GPS) to gather over 18,000 point elevations for the flood modelling team to use in building flood models. Over 1,000 cross sections were collected from bank to bank [...]
A Fantastic Fall for UTRCA Community Education
A Fantastic Fall for UTRCA Community Education As the seasons start to change, we like to look back at all that Community Education staff have accomplished this fall term. Since September, education staff have worked with over 2,000 students in the watershed. This includes a variety of programs hosted on-site at our conservation areas (CAs) and in schoolyards. One of the new programs we added this year includes Team [...]
Returning the Kidneyshell Mussel to Medway Creek
Returning the Kidneyshell Mussel to Medway Creek Kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus fasciolaris) may not be a familiar name, but this small freshwater mussel has an inspiring story in the Thames River watershed. Once found across southwestern Ontario, Kidneyshell populations were hit hard by invasive species, pollution, and habitat degradation. By 2005, Canada listed Kidneyshell as Endangered. Today, reproducing populations remain in only two Canadian rivers: the Sydenham and the Ausable, which are [...]
Nature School PA Day Success!
Nature School PA Day Success! Kids had a great time at the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA)’s latest Nature School Professional Activity (PA) Day! The UTRCA partnered with the Stratford Perth Museum once again to host a PA Day on Friday, November 21, at the museum. We brought together 16 enthusiastic participants for a full day of outdoor exploration, hands-on discovery, artmaking, and cultural learning. Campers engaged in [...]
Fall Groundwater Sampling in the Upper Thames River Watershed
Fall Groundwater Sampling in the Upper Thames River Watershed Under the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) manages a total of 28 wells at 22 different sites across the watershed. The program was launched in 2001 as a partnership between the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) in response to the low groundwater levels that were experienced in 1998. The purpose of this [...]