Wet Week in July The Upper Thames River watershed has had an unusually wet July. On July 10, the remnants of Hurricane Beryl reached southwestern Ontario, dropping 40-90 mm of rain across the watershed. UTRCA staff operated the flood control dams at Fanshawe, Pittock, and Wildwood Conservation Areas to minimize downstream flooding by storing water in the reservoirs. At Fanshawe, the rising reservoir encroached on the campground. A few [...]

Wavyrayed Lampmussel Spotting!   While monitoring fish this July, we noticed something interesting on the river bottom: a Wavyrayed Lampmussel attempting to lure a bass! Freshwater mussels have an intriguing lifecycle which includes a larval stage that parasitizes (i.e. infests or lives on) fish. The larval mussel must attach to the gills of a specific fish species to attain nutrition and to hitch a ride upstream. This is where the [...]

Conservation Area Summer Events are Underway!  Community Education staff have hosted three events at Fanshawe Conservation Area (CA) so far this summer! The season was kicked off with a Bug Safari event where participants got to explore the meadow for all kinds of cool critters! Following the theme of bugs, on July 4th an evening Firefly Walk was held that had participants in awe while they walked down the [...]

Huron University College Scotiabank Scholars 2024  Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Community Education staff partnered with Huron’s Scotiabank Scholars for a third year, offering an intensive high school English credit and breaking down barriers for students from across the watershed. This year, the theme was water. On the first day of the course, students visited Fanshawe Conservation Area where they learned about the UTRCA’s core missions and challenges. [...]

Celebrating the Summer and Each Other at the Pittock Conservation Area Mid-season BBQ On Monday, July 15, the staff at Pittock Conservation Area (PCA) were treated to a BBQ! Head chefs, Steven Musclow and Elijah Wilson, cooked up plenty of hamburgers and hot dogs. Side salads and summer watermelon were also on the table!   During the BBQ, the PCA staff were thanked for their hard work this summer. [...]

Water Wednesdays to Help Source Water Protection  Conservation Ontario continues to support the public’s awareness of one of Ontario’s flagship programs, Drinking Water Source Protection (DWSP), by implementing a Water Wednesdays summer social media campaign. This campaign highlights rivers, agricultural practices, and aims to build public knowledge of the program. It includes seven social media posts, shared weekly on Water Wednesdays! Follow along on our Source Protection Region's Facebook page [...]

Thamesford Lions' Retro Rides and Community Vibes  On June 15th, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Partnerships and Education Staff participated in the Thamesford Lions’ Retro Rides and Community Vibes event, which was held in Lions South Park in Thamesford. This family-friendly event featured over 100 vintage and antique cars, live entertainment and games, and community partner booths and tents. The event attracted well over 500 attendees, many of [...]

Brightly Coloured Fishes  Fish surveys revealed some attractive spawning fish in the Upper Thames River watershed this spring.  Of note, a Striped Shiner caught in late May in Stoney Creek in London was one of the most brightly coloured specimens our crew had ever seen! In the Spring, these male Shiners dig nests into gravel. Males have bumps, called nuptial tubercles, on their noses used to construct nests of [...]