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 [...]
GIS Day 2025 at Western University
GIS Day 2025 at Western University The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) was pleased to participate in Western University’s annual GIS Day on November 19, joining a wide range of organizations and experts to celebrate and showcase the power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The open-house event, hosted by Western Libraries, brought together students, faculty, professionals, and community leaders to explore the latest GIS products, applications, and emerging [...]
Live Staking on the Medway Creek
Live Staking on the Medway Creek This November, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) led live staking projects at two locations along the Medway Creek. Despite the almost foot of snow, students from Medway High School and volunteers from the Thames River Anglers were able to get all of the live stakes into the ground! Using live stakes cut from willow trees, volunteers and UTRCA staff hammered them [...]
Massive Changes Proposed on the eve of the Conservation Authorities Act’s 80th Anniversary
Massive Changes Proposed on the eve of the Conservation Authorities Act’s 80th Anniversary For the latest news, go to our webpage on the Proposed Consolidation of Conservation Authorities The provincial government has introduced legislation to amend the Conservation Authorities Act. If passed, the legislation will create the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency – a provincial, board-governed agency – to provide leadership, governance, strategic direction, and oversight of Ontario’s conservation authorities. [...]
UTRCA Online Tree Store Now Open!
UTRCA Online Tree Store Now Open! Private landowners in the Upper Thames River watershed can now easily purchase trees online through the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA)’s Tree Store. Open until February 27, 2026, the online shop makes it simple to browse and purchase a wide selection of coniferous and deciduous trees, as well as wildlife shrubs for planting next spring. For the best selection, landowners are encouraged [...]
Smart Winter Maintenance: Protecting Our Drinking Water from Salt and Snow
Smart Winter Maintenance: Protecting Our Drinking Water from Salt and Snow As temperatures drop and winter weather approaches, many of us start preparing for icy roads, sidewalks, and parking lots. Road salt is a trusted ally in keeping these surfaces safe, but when salt is over-applied or improperly stored, it can have long-lasting impacts on our local waterways and drinking water sources. Once salt dissolves, it doesn’t disappear. Meltwater [...]