Demonstrating Best Management Practices across the watershed
The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has received funding from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) through the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health (COA).
This project will build on the success and lessons learned about best management practices (BMPs) from previous projects funded by COA. It will also test techniques to reduce the amount of phosphorus that is reaching watercourses and improve water quality.
As part of this funding agreement, the UTRCA will deliver and promote agricultural stewardship practices including:
- evaluate the economic and agronomic impact of cover crops with field trials to increase cover crop adoption;
- promote soil rehabilitation at retirement field trial sites and conduct soil health impact assessments,
- test an innovative stormwater management technique at the Thorndale demonstration farm and assess the effects of Best Management Practices (BMPs) on the farm,
- install a vegetated filter strip for the treatment of effluent from silage bunkers and monitor the effectiveness of the design,
- assess the economic and environmental benefit of windbreaks of varying ages, and
- evaluate the effectiveness of new and mature wetlands for flood attenuation and nutrient reduction.
UTRCA staff will continue to promote projects on social media and at in-person events including upcoming landowner workshops and field tours.
The Project is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
