Rollout of the 2022 Watershed Report Cards
With the completion of the 2022 Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Watershed Report Cards in March, 2023, staff have been spreading the word far and wide about the findings. The launch began with a media release, with good uptake from local newspapers, radio stations and other platforms. Staff also conducted an interview on Rogers Cable’s show “What’s up Oxford.”
Print copies were distributed to watershed libraries and are still available. Mass emails were sent to numerous agencies, municipalities, environmental groups, educators, First Nations and other stewards of the upper Thames River watershed. The emails included a summary of findings and a link to the UTRCA website. New website features include an interactive map and StoryMap, making learning about the watersheds more fun.
Presentations have been given to environmental advisory committees of several municipalities, Friends of Groups, nature clubs and other organizations. The report cards were also highlighted at Earthfest and the Children’s Water Festival during the public night event.
Craig Irwin collecting water samples
Key Findings
The grades for surface water quality range from C to D in the 28 subwatersheds. Since the previous report cards in 2017, water quality scores have improved in five subwatersheds, remained steady in 21, and declined in two. The overall surface water quality grade has remained steady since 2012, averaging a D across the UTRCA watershed.
The grades for forest conditions range from C to F, with D being the most common grade. Eleven subwatersheds showed slight improvements, mainly due to young tree plantations that have reached maturity, while 13 were steady, and four had slight declines. Overall, the upper Thames River watershed has 11.3% forest cover, which is a D grade.
In addition to grades, the report cards also provide a great deal of information on the features of the subwatersheds including groundwater, soils, population growth, watercourse type, and fish species. A list of actions for improvement and highlights of progress since 2017 is provided.
The report cards are available on our website.
Contact: Cathy Quinlan, Terrestrial Biologist and Craig Irwin, Water Quality Specialist