Protecting Your Drinking Water During Winter Tips for Safe and Sustainable Snow and Ice Management   It’s that time of year again! Snow is falling, and with it comes icy roads and sidewalks. While road salt and snow plowing are essential for keeping our roads, parking lots, walkways, and driveways safe, the overuse and improper storage of road salt can pose a significant threat to drinking water quality. Fortunately, there are easy mitigation measures you can adopt to safeguard your water supply while maintaining safety this winter.   Why Road Salt is a Concern   Runoff from rain and melting snow that [...]

Cold Weather Preparation at Pittock Conservation Area   Staff at Pittock Conservation Area (PCA) have been busy since the end of the camping season preparing PCA for the winter months. There are several projects underway to get ready for the next season of camping.   In an extension of last year’s project, two additional sections of the aged underground water distribution system were replaced – from the PCA store to washroom and the Maple Crest section to Cedar Shores camping section. In total, 700 feet of new water lines were installed.   Colin and Andrew working on the new line [...]

A Fun-filled Fall at Wildwood Nature School  Wildwood Nature School had a busy fall season this year. We extended our session from four to six weeks for maximum forest fun! Our smallest Nature School participants are our Falcons and Fledglings who had fun exploring the stream, dressing up for Halloween, running around like squirrels in the fall, and learning about local animals and what they do during the winter. On our final day together, we made a yummy snack by the fire and hand-fed the chickadees together.   Our older Nature School group is the Eagles. They spend some [...]

Lake St. Clair Conference 2024 In November Water Quality Specialist Craig Irwin represented the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) at the 2024 Binational Lake St. Clair Conference. The conference represented 25 years of joint environmental management by the U.S. and Canada in the Lake St. Clair watershed. The Thames River has a direct impact on Lake St. Clair as it is the outlet of the river.  Craig presented UTRCA’s involvement in collaboratively managing the Thames River using the Shared Waters Approach (SWA), a watershed management strategy. The SWA involves First Nations, municipalities, Conservation Authorities, Federal and Provincial governments [...]

2024 Field Surveying Season  Borland Drain The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority's (UTRCA) 2024 field surveying season is nearing its end as winter arrives. Beginning in early June, the team of surveyors used high-accuracy GPS to gather over 30,000 elevation points for the flood modelling team to use in building flood models. GPS points were collected from bank to bank across more than 150 kilometres of creeks and drains to better understand their shape, size, and depth. The surveyors also compiled data for 330 bridges and culverts to determine how much water could flow through or under [...]

More Experiential Programming Coming to the Museum of Ontario Archaeology   The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has recently partnered with the Museum of Ontario Archaeology (MOA) and Friends of Medway Creek thanks to funding from the City of London Community Grants Program! Over the next three years, the UTRCA and Friends of Medway Creek will work with the MOA to expand the interpretive programming offered at the museum by providing in-classroom experiences, nature walks, and community events.   So far, in June of 2024, we hosted a free community event at the MOA that brought in 500 attendees and over [...]

Creating Wetland Scrapes  Wetland scrapes are shallow ponds or temporary pools that are designed to hold rain and flood water seasonally, but become relatively dry for much of the year. Often created in floodplains or low areas with a high water table, they are constructed to mimic natural pools in open areas. They make a significant difference to wildlife, especially in agricultural areas, by providing breeding habitat for amphibians and a source of water for birds and mammals. A wetland scrape under construction These shallow depressions are usually less than one meter in depth, with both shallow [...]

Phosphorus Professional Development Day Recap  On October 23rd, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) Education and Stewardship staff hosted a Phosphorus Professional Development Day at the Watershed Conservation Centre (WCC) and Thorndale Demonstration Farm. This event brought together Specialist High Skill Major (SHSM) leads, Learning Coordinators, and rural educators to focus on phosphorus-related issues impacting the Thames River watershed and Lake Erie.  The day began at the WCC with an overview of the phosphorus issue, including its role in Lake Erie algal blooms and the importance of reducing runoff from agricultural and urban sources. Educators were introduced to UTRCA’s [...]

Medway High School Students Stabilize Soil Along Medway Creek Medway High School students joined staff from the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) to help establish a woody streambank along a 150-metre section of Medway Creek thanks to the Canada Water Agency's EcoAction Community Funding Program. Using shrub willow, cut and shaped into live stakes, the students hammered over 200 cuttings directly into the eroded bank.  Why Willow? Willow trees naturally combat erosion with strong root systems that stabilize soil along riverbanks and reduce flooding impacts. They also filter runoff, trapping sediments and absorbing excess nutrients to protect water [...]