Join the Community Precipitation Monitoring Project - It's Easy! Through the Community Precipitation Monitoring Project, you can contribute to community science without leaving your own backyard! How does it work? First, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff will install a simple yet sophisticated rain gauge system on your property. Each day after, you will measure daily precipitation and record the results in the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow (CoCoRaHS) online platform. Thousands of volunteers across six countries participate in CoCoRaHS, with over 20 being right here in the Upper Thames River watershed. Each of these volunteers provide high [...]

Have your say on the UTRCA Lands Strategy: Online Public Survey Open  The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is inviting comments on its new Conservation Areas and Lands Strategy (or Lands Strategy). The strategy outlines our guiding principles, goals, and objectives for the lands the UTRCA owns and/or manages, and sets the direction for our lands for the next 10 years. This is mandated by the Province, which requires all Conservation Authorities to complete a strategy by the end of 2024.  We’d appreciate your input whether you are a seasonal camper, an occasional visitor to one of our many [...]

New Storm Water Retention System at the Thorndale Demonstration Farm  This summer, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) stewardship staff installed a new StormTech storm water retention system at its Thorndale Demonstration Farm. This installation is the newest addition to a suite of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) implemented on the farm to improve soil health and water quality while maintaining productivity.   The StormTech system uses hollow, bottomless chambers buried underground to temporarily store runoff. The stored water slowly percolates into the soil through a gravel bed. The system is wrapped in geotextile to prevent sedimentation in the gravel [...]

Rea Meadow Rises from the Ashes  In 2021, a controlled burn was set to the Rea Meadow in the Fanshawe Pioneer Village. While it may seem counterintuitive at first, fire helps eliminate non-native and woody vegetation while stimulating plant growth. Since the meadow was planted in 2006 – one of our earliest prairie restoration projects – Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff conduct a controlled burn every few years.  Rea Meadow post burn Nearly 20 years ago, the meadow was planted by students from London’s Northdale and Stoneybrook Public Schools. They established hundreds of young wildflowers, [...]

Bed-level Crossing Creates a Win-Win for Both the Landowner and the Thames River Watershed At the request of a West Perth landowner, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff recently developed a plan for a Flat Creek stream crossing that would create a safe and stable vehicular crossing and have a positive impact on the creek.   The existing point of access across the creek was a combination of a historic concrete bed-level crossing (completed by the previous landowner) and years of adding field stone in an attempt to protect and maintain the crossing. The result created a significant [...]

The Incredible Dragonfly There is something magical about dragonflies. Evolving some 300 million years ago - long before dinosaurs - dragonflies were one of the first winged insects to inhabit the Earth. Five to 12 centimeters is their typical wingspan today, but fossil records show specimens with wingspans up to 60 cm! Some scientists speculate that high oxygen levels during the Paleozoic era allowed them to reach their enormous size. There are more than 5,000 known species of dragonflies, with about 130 residing in Ontario. They are most often seen flying around water bodies, particularly ponds, as their nymphs (young [...]

Wild Grapes   Many people have a love-hate relationship with wild grapes, but love ‘em or hate ‘em, they play an important role in our natural environment. There are three species of native wild grape that occur in the Thames River region, the most common being riverbank grape (Vitis riparia).  As the name suggests, it is found near rivers and streams or wherever sunlight is available. Their roots hold the soil, preventing bank erosion.  Grapes lack a strong stem so they depend on the support of trees and shrubs to reach into the tree canopy for light. Grape leaves can [...]

My Summer with the UTRCA As a summer student in the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority's (UTRCA) Integrated Watershed Management Unit, I have been able to take part in several ongoing projects. Primarily, I collected water samples from reservoirs, streams, and rivers across the watershed for laboratory analysis under the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network program. This sampling provides valuable information regarding public and environmental health, early detection of ecological issues, and ensuring regulatory compliance. On a personal note, field sampling provided me with an opportunity to enhance my skill set by learning how to use pieces of field [...]