Specialized Tool Required to Measure Extreme Flows (UTRCA Weekly, January 28, 2022) In the Upper Medway Creek subwatershed, a late September 2021 rainfall event of 75 mm produced higher-than-normal stream flows for the time of year. UTRCA Conservation Services staff are monitoring the creek as part of a targeted subwatershed project that is studying the impacts of Best Management Practices, such as cover crops, on water quality. To calculate the amount of nutrient runoff from the watershed, staff need to take measurements to correlate water levels to flow rates under a range of conditions. This level-flow relationship is called [...]

Winter Nature School at Fanshawe Conservation Area (UTRCA Weekly, January 21, 2022) Community Education staff are excited to once again offer their outdoor Nature School program at Fanshawe Conservation Area. This nature-based, outdoor education program was first offered in the fall of 2021 in response to the pandemic and it has returned thanks to its popularity. Fanshawe Nature School takes place in a beautiful forest where staff created different areas including a “Gathering Spot” where the Opening and Closing Circles are held. Other free play areas included an outdoor kitchen, an obstacle course made out of logs and rocks, [...]

Learn outdoors this winter (UTRCA Weekly, January 14, 2021) Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff are busy preparing for the return of Nature School next week. Located at Wildwood Conservation Area, near St. Marys, Wildwood Nature School is offering two different outdoor education programs in January and February of 2022. Children aged 18 months to five years, along with an accompanying adult, can participate in “Falcons and Fledglings” on Thursday mornings, from 9:30 – 11:00 am. (*Please note: Wednesday session is full.) Children aged six to 11 years old can join the new “Snowy Owls” program on either [...]

2021 Year in Review (UTRCA Weekly, January 7, 2021) As we settle into the New Year, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is reflecting on some of its achievements in 2021. Watershed residents continued to take enjoy the physical and mental health benefits offered by the outdoors, and we welcomed more than 160,000 visitors to Fanshawe, Pittock, and Wildwood Conservation Areas. While the camping season was closer to normal than the previous year, covid precautions and restrictions still impacted our operations. Hundreds of students and community volunteers usually take part in many of our land stewardship projects. Despite [...]

Protecting Conservation Area Infrastructure (UTRCA Weekly, December 24, 2021) Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff carried out a small project in mid-November to protect the Munro pedestrian bridge at Wildwood Conservation Area. Park staff had noticed that bank erosion had undercut adjacent trees and was impacting the bridge abutment, as can be seen in the photo below. To help stabilize the severely eroded and undercut stream bank, Conservation Services staff placed several tonnes of river stone upstream of and under the bridge (bottom photo). A step-pool sequence was also constructed along the reach, due its dynamic characteristics [...]

Climate Change challenges UTRCA Reforestation Efforts (UTRCA Weekly, December 17, 2021) While spring tree planting activities often get all the attention, summer and fall maintenance is just as important to ensure newly planted trees survive. Planting a seedling is just the start -- vegetation control over the next two to three years is critical to ensure planting success. With tree and planting costs on the rise, maintenance becomes that much more important. Each year, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) forestry staff work closely with landowners to ensure this happens. If vegetation control isn’t done after planting, newly planted [...]

Studying the Economics of Cover Crops (UTRCA Weekly, December 10, 2021) Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff  have long recognized the environmental benefits of cover crops, and now are looking at their economic impact, too. Mike Funk, UTRCA Agricultural Soil and Water Quality Technician, explained that cover crops can have a direct impact on water quality and quantity, as they improve infiltration and reduce runoff during extreme rain events. He says, “Cover crops are a proven practice when it comes to improving soil and water quality. In this trial project, we’re hoping to put a value on them [...]

Community Science Volunteer Spotlight: Mike and Ruth John (UTRCA Weekly, December 3, 2021) This year, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) has been working with 12 watershed property owners to pilot a new Community Precipitation Monitoring Project. Participants have been measuring and recording daily precipitation using the online Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) platform. CoCoRaHS is a community based network of volunteers across North America who measure and map daily precipitation. Community science engages members of the public in collecting data that can be used to increase scientific knowledge and inform decision making. This practice [...]

September 2021 flood event (UTRCA Weekly, November 26, 2021) The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) watershed’s most significant flood event since before the pandemic, occurred as a result of 50-135+ mm of rain falling over a 24 hour period on September 22-23. With the watershed already saturated from rain earlier in the month, much of this rain was not absorbed into the ground, but rather ran off into local streams and rivers. It’s quite rare for a flood of this magnitude to occur in the fall rather than the spring. This event was equivalent to a 1:5 to [...]

Autumn Groundwater Well Sampling is Well Underway (UTRCA Weekly, November 19, 2021) October and November are a busy time for Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) staff who are collecting water samples and groundwater supply data at monitoring wells across the Upper Thames watershed. The UTRCA has 28 groundwater monitoring wells that are part of the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN), and additional monitoring wells with the City of London at sites including Sifton Bog. The wells are sampled for a suite of water quality parameters to assist in understanding emerging issues in local groundwater quality. Each well station [...]