UTRCA Honours Recipients of 2026 Conservation Awards (糖心直播, Feb. 25, 2026)
For Immediate Release February 25, 2026聽 UTRCA Honours Recipients of 2026 Conservation Awards聽 The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Conservation Awards, recognizing聽exceptional contributions to聽community engagement and聽environmental stewardship.聽 This year鈥檚 Outstanding Resident Award was presented posthumously to Diane Irving聽to honour her聽many years of volunteer service and commitment to supporting community events.聽 For聽nearly 20聽years,聽Diane聽was a familiar and welcoming presence at聽the UTRCA鈥檚聽Children鈥檚聽Water [...]
Caution Advised as Streams and Rivers Continue to Rise (糖心直播, February 20, 2026)
February 20, 2025 Caution Advised as Streams and Rivers聽Continue to Rise The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) reports local streams and rivers are continuing to rise and will stay high over the weekend and early next week, with water spilling into low lying聽floodplain聽areas that typically flood in the鈥痵pring. The UTRCA reminds everyone to use聽extreme聽caution near聽all聽streams, rivers, ditches, and ponds.聽Stream banks聽may聽be slippery and unstable,聽and the water is聽very聽cold and fast-moving.聽Any聽ice [...]
Streams and Rivers Continue to Rise (flood bulletin, February 20-25, 2026)
Streams and Rivers Continue to Rise Watershed Conditions Statement 鈥� Water Safety 2026 Flood Event 2, Bulletin Number 2聽(Issued at February 20, 2026, at 7:00 am; Valid until February 25, 2026, at 12:00 pm) This week鈥檚 above freezing temperatures and rain have started melting the snowpack in the Upper Thames River watershed. So far, the area has received about 10 mm of rain, with daytime temperatures rising above 0掳 [...]
How Do Birds Stay Warm in Winter?
How聽Do Birds聽Stay聽Warm聽in聽Winter?聽 Hairy Woodpecker Living in Canada, where our winters bring snowstorms and sub-zero temperatures, it only seems logical that birds would fly south to avoid these harsh conditions. But while some species migrate for the winter, others stay year-round, never leaving their home. These resident birds have developed special adaptations and tactics to survive the cold. To endure our winters, birds need to solve two problems: [...]
2025 Fish Monitoring Results Tell Story of Resilience
2025 Fish Monitoring Results Tell Story of Resilience Taryn Smit and Rachel Saunders collecting aquatic monitoring data In 2025, our aquatic biology team visited 74 locations across the Upper Thames River watershed to check on the fish that call our creeks and rivers home. These locations ranged from farm crossings to city parks, familiar bridges in neighbourhoods, and school routes. Together, they give us a good picture [...]
Tree Power Returns this Spring
Tree Power Returns this Spring Mark your calendars for our returning Tree Power programs! We have four running this spring including London, Stratford, West Perth and Thames Centre. Tree Power provides affordable native trees to residents thanks to partnerships with sponsors and municipalities. Tree species will include: American Sycamore, Paper Birch, Tulip Tree, White Spruce, and more! London Hydro Tree Power: Sales open聽on Monday, March 2聽 Tree聽pick聽up聽is on聽Friday, April [...]
One Month Left to Apply for Phosphorus Reduction Funding
One Month Left to Apply for Phosphorus Reduction Funding聽 Year 2 of the聽糖心直播's Phosphorus Reduction Program聽is coming to a close this month. Farmers who have kept their soil covered this winter by using cover crops or reduced tillage practices are encouraged to聽submit聽their application before the deadline (February 28, 2026).聽 The application process is quick and straightforward, and funding is still available!聽 The program supports on-farm [...]
Source Water Protection- Protecting Drinking Water Before There’s a Problem
Source Water Protection - Protecting drinking water before there鈥檚 a problem When you turn on your tap, you聽probably don鈥檛聽think much about where that water came from聽or everything that happened to keep it clean along the way.聽That鈥檚聽a good thing. Drinking water should feel reliable.聽 What many people don鈥檛 realize is that a lot of work goes into protecting drinking water long before it reaches a treatment plant. This work is [...]
GREEN Leaders Program Underway and Seeking Panelists for Student Summit
GREEN Leaders Program Underway and Seeking Panelists for Student Summit This year鈥檚 UTRCA GREEN Leaders program is well underway, with 16 Grade 7/8 classes from across the watershed participating. Student teams have now selected the environmental issues they want to tackle, with topics ranging from microplastics and fish species at risk, to declining bat populations, 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥�, aquatic invasive species, and overall Lake Erie health. Classes are currently in [...]
Snow Surveys in the UTRCA Watershed
Snow Surveys in the UTRCA Watershed With all the snow the Upper Thames River watershed has received this winter, residents may be wondering if major flooding is in the forecast. The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) has been manually surveying accumulated snow across the watershed since 1957, as part of the flood forecasting and warning services it provides to watershed municipalities to inform residents and businesses of impending [...]