Snake hibernacula are underground chambers where snakes can spend the cold winter months. As natural hibernation sites become more difficult to find due to urban expansion and other disturbances, constructed hibernacula provide safe spaces for snakes to find refuge.

This fall, 糖心直播 (UTRCA) staff built a snake hibernaculum at Snake Woods Nature Preserve in Oxford County. The species that may occupy the structure this winter include Eastern Garter Snake, DeKay’s Brown Snake, and Milk Snake.

Scott Gillingwater, Species at Risk Biologist with the UTRCA, provided the following steps to build a snake hibernaculum on your own property:

1. Choose a well drained site that is south-facing to ensure plenty of sunlight. You want the heat of the sun to warm the site for a few hours each day. This is especially important in the spring.

2. With an excavator or by hand, dig a square hole below the frost line, generally 2 – 2.5 metres deep. The hole shown in the video has a diameter of about 6 feet. Three of the walls should be vertical, and one should be slanted like a slide.

3. Make the entrance shaft for the snakes by lining up cinder blocks or placing Big O pipe (or both) from the top to bottom of the slanted wall. The holes in the cinder blocks she be aligned so a snake cam navigate through one hole to the next. Be sure to drill multiple holes in the Big O pipe along the half closer to the ground. The holes need to be larger than the diameter of any snakes that might use it so they have easy access to and from the pipe. The entrance(s) will extend from the surface into the concrete debris placed below. If using cinder blocks, you will want to create an approximately 45 degree angle on one side of the hole to easily place the lined entrance blocks. Wrapping the lined up cinder block shaft in geotextile will reduce movement and infiltration of substrate.

4. Place large concrete debris of various shapes and sizes into the hole, around the shaft outlet for the snakes (at the base of the cinder blocks and/or big-O pipe). Take care not to crush the cinder blocks or big-O pipe. Although this will look messy, the gaps created between the concrete debris will be where the snakes spend the winter underground.

5. Build up the concrete pile to at least one metre high. You can then do one of two things: 1) add small pieces of concrete and then a gravel layer over the concrete pile, or 2) use other materials such as roofing metal to cover the concrete debris. This will prevent the sand in step 6 from filling in those important gaps within the concrete debris pile.

6. Add a thick layer of sand/soil over top of the gravel layer / roofing metal. This layer will help insulate the concrete debris chamber below.

7. Add field stone around the entrance to act as a heat sink (an area warmed by the sun) and cover for snakes, and to reduce thick growth of vegetation.

8. Adding a brush pile along the back and/or sides of the hibernaculum will provide additional cover for the snakes during the active season, as well as when they emerge from the site each spring. The snake hibernaculum and brush piles will provide habitat for a wide range of reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and insects.

Black Redhorse Reappears in Fish Creek 听

This summer brought an exhilarating find: the reappearance of the Black Redhorse, Moxostoma duquesnei, a Threatened Species at Risk fish, in the waters of Fish Creek!

This species of sucker, found in only a few rivers in Canada, had not been recorded in the Fish Creek subwatershed in over two decades. This discovery signals successful local conservation efforts.听

Imagine encountering a stunning medium sized, metallic bluish-black fish with large yellow eyes and a vertically oriented suckermouth. This discovery spurred extra excitement for the Upper Thames River Conservation Area (UTRCA) aquatic staff. Their summer field season objective was to confirm the historical distribution of the Black Redhorse in the Upper Thames River, and this fish species was not just found in Fish Creek, but many other spots along the Thames where it had been documented historically.听

First designated as At-Risk in Canada in 1988, the Black Redhorse鈥檚 threatened status was reconfirmed in 2019 due to the cumulative threats jeopardizing its survival. Vulnerable to pollution, this fish prefers to live in moderate-sized, cool, clear, and fast-flowing streams. Unfortunately, they tend to disappear from excessively silty aquatic environments. The main threats they face include pollution, climate change, severe weather, invasive species, human intrusion, and dams and barriers. 听

Previously, biologists pinpointed the Thames River and the Grand River tributaries as having the healthiest of the remaining Black Redhorse populations in Canada. In fact, these populations might play a pivotal role in future conservation strategies, including translocations or artificial propagation if needed to bolster the species.听

Given their At-Risk status, the presence of Black Redhorse in the Upper Thames River watershed is a sign that local conservation efforts are working. It is a small victory, signifying that the creek remains habitable to one of our country鈥檚 most at-risk species. The UTRCA works with local landowners and community partners striving to improve water quality. Through stewardship initiatives, the Authority contributes to creating better living conditions for fish in rivers and streams.听

Tatianna Lozier, UTRCA鈥檚 Stewardship Services Coordinator, shares about the program,听鈥�In the last twenty years, the Clean Water Program has funded 85 projects in Fish Creek. This figure is just a fraction of the various stewardship initiatives occurring in the watershed beyond our program’s scope. The most commonly funded projects are tree planting, erosion control structures, and cover crops, all aimed at reducing sediment and nutrient runoff into nearby waterways. Over the last few years, there has been an increase in requests for stewardship support in Fish Creek, a trend that we are happy to see. Hope remains for the long-term improvement of the subwatershed’s health.鈥�听

Read the UTRCA’s Watershed Report Card on Fish Creek.

Staying Active at Our Conservation Areas this Winter听

While the camping and extended day-use seasons have come to an end, there are still plenty of opportunities to stay active at 糖心直播 (UTRCA) Conservation Areas (CAs) this winter, during daylight hours.

The dam crossing at Pittock CA is closed to pedestrian traffic as of December 8th. However, the trails on both the North and South Shore are accessible from dawn to dusk.

The trails at Fanshawe CA are also available, including the 21 km Lake Trail which is open for hiking and biking.

Wildwood CA has four hiking and biking trails that range in length from 1.2 km to the 25 km Lake Trail. Bring your family out and follow the story hike along the Green Trail, featuring “It’s Winter” by Linda Glaser.

Bring along some sunflower seeds (no other nuts or seeds please) and you鈥檙e likely to find some hungry chickadees, too! Winter and spring educational programming, including field trips and Outdoor School, are also open for registration. View the Wildwood programs brochure.

Thamesford Lions River Park: Viewing Areas, Angling Access, and Streambank Naturalization听

糖心直播 (UTRCA) staff from Community Partnerships and Integrated Watershed Management units have been working with the Thamesford Lions Club and the Township of Zorra on a design for River Park in Thamesford that includes the construction of a naturalized buffer zone along the banks of the river as well as听multiple viewing areas. Currently, foot traffic along the river's edge has degraded the riverbank and contributed to erosion and sedimentation in the watercourse.听This work will let the public view and access the river while protecting the banks from slumping due to foot traffic.听

The landscape construction phase was recently completed by Hogg Construction. In the spring of 2024, native shrubs, trees, and pollinator plants will be planted between the viewing areas to stabilize the banks, shade the watercourse, and provide habitat for species at risk. This project will improve water quality and habitat for resident Species at Risk, including Black Redhorse Sucker, Round Pigtoe Mussel, and Brook Lamprey (a native and non-parasitic Lamprey species).听 听

The plan for the park is in line with recommendations outlined in "Local Actions to Improve Surface Water and Groundwater" in the Middle Thames Watershed section of the UTRCA Watershed Report Card.听View the UTRCA's Watershed Report Card here.

This project is made possible through financial support from the Thamesford Lions, as well as grants from Enbridge (Fuelling Futures), Oxford Community (Stevens Fund), and the UTRCA's Clean Water Program.听 听

Contact: Tom Cull, Community Partnerships Specialist

What is POSEIDON?

The health of the Great Lakes is increasingly threatened by harmful algal blooms, occurring in response to excess nutrients in the water and a warming climate. 糖心直播 (UTRCA)’s Water Quality Specialist, Craig Irwin, was invited to a workshop that included the official launch of a new water quality portal called POSEIDON, designed to aid in understanding and mitigating the human impacts on water quality. The web-based portal has been developed by Dr. Nandita Basu and her team at the University of Waterloo to analyze vast amounts of water quality data. The goal of the workshop was to solicit input and user feedback to enhance functionality as well as discussing promotional strategies and target audiences for the portal.

POSEIDON will utilize machine learning models to predict stream nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and loads as a function of streamflow, and a suite of landscape attributes like temperature, slope, precipitation and nutrient inputs. The model has been calibrated in Ontario using the Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network dataset which UTRCA contributes to through monitoring on a monthly basis. Staff are looking forward to the public launch of POSEIDON and are finding the portal is very innovative with lots of potential applications in the future.

Contact: Craig Irwin, Water Quality Specialist

2023 Field Surveying Team Measures Record Number of Elevation Points

Our 2023 field survey team wrapped up the surveying season just in time for the holidays. Once again, they had a successful season collecting information on stream depth, shape, and bank heights while also measuring the size and shape of bridges and culverts across our watershed. They measured over 28,000 elevation points and surveyed around 280 bridges and 1,760 stream cross-sections since the season started in early June. This sets a new record for number of elevation points collected in a year!

The team was lucky to welcome back Bailey Arnold, and she was joined by first timers Kenny Tomljenovic, Nandini Patel, and Michelle Dyment. This team of four hit the ground running in June and didn鈥檛 stop until snow started to fall in December.

The flood modelling team heavily relies on the collected survey data as it is a key part of the UTRCA flood models. Survey data is the first component used to create a new model, which is then then used to simulate different flows in a river and determine where a flood could occur. The survey data helps determine how much water could flow through a bridge opening during a flood event and how much water a stream can hold before it starts to flood over the banks.

Accessible Features on UTRCA Properties听

The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) owns and/or manages more than 5,790 ha (14,300 ac) of land within the Upper Thames River watershed, spread across 40 properties. 听

The forests, wetlands, meadows, watercourses, and ponds within these properties are critically important for preserving and restoring the watershed鈥檚 ecological health, as well as providing opportunities for outdoor recreation and nature appreciation.听

Westminster Ponds ESA

The UTRCA has been working on several properties, often with community partners, to add accessible features to trails, boat launches, and platforms. They include:听

• Accessible fishing platform at Dorchester Mill Pond.听Information here.听
• Accessible trail and dock by the pond at Fanshawe Conservation Area.听
• Boardwalk and viewing platform at Westminster Ponds Environmentally Significant Area.
• Accessible canoe and kayak launch at Wildwood Conservation Area.听

Wildwood Conservation Area in St. Marys

For more information on our natural areas,听visit out Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas web page.

Some fish species recorded at Pittock CA:

• Northern Pike
• Yellow Perch
• Largemouth Bass
• Smallmouth Bass
• Rock Bass
• Bluegill
• Northern Sunfish (Species at Risk listed as Special Concern)
• Black Crappie
• Greenside Darter
• Johnny Darter
• Brown Bullhead
• White Sucker

Invertebrates:

• Northern Clearwater Crayfish

Mussels:

• Rainbow

For more info, email Damian Schofield, Conservation Areas Coordinator

Learn more and see the project in action: