Water Report for the Upper Thames River Watershed

The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) released a Water Report in December 2004. The Conservation Authority has monitored the health of the watershed for close to 30 years.

The report clearly shows water quality trends in the upper Thames watershed, including:

• Declining phosphorus levels. Aquatic plants and algae need phosphorus to grow, but too much phosphorus can lead to algae blooms and oxygen depletion in the river system. These conditions can cause fish kills. Sources of phosphorus can include domestic and industrial effluents (including soaps and cleaning products), pesticides and fertilizers.

• Increasing nitrate levels. Nitrates in a watercourse can be toxic to aquatic organisms, especially amphibians. Nitrates, as well as other contaminants in surface water, are of particular concern when they enter groundwater and well water supplies. Potential sources of nitrates include sewage sludge, industrial wastewater, livestock waste, urban and agricultural pesticide and fertilizer runoff, and atmospheric deposition.

The Water Report has details on more water quality trends such as bacteria, chlorides, and metals, as well as other monitoring programs. This scientific information enables the UTRCA to target sites for environmental improvements and track the results of conservation projects.

Monitoring programs have shown that our streams and rivers are affected by both urban and rural sources of pollution. The Clean Water Project was created three years ago in an effort to improve rural water quality. Since then, more than 440 best management practices projects have been completed at targeted sites in the upper Thames watershed, including:

• 77 km of fencing installed to keep livestock out of watercourses,

• 127 hectares (314 acres) of highly erodible/steeply sloping land and floodplain permanently planted with trees and shrubs,

• 50 km of windbreaks established to prevent soil erosion,

• 171,000 trees and shrubs planted.

Watershed residents are invited to read more about water quality and conservation activities in the Water Report. Click HERE to open the Water Report in a low resolution pdf file (4.7 mb), or contact (tel: 519-451-2800).