Seeking a fine balance between flooding and drought · 2017-08-25 · alancing the two extremes of flooding and drought is fraught with challenges for reservoir managers. People don’t

www.grandriver.ca Grand River Conservation Authority

The Grand River watershed newsletter

July 2017 • Volume 22, Number 3

What’s Inside:

Special edition 2017

This 12-page edition

includes items normally in

The Grand.

StoriesBalance between floodingand drought . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Waterloo study . . . . . . . . . . . 32017 budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Work on dams and dikes . 5Looking back on 2016 . . . . 5Exchange studentsvisit Laurel Creek . . . . . . . . . 6Beach water quality . . . . . . 750 years ago . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8GRCA’s Canada 150 . . . . . . . 9Communications audit . . . 9Youth Outdoors Day . . . . 10Students bring posters for nature centres . . . . . . . 11Gil Henderson . . . . . . . . . . 12Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

By Janet BaineGRCA Communications Specialist

Balancing the two extremes of flooding

and drought is fraught with challenges for

reservoir managers.

People don’t think much about flooding until ithappens, as it did June 23. Extreme flows earlythat morning resulted in flooding in the GrandRiver watershed. It brought back memories of theflood of 1974, and rightly so. An unprecedented120 mm of rainfall fell across the northernwatershed, an amount of rain that had not fallenthat quickly in June, since record-keeping beganin 1950.

“The flow at Marsville was the highest since1972 and the flow at Shand Dam was the highestsince 1948,” said Dwight Boyd, Director ofEngineering for the GRCA. He was awakened in

the wee hours of the night by the senior operatoron call and, along with other GRCA staff, got towork very early that morning.

“If the dams weren’t there, the water would havebeen even higher. There seems to be amisconception among some people that we cancontrol a flood completely, and we can’t,” he said.

The watershed was impacted from top tobottom with many flooded roads, parks, fields andproperties in some communities. It took twoweeks before the Grand River system settled backto normal for this time of year.

“Each flood is different. We can learn a lot fromeach major flood event, and this will help usprepare for the next one,” Boyd said.

The Grand River watershed is not alone infacing these challenges. Canadians incommunities from British Columbia to NovaScotia were in the news this May, telling their

Seeking a fine balance between flooding and drought

Cover photoThis photo was taken during

the June flood on the GrandRiver at Wilson Flats, upstream ofWest Montrose.

Photo by A Kaastra

Share the resources – Share the responsibilityPage 2

stories of flooded basements, financial lossand hardship while news cameras rolled.Conservation authorities and watermanagement agencies were challenged by theintensely wet weather that month. TheGrand River watershed got more thandouble the usual amount of rain andexperienced a significant storm during thesecond week of the month, but luckily got offlightly with minimal flooding. Little did weknow that weeks later we would be hit farharder with extreme rainfall that did notappear in any Environment Canada weatherforecast.

Climate changeClimate change brings intense and

unprecedented weather events that are not

always in the forecast, even with betterweather forecasting technology.

The impact of flooding can be minimizedby dams, but it can’t be eliminated. In fact,research at the Intact Centre for ClimateAdaptation at the University of Waterloo hasfound flooding is increasing in severity andfrequency across Canada due to intenseweather. As a result, the centre is developinga flood proofing program for homeowners tominimize the likelihood of flooding aroundtheir home. It is also working on programsfor companies and communities andrecommends that large investors considerflood hazards before they invest.

But climate change also results inextremely dry conditions. The Grand Riverwatershed experienced this last summer and

fall, when people called the GRCA to askwhat was happening to the reservoir waterand where it had gone.

Everyone loved the hot sunny weather lastsummer, but as this lingered for manymonths, having enough water to meet theneeds of all communities and all water usersin the Grand River watershed was achallenge.

Last July the reservoirs provided 95 percent of the water in the Grand River at Doonand south Kitchener and 60 per cent of thewater at Galt. With that demand on thereservoirs, it’s no surprise that campers wereshocked to find reservoirs at record lowstoward the end of the season.

The entire Grand River watershedremained in a Level 2 Low Water condition

Visitors to Guelph Lake reservoir last fall were shocked to find old roads visible that are normally covered by a few feet of water.

Photo by Janet Baine

This is the Grand River at Galt during the flood in June. Flows were 900 cubic metres per second, compared with normal summer low flow of only15 cms at this location.

Photo by Lara Fox

Page 3Grand Actions – July 2017

until this spring, when early rainfall helpedrestore groundwater levels. At Level 2, thewater users on municipal and privatesystems were asked to voluntarily reduceconsumption by 20 per cent.

Multipurpose dams and reservoirsGRCA dams and reservoirs serve a dual

purpose: flood risk management and riverflow augmentation. “These are twocompeting, but equally important purposes,”said Boyd. “If the sole purpose of the damsand reservoirs was to manage floods, theywould ideally be empty. If the sole purposewas flow augmentation, they would ideallybe full.”

Given their dual purpose, the operation ofthese dams and reservoirs is highly complex,and managing these two competing needsacross the watershed is a delicate balancingact. In addition, GRCA reservoir managersalso consider water quality, the ecologicalneeds of the aquatic system and therecreational use of the waterways, wheneverpossible.

“People view the river system verydifferently based on where they live and howthey interact with it,” said Boyd. “After anevent like this, we all must take a step backfrom the river and look at ways we can worktogether to ensure the safety of watershedresidents and the health of the watershedremains paramount.”

3:13 a.m. Duty officer received a voicealarm indicating 25 mm of rainfall at LutherMarsh and he then notified the GRCAsenior dam operator.

4:17 a.m. Senior dam operator dispatcheddam operators to major water controlstructures.

5:40 a.m. The GRCA’s flood operationscentre opened and began notifyingmunicipal flood coordinators in thenorthern Grand River watershed aboutsignificant rainfall and flooding.

Flood coordinators then began notifyingresidents and closing roads that were at riskof flooding

9:15 a.m. GRCA staff completed a floodforecast assessment and issued FloodMessage #1. During the week, eight floodmessages were issued.

Through a recent project, GRCA staff

worked with geographical

information system (GIS) software to

find out how much water is stored in low­

lying spots above the City of Waterloo.

This knowledge helps the GRCA and cityplanners understand how much of a benefitnatural low-lying areas are to the citydownstream.

Digital elevation mapping (DEM) wasused to find all the low-lying areas in theupper Laurel Creek watershed (parts ofWellesley and Wilmot townships). These arethe seasonal ponds and farm fields that floodafter a heavy rainfall or snowmelt.

New technology allows the GIS software tomeasure the size of the depressions,including their depth. This means theirstorage capacity can be calculated to find outhow much water is stored in each one ofthese low spots.

“We have always known about these areasand how they can help to naturally mitigateflooding. But now, very detailed data sourcesallow us to quantify how much water theyactually hold,” said Gus Rungis, Senior

Learning how nature stops floodedbasements in the City of Waterloo

Engineer of Water Control Infrastructure atthe GRCA. “So if these areas were drained orpaved over, we would have to deal with a lotof extra water during a large rainfall eventthat is currently handled by nature.”

A second Laurel reservoirFor the study, hundreds of ponds and

depressions were found by Rungis and JeffPitcher, GRCA Water Information Specialist.These can hold enough water to fill about1,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. One ofthe ponds they found was so big that it alonecould hold back water that would fill 40Olympic-size swimming pools.

If this water made it to developed areas, itcould amount to a lot of potentially floodedbasements.

A thousand Olympic-sized swimmingpools, or 2.5 million cubic metres of water, isabout the same capacity as Laurel CreekReservoir itself. This reservoir went intooperation in the spring of 1967, allowing theurban areas of the City of Waterloo to grow.

“Increasing our understanding of issueslike this leads to better water management,”said Rungis.

A GRCA study has found that hundreds of ponds and depressions on the land above the City ofWaterloo hold back just as much water after a heavy rain as Laurel Creek Reservoir (above).

Photo by Carl Hiebert

June 23 timeline

Share the resources – Share the responsibilityPage 4

There were smiles all around June 6 when the last planting project for spring 2017 was done.The wet spring bodes well for tree survival, but it delayed some plantings, such as thiswindbreak made up of 400 Norway spruce in Haldimand. All together, about 175,000 treeswere planted by the GRCA this spring.

Drinking Water Source Protection Plan foreach of the four watersheds in the Lake ErieSource Protection Region, including theGrand River watershed, under the CleanWater Act, 2006. All four Source ProtectionPlans are in effect. Beyond supportingmunicipalities and other agencies inimplementing the plans, the focus is toundertake water quantity risk assessmentstudies, develop water quantity policies,update water quality vulnerabilityassessments and develop an annual progressreporting framework.

Emerald Ash BorerThe GRCA will continue to address the

impacts of Emerald Ash Borer on GRCAlands. About $400,000 will be spent this yearresponding to damage caused by the invasiveinsect. Most of the money will go to removehazardous trees in the areas where theinfestation is the highest.

Rural Water Quality Program About $800,000 is expected to be available

to farmers to help them undertake projectsto protect water quality on their land,including tree planting, erection of fencesalong water courses, construction of manurestorage tanks and other projects. The moneycomes from municipalities within the GrandRiver watershed, while the GRCA managesthe program.

Grand River ParksThe GRCA operates 11 active parks in the

Grand River watershed, offering a wide arrayof activities including camping, fishing,swimming, hiking and skiing. These parksare user-supported through gate admission,equipment rental fees and camping revenuesand receive no tax dollars to support theiroperation. Following two very successfuloperating seasons, the parks will be focusedon infrastructure reinvestment in 2017. Thisreinvestment will primarily focus on projectsthat will enhance the visitor experience,including improved washroom facilities,playgrounds, pavilions and access controlgates at park entrances.

Top priorities for 2017 GRCA budgetThe remainder is primarily provincial grants,which include funding of over $800,000 forthe Source Protection Program.

The GRCA also receives about $300,000from the federal government. Approximately$220,000 of this funding this year is insupport of Canada 150 projects.

The GRCA generates $14.6 million (about47 per cent) of its own revenue throughsources such as camping fees, parkadmissions, nature centre programs, hydrosales, property rentals, tree sales, planningpermits and donations raised by the GrandRiver Conservation Foundation. Here aresome budget highlights.

Drinking Water Source ProtectionThe GRCA will continue to work on the

development and implementation of a

In 2017, the GRCA will spend about $31million on programs that protect waterquality, reduce flood damages, protect

natural areas, support responsibledevelopment and provide outdoor recreationand environmental education.

GRCA revenue sourcesMunicipalities are contributing $11

million in general municipal levy to theGRCA this year, about 36 per cent of thetotal budget. The municipal levy works outto about $10.60 per resident. Whencompared with last year, this is a 2.5 per centincrease.

Government grants of about $4 millionrepresent about 13 per cent of the budget.This includes $800,000 from municipalitiestowards the Rural Water Quality program.

Page 5Grand Actions – July 2017

To the average person, it can be a

surprise to notice a suddenly dry

reservoir, as happened last year, or to learn

about a major and unexpected flood, as

happened in June, 2017.

But rivers ebb and flow all the time, andthe reservoir system helps regulate the flowsso residents can all carry about their dailylife without thinking too much about thewaterways.

The Grand, Conestogo and Speed areworking rivers, with flood control dams thathelp to even out the river flows to minimizeflooding and also bring sufficient water tocommunities during dry months.

Dykes and flood walls are in place alongthe Grand River and they also hold backwater to minimize flood damage. This year,the GRCA expects to spend close to $1.5million on flood infrastructure maintenanceprojects.

The GRCA has about 30 dams includingseven major reservoirs to maintain, as well asdikes and other infrastructure.

Shand, Laurel and Guelph damsAbout $100,000 will be spent on backup

generators and fuel system upgrades to meetcurrent code requirements. Work on GuelphDam will also include design and fabricationof a bulkhead to isolate the discharge valvefor repair work.

Conestogo DamDetailed design of the gate electrical gain

heater (these keep the gate from freezing)and control system, as well as an update ofthe emergency preparedness plan. The costis estimated at $85,000.

Laurel DamAbout $60,000 will be spent completing

the final phase of the dam safety study andgate operating system refurbishments.

Woolwich DamAbout $425,000 will be spent to refurbish

the gates, replace gate control equipment,finalize hazard potential classification anddevelop an emergency preparedness plan.

Caledonia DamAbout $40,000 will be spent to install new

The year 2016 was busy for the

GRCA, with many projects

undertaken and completed and many

weather issues with which to contend.

The parks had a banner a year due to ahot, sunny summer, resulting in a recordnumber of visitors. Two parks now haveautomated gates — Shade’s Mills inCambridge and Brant Park in Brantford.Rockwood, Shade’s, Belwood and LutherMarsh were all open year-round. Winterprogramming in early 2017 was not assuccessful due to warm weather and notmuch snow. A very cold December (whenthe parks were not open) gave way to awarm January, when few of the favouritewinter activities were on offer. An increasingnumber of park visitors are buying annualmemberships, which comes with a bonuscoupon booklet.

It took several months for GRCA forestrystaff to clean up after an ice storm in March2016, but by July all the closed propertieshad reopened. During 2017, the dying ashtrees in parts of the watershed had reached

2017 work on water control structuresstop log gains and a new set of stop logs.

Dunnville DamThe dam fish ladder will be redesigned at

an approximate cost of $25,000.

Wellesley DamAbout $55,000 will be spent to complete

the design and tender documents for futureconcrete repairs and to refurbish the gate.

Wellington Street DamAbout $30,000 will be spent to complete

the design of a rehabilitation plan for thesuperstructure.

Brantford DikeApproximately $45,000 will be spent to

initiate toe repairs of the concrete slab and toredesign the dike through the abandonedrailway line which requires manualplacement of stop logs to complete the dike.

Cambridge DikeRepairs of two sections of the river wall

will be completed at an approximate cost of$330,000.

Looking backon 2016

In 2014 native flowers were seeded in a hydro corridor on GRCA land in Cambridge. The plantsare doing very well this year. They are attractting Monarch butterflies and are also a source of

seeds used by GRCA staff for other plantings.

Photos by Anne Loeffler

Share the resources – Share the responsibilityPage 6

Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Kathryn McGarry announced proposed changes tothe Conservation Authorities Act June 14 at the GRCA head office.

peak mortality due to the Emerald Ash Borerinfestation that has hit Canada.

More outdoor education programsextended into the Grand River Parks duringthe summer. At the same time, summercamp opportunities for kids increased inboth 2016 and 2017. Apps’ Mill NatureCentre has been upgraded, and camps arebeing offered at Taquanyah Nature Centrefor the first time in many years. The fulllisting of available camps is online at

www.grandriver.eventbrite.ca.Great weather for the parks also put a

strain on local water resources, because dryconditions persisted for most of the summer.This was a challenge for local agriculturaloperations and gardeners, as well as watermanagers.

In early 2017, the GRCA hired WSPConsultants to carry out an environmentalassessment and design for a proposed hydrogenerating station at Parkhill Dam in

Colombian exchange students visit Laurel Creek

More than 100 exchange students went

to camp for a day in May and early

June at Laurel Creek Nature Centre as part

of their experience while visiting Canada.

The students enjoyed a full campexperience with nature games and activitiesas well as a campfire lunch.

The exchange was organized through theWaterloo Catholic District School Boardand was part of a short-term immersionprogram for these students.

“I would like to thank you for theamazing experience you provided to ourinternational students. They have now donesomething really Canadian, as theydescribed it themselves,” said JessicaMorales, the school board’s InternationalEducation Program Coordinator, addingthat the board would like to do thisregularly.

Cambridge. Completion of an environmentalassessment and the design of a plan are thefirst stage in this project, which has beenaccepted under the Independent ElectricitySystem Operator’s Feed-in-Tariff Program.Currently, it’s expected that the full projectwill take about five years to complete, with anew plant being commissioned between2021 and 2022. The GRCA operates threeother hydro generating stations at ShandDam, Conestogo Dam and Guelph Dam.The amount of hydro generated by theGRCA makes the organization energyneutral.

Conservation FoundationIn 2016, the Grand River Conservation

Foundation provided nearly $1.27 millionfor many types of projects related to theGRCA. Over the course of the year,donations that ranged from $5 to $250,000were given out. The projects that benefitedfrom these funds include the winter programexpansion, the learning grounds at the futuresite of the new Guelph Lake Nature Centre,park trail improvements, an amphitheatreand natural playground at Shade’s Mills,memorial trees and many more. TheFoundation’s expense rate in 2016 was about13 per cent, showing donors that it isefficient. In a competitive charitableenvironment, that’s great news.

Page 7Grand Actions – July 2017

By Janet BaineGRCA Communications Specialist

The long­time collaboration between

the GRCA and local health units on

water quality testing at beaches is

continuing, and has taken a new turn.

Decades of beach testing has given healthofficials and the GRCA a clear picture of thefactors that increase the risk of illness forswimmers. The partners are now focusingtheir efforts on educating people about thoserisks, so that the public can make informeddecisions for themselves and their families.

“Awareness is the key to ensuring peopledon’t get sick. They need to take precautionsduring certain conditions,” said SandraCooke, Senior Water Quality Supervisor atthe GRCA.

Big new signsBig new signs have been installed at the

GRCA’s nine beaches at Belwood Lake,Conestogo Lake, Elora Quarry, Guelph Lake(two beaches), Laurel Creek, Pinehurst Lake,Shade’s Mills and Rockwood. The signsexplain the conditions that lead to anelevated risk of water-borne illness. Theyalso outline ways that beach-goers can helpkeep the beaches clean. A smaller version of

the sign are at each park gatehouse and flyersare available.

Prevent illnessSwimmers can prevent illness by not

swallowing water at the beach. Beach visitorsshould also wash their hands or use handsanitizer after swimming or playing in thesand, because wet sand on a hot summer daycan contain elevated levels of bacteria.

Since 1973, the GRCA and the threewatershed health units (Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, Region ofWaterloo Public Health and the BrantCounty Health Unit) have worked togetherto test water at beaches during July andAugust. The lab test results that followedwater sampling didn’t become available untila day or two after the water sample wastaken. If the result showed an elevated levelof bacteria, then the health unit would post asign at the beach to let people know of thepotential health risk.

But due to laboratory culturing of thewater samples taken, results were received 24to 48 hours from the sampling time. Thismeant that the results did not provide up-to-date information for swimmers with respectto determining risk level. For example, abeach may have been ‘posted’ with levels inexcess of the provincial guideline, when inreality the conditions had improved. Or atgreater risk, a beach may not have been‘posted’ when in fact the water quality hadworsened since the sample was taken,possibly providing park patrons with a falsesense of safety.

“Water quality in natural bodies of watercan change rapidly,” explains Aldo Franco,Manager of Health Protection andInvestigation for Region of Waterloo PublicHealth. “The sampling process available topublic health does not allow us tocommunicate timely or relevant informationabout water quality to the community. Byincreasing awareness of the conditions thatcan impact water quality, the public is able tomake informed decisions on whether or notthey wish to enter the water at the beach.”

Shift in water quality program at Grand River Parks beaches

GRCA staff will continue to take waterquality samples every other week during Julyand August. While this data is not useful inidentifying public health risk whenswimming in natural moving water bodies, itwill be used to determine long-term trendsin the water quality at GRCA swimmingareas over time. GRCA staff will alsocontinue to do a daily beach check.

Rainfall can cause fecal material fromwildlife or pets to run off into streams andreservoirs. It can also stir up the water,creating cloudy conditions. When there is asignificant rainfall (one to two inches or 25to 50 mm), it is advised to refrain fromswimming for 24 to 48 hours, until clearconditions return. A rainfall chart related tothe beaches and more information is postedonline, so people can check this informationbefore visiting a park beach atwww.grandriver.ca/beaches.

People have information to assess the risks ofswimming and can make their own decisions.

Photo by Jen Yates

•Heavy rainfall of 25 to 50 mm (one totwo inches) within 24 to 48 hours resultsin runoff that washes bacteria from theland into streams, rivers and lakes.

• If the water is so cloudy that you can’tsee your feet in waist-deep water, itmeans the sand and silt has been stirredup and bacteria levels may be higher.

•High wind and waves can stir up sandand silt and increase bacteria levels.

•Lots of birds or other wildlife nearbymeans their droppings may contaminatethe water.

•Dead fish, algae, scum or debris can beseen in the water.

Conditions that can increasebacteria levels at beaches

Share the resources – Share the responsibilityPage 8

50 years ago - Dutch elm diseaseand a fledgling GRCABy Janet BaineGRCA Communications Specialist

Things were very different in water

management in the Grand River

watershed back in 1967 when

Canada’s centennial celebrations were

underway and the GRCA was finding its

footing.

Only one year earlier, the GRCA’s twopredecessor agencies, the Grand RiverConservation Commission (formed in 1934)and the Grand Valley ConservationAuthority (formed in 1948) had joinedtogether to form the Grand RiverConservation Authority (GRCA).

The fledgling organization operated underspecial legislation for two years, untilJanuary 1969, when it continued under theConservation Authorities Act of 1968.

Pioneers of water management“The people in the valley of the Grand are

the pioneers of water management andcontrol in Ontario,” wrote Mac Coutts, thefirst general manager of the GRCA in the1967 Annual Report. “The initial plans forcontrol works started in the early 1930s,resulting in the construction of the ShandDam in 1942. The Luther Dam wasestablished in 1954 and the Conestogo Damwas completed in 1959. Studies and reports

have been continually expanded, resulting inThe Water Control Plan 1966.”

Dutch elm disease hit the Grand Riverwatershed 50 years ago and dead elm treeswere cut down during the winter of 1967.They were cut into logs and boards at aGRCA sawmill.

That year, the GRCA planted more than500,000 trees. About 240,000 seedlings wereplanted on GRCA land, and an additional292,000 trees were planted on privateproperties through a program that providedfree crew and machine planting.

Funding for tree planting goes up anddown, and tree planting numbers reflectthat. In addition, now we plant more speciesand undertake more types of habitatrestoration.

In 1967, Belwood nursery produced172,000 seedlings and a small nursery atPinehurst was closed that year. Now, theGRCA’s only tree nursery is at Burford.

The GRCA operated three major and 14smaller dams and reservoirs on the GrandRiver and its tributaries, according to the1967 Annual Report. The three big oneswere Shand (1942), Luther (1952) andConestogo (1958) dams. Laurel CreekReservoir was used for the first time duringthe spring of 1967 and planning for Shade’sMills was underway. Major dams atWoolwich and Guelph came later.

At the end of 1967, GRCA land holdingstotalled more than 25,000 acres, includingabout 5,400 acres of agreement forestsmanaged by the Ontario Department ofLands and Forests.

The GRCA didn’t operate any naturecentres in 1967, but the idea was starting tobe discussed. The annual report says, “thereis great potential in the watershed foreducators to take advantage of theconservation areas for outdoor classrooms.”

Only the year before, in 1966, the agencythat regulated municipal sewage discharge tothe rivers was formed leading to major waterquality improvements. That agency mergedwith the Department of the Environment in1972 to become today’s Ontario Ministry ofEnvironment and Climate Change.

While 50 years ago GRCA staff were struggling with Dutch elm disease, now they are workinghard to reduce the hazards related to dying ash trees that have been attacked by Emerald Ash

Borer insects.

A long-time goose relocation programhelps keep these animals away from thebeaches. They are moved during themoulting period when they are unable to fly,but once they can fly again some of the geesereturn to the parks.

While beach closures are rare, a beach willbe closed and swimming will be prohibiteddue to a chemical or sewage spill, or thepresence of blue-green algae — bacteria thatcan be harmful to humans and animals.

Help keep beaches cleanThere are a number of ways people can

help keep beaches at Grand River Parksclean to improve water quality in ourswimming areas. These include:

•Don't feed wildlife or birds.•Don't use soap, shampoo or other

bathing products in the water.•Use appropriate washroom facilities.•Place all garbage in designated bins, or

take it with you.

Public health unit contacts•For Guelph Lake, Rockwood, Elora

Gorge, Belwood Lake and ConestogoLake, contact the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health at 1-800-265-7293.

•For Shade’s Mills and Laurel Creek,contact the Region of Waterloo PublicHealth at 519-575-4400.

•For Pinehurst Lake, contact the BrantCounty Health Unit at 519-753-4937.

Grand Actions – July 2017 Page 9

Earth Day launch for GRCA’scelebration of Canada 150 in 2017

The GRCA kicked off its Canada 150

celebration on Earth Day — April 22 —

at the Guelph Rotary Forest, where a maple

grove shaped like a maple leaf was planted

in honour of the 150th anniversary of

Confederation.

The celebration is continuing for 150 daysand includes various activities, promotion ofGRCA programs and initiatives throughoutthe watershed, and as a number of events atGrand River Parks and nature centres. TheGRCA is sharing Canada 150 informationthrough its Twitter (GrandRiverParks andGrandRiverCA) and Facebook(GrandRiverConservation) accounts, as wellas its website and publications.

The Grand River watershed is rich inCanadian history. In 1994, the Grand Riverwas designated as a Canadian Heritage Riverfor its cultural history and outstandingcultural values. Aspects of the CanadianHeritage River will be highlighted, as well asways to learn about and enjoy nature in thewatershed.

Each spring, the GRCA and its partnersplant trees across the watershed. The GuelphRotary Forest is located at Guelph Lake Parkand this year is its 10th anniversary. It is a

Staff at Rockwood Park were in the spirit of celebration during Canada Day for Canada’s 150thanniversary and were dressed for the occasion.

Communicationsaudit –opportunities forstakeholder input

At the GRCA, we value the trust of

our stakeholders and are committed

to openness and accountability.

We strive for clear and respectfulcommunication with our partners and withmembers of the public in order to build abetter understanding of GRCA programs,services, projects and watershed challenges.

As part of our commitment to opencommunication, we work to keepstakeholders up-to-date on what’s happeningat the GRCA through our website, socialmedia channels and a number ofpublications. In 2016, we conducted a reviewof three GRCA publications: GRCA Current,Grand Actions and The Grand. The reviewincluded a survey, and we thank all thosewho provided us with their feedback.

We are now expanding the scope of thereview and taking a more thorough look atall of our communications practices. In May2017, the GRCA hired Enterprise Canada toundertake a comprehensiveCommunications and Marketing Review.The overall goal of the review is to performan organization-wide audit of currentcommunications and marketing practices forthe GRCA as well as the Grand RiverConservation Foundation (GRCF).

Research underwayThe audit will include a review of both

internal and external communications inorder to identify strengths and weaknesses,and to develop specific recommendationsand action steps to strengthen and enhancethe GRCA’s communication processes.

The research phase of the project is nowunderway and questionnaires are beingdeveloped to gather input from allstakeholders. Information about the auditand ways to provide your input will beshared on our website, social media channelsand in our publications in the comingmonths. Any questions about the audit maybe directed to Lisa Stocco, GRCA Managerof Communications [email protected].

joint venture with the Guelph Rotary Cluband other partners. About 4,000 trees wereplanted there on Earth Day, including themaple grove.

Full details of events are available atwww.grandriver.ca/events and you cansubscribe to receive a weekly email about thetype of events that interest you.

Learn about natural heritage at one of ourparks events.

Photo by Matt Quinn

Share the resources – Share the responsibilityPage 10

outdoors and an understanding ofstewardship. They can learn about butterflybanding, fish identification and how to use acrossbow.

The event was an initiative of the Guelphoffice of the Ministry of Natural Resourcesand Forestry (MNRF) where Pegg works as aconservation officer, but it is now run byvolunteers. Pegg gives credit for the successof the event to “the small yet mighty”planning committee that also includes AdamStorer, Tony Vanderheide, Sharon Grose, O.J.MacDonald and Mike DeWitt. The 150volunteers who help out on the day of theevent have very specialized skills that theywant to pass on to the younger generation.

Popular event Youth Outdoors Day has become so

popular that there is a waiting list to attend.Register online early atwww.youthoutdoorsday.org . Preference isgiven to registrants who are attending for thefirst time. Pegg estimates that 85 to 90 percent of attendees are urban kids who are

exposed to many outdoor interests and skillsfor the first time. While many are local,some parents will bring their kids quite adistance to attend.

Pegg remembers meeting a family fromWindsor who got up at 3:30 a.m. to drivetheir three kids three-and-a-half hours toLuther Marsh for the day, and they foundthat the drive was well worth it.

This event was the first of its kind, andPegg is pleased that it is a model for similarprograms in other areas, including the GetOutdoors Youth for Conservation programin Peterborough and another event nearOwen Sound.

Fifty sponsors provide all the materials,lunch and prizes, so that no one has to payto attend.

“The dedicated and passionate volunteershave made this program successful. Theyenjoy showcasing their interest and welcomethe opportunity to share it with youngpeople,” says Robert Messier, a long-timevolunteer and also an ecologist with theGRCA. “The event helps increase awarenessand exposure to recreational opportunities.It also helps facilitate mutual respect andawareness of outdoor interests, profilingcommon objectives between everyone andthe resource managers who take care of ourwatershed resources.”

For more information about the awards,check www.grandriver.ca/awards.

Kids nine to 15 years old learn about the outdoors at Youth Outdoors Day each year at LutherMarsh. Register early, because this event is popular and fills up.

Youth Outdoors Day now open for registration

Kids can now register for Youth

Outdoors Day which takes place

each September at Luther Marsh

Wildlife Management Area, north of Fergus.

Now in its 16th year, this volunteer-runevent received a 2016 Watershed Award fromthe Grand River Conservation Authority.

“We want to ignite that spark of passionthat is inside kids and show them goodenvironmental stewardship and what wildlifeconservation is all about,” says Joel Pegg, thecoordinator of this event. “We want kids toput down their phones and electronics, stepoutside and enjoy the outdoors.”

Youth Outdoors Day started in 2001 withabout 50 kids going to a handful of learningstations to find out about aspects of theoutdoors. Now, 250 young people attendalong with a parent.

The goal is to introduce kids (ages 9 to 15)to the great outdoors through fun andinteractive activities. The list of hands-onactivities grows each year to give kids anopportunity to experience nature so thatthey develop a life-long passion for the

Kids explore many aspects of nature at thisSeptember event.

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The wonderful world of nature is outsidethe classroom door, and this is why naturecentres operated by the Grand RiverConservation Authority work closely withteachers, schools and school boards to teachstudents about nature.

By Janet Baine Communications Specialist

Aclass of Grade 4 students from

Brantford Christian School sat in

the outdoor classroom at Shade’s

Mills Nature Centre at the end of the school

year, each bearing a unique gift.

Earlier in the school year they had come tolearn about species at risk and they tookwhat they learned to heart.

“I always try to let them know that theycan help,” explained GRCA InterpretiveProgram Guide Rhonda Sage, who taughtthe students during their visit. “I want tomake them feel it isn't a lost cause for thesespecies, and even a Grade 4 student canmake a difference, no matter how big orsmall the action is. I hope the day inspiressomething inside that will stay with them.”

That is exactly what happened with thisclass. Back at school, the students told their

teacher Jannette Mazereeuw that theywanted to do something to make adifference. Then one student, Cohen Mulder,came up with the idea that each studentcould create a poster about an at-risk speciesand display the posters so that other peoplewould learn about these species, too. Eachstudent created a unique poster about adifferent species — from snakes andsalamanders to drooping trilliums and short-eared owls.

“The students spent a lot of time andincluded information about what the specieslook like, what their habitat is like, why theyare endangered, and an action plan on howto help species at risk. We are over the moonand so excited to come back to the naturecentre with the posters,” said Mazereeuwwhen she returned with her class.

The students brought a second set ofposters to be displayed at Apps’ Mill NatureCentre near Brantford.

Nature centre staff, including Sage, arespecialists who love nature and enjoy sharingtheir very specialized knowledge with kidsevery day. A visit to a nature centre allowsstudents to walk through many differenthabitats and see plants and animals in their

Grade 4 students bring giftsfor Shade’s Mills Nature centre

Students in the new outdoor classroom at Shade’s Mills returned to present posters aboutspecies at risk to share what they had learned.

Photo by Janet Baine

Each student presented a poster about aspecies at risk to the nature centre.

home environment. Each centre also has itsown set of nature specimens such as nests,animals and stories. Kids also love thenature games and activities that have beenspecially developed to make learning aboutnature fun and educational.

During their second visit with Sage, thestudents hung their posters for others to see.They were then led on a nature hike throughdifferent habitats and saw a Baltimore oriolefly from its big oval nest high up in the trees.They also played a nature game and hid in aforest, still as mice.

“When I heard that they took what Itaught them that first day and initiatedmaking posters to bring awareness about thespecies at risk to their school, I was thrilled!This is all you wish for when you spend sucha short period of time with a class. Thatspark of curiosity and call to take action,”Sage said.

•Teachers can contact a GRCA naturecentre directly, or visitwww.grandriver.ca/SchoolPrograms tolearn more about the curriculum-basedprograms suitable for students in allgrades.

•During the summer, many natureprograms are provided by the naturecentre staff at parks — checkwww.grandriver.ca/events to see andsubscribe to event listings.

•Nature centres offer nature-based summercamps. Registration and descriptions areavailable online atwww.grandriver.eventbrite.ca.

Grand Actions – July 2017

Follow the GRCA:Share the resources – Share the responsibility

T H E G R A N D C A L E N D A R

This newsletter is produced several times ayear by the Grand River ConservationAuthority.

More information:Current and back issues as well as completesubscription information is available onlineat www.grandriver.ca/GrandActions.

Submission deadlines: The 15th of February, April, June, August,October and December. Submissions maybe edited for length or style. Photos andevent information is also welcome. We doour best to publish items, but we are notable to guarantee publication.

To subscribe by e-mail:www.grandriver.ca/subscribe

To subscribe by mail, change yoursubscription or for information:Janet Baine, Grand Actions editorPhone: 519-621-2763, Ext. 2302E-mail: [email protected]: Box 729 400 Clyde RoadCambridge ON N1R 5W6

About Grand Actions:

Pinehurst Discovery Day Sept. 10Discover one of our most beautiful parks

at a free open house event. There will be lotsof fun activities for everyone to get up closeand personal with critters, plant wildflowers,learn to geocache, bring home some naturecrafts and more. Adventurous visitors won’twant to miss the scavenger hunt, free canoerentals, visiting a fire truck and policecruiser, and the chance to catch a fish. Parkadmission and events are free. There will bea variety of food trucks on site should youwork up an appetite (payment required forfood trucks). Volunteer helpers will also beneeded for this event.

Youth Outdoors Day Sept. 16Register now for a fun-filled day of

outdoor activities at Luther Marsh WildlifeManagement Area in Grand Valley. Thisannual event is free to youth nine to 15 butregistration is limited, so sign up in advance.Details and registration available online at

www.youthoutdoorsday.com.

Run for the Toad Sept. 30This 25- and 50-km trail race is in its 15th

year at Pinehurst Lake. Runners and walkersrepresenting many provinces and statesparticipate in this event, which is Canada'sbiggest trail event. Register online atwww.runforthetoad.com.

Grand River Spey Clave Oct. 3-4This unique fishing event takes place at

Brant Park and explores this style of fishing.Details available on www.grandriverspey.caThis event is both days 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thecost is park admission (free with GrandRiver Parks Membership) and $10 per dayor $15 for a weekend pass.

For updates and more events, as well as tosubscribe to receive certain types of events,please visit the GRCA’s online calendar atwww.grandriver.ca/events.

Gil Henderson — a man of many

accomplishments with a strong

connection to the GRCA — passed away in

January, 2017.

In addition to his significant contributionto protecting the natural environment, hewas a veteran of the Second World War anda four-time Olympian in trapshooting.

His conservation accomplishmentsextended over 50 years. In the 1960s,Henderson and his wife, Molly, amassed 900acres of farmland in Brant County andworked with Ducks Unlimited Canada toprotect the many wetlands on the property. Itwas often used by government and theconservation authority as an example forother landowners, by showing how to fenceoff wetlands to livestock and leavingvegetative buffers around the edges.

Henderson worked with Harry Lumsdento reintroduce trumpeter swans in Ontario.When the project began in 1982, there wereno wild trumpeter swans in the province.Just 14 years later, the species was no longerconsidered to be at risk. Many pairs are now

nesting at the Brant County farm.He established more than 300 bluebird

boxes and cared for a purple martin colony.In 1999, Molly became terminally ill and it

was at that time that the couple secured theirlegacy by donating 400 acres of farmland inSt. George to the Tim Horton Children’sFoundation. Tim Horton Onondaga Farmsensures that Gil and Molly’s efforts toeducate kids about environment stewardshipare still being met.

Henderson also served as a director of theGrand River Conservation Foundation for 16years.

He received many awards for his work,including a GRCA Watershed Award in 2000and another in 2004 in connection with theTim Horton’s camp, a Latornell Pioneeraward in 2010 and a Lieutenant-Governor’sOntario Heritage Award in 2011.

Henderson’s legacy continues on, throughthe trees he planted and the wildlife habitathe created, and in the thousands of kids whoattend Onondaga Farms camp every year tolearn about the outdoors.

Remembering Gil Henderson

Gil Henderson