The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is seeking more volunteers to help with a Community Precipitation Monitoring Project.
The organization is particularly interested in people living near St. Marys, Wildwood Conservation Area and the northern part of the watershed.
UTRCA staff will install a rain gauge system on a volunteer’s property. Daily precipitation is measured and the results are recorded in the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow (CoCoRHaS) online platform.
Thousands of volunteers across six countries participate in the program and over 20 have signed up locally. Each volunteer provides high-quality data for natural resources, education, and research applications.
The data collected locally serves many purposes including enhancing the UTRCA’s water monitoring system, improving understanding of significant rain events and their distribution after they occur and better understanding climate change trends over time.
“I think it’s a great way to participate in your town as a volunteer and provide that information for scientific research,” said Derek Ruthig from Thames Vista Farm in St. Marys.
Derek, and his good friend Frankie the donkey, care for a herd of about 50 cattle.
“I come out and go for a walk around the farm regularly and it takes about 60 seconds to dump the gauge, measure it, and record it. Just that information and knowing that you are part of a bigger program, I think it’s rewarding and worth it,” he added.
Anyone interested can complete a form on the UTRCA website at https://thamesriver.on.ca/join-the-community-precipitation-monitoring-project-media-release/
