Current studies

We are participating in several subwatershed planning projects. Some projects are managed by us while others are managed by municipalities with us providing our knowledge and expertise on environmental elements of the study. For example, we will monitor stream conditions, describe the natural features and their role in stream health and provide other information to support planning studies and management decisions.

Clythe Creek Subwatershed Study Update

Clythe Creek, a tributary of the Eramosa River, originates in Guelph-Eramosa Township and flows through the northeastern part of the City of Guelph. The City of Guelph’s 2018 Natural Heritage Action Plan identified the Clythe Creek subwatershed as the highest priority for a subwatershed study update. This multi-phase study was launched in 2022, with the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) serving as a key technical partner and active member of the project’s Technical Steering Committee.

The Phase 1 Characterization Report is available on the City of Guelph's website. This report provides a comprehensive overview of current conditions across groundwater, surface water, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, and fluvial geomorphology. Public engagement for the Phase 1 Study is complete.  The engagement summary from Phase 1 is available on the City’s “Have your Say” webpage. 

Phases 2 and 3 of the study — which focus on impact assessment and the development of management strategies — are currently in progress and anticipated to be completed in the coming months.
These phases are expected to inform proposed updates to the extent of land regulated by the GRCA under Ontario Regulation 41/24, pursuant to Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act.

Blair Creek

Blair Creek flows through southwest Kitchener, where a lot of development is taking place. A subwatershed plan was completed in 1997 and updated in 2010. The studies recommended ongoing monitoring in Blair Creek to better understand land and water conditions, and to track changes as new subdivisions are developed. We annually monitor water quality and temperature, stream flow, groundwater, invertebrates, and fish.  Our continuous monitoring program is focused on confirming the overall health of the natural systems and identifying the extent and source of potential impacts from ongoing development in the area.

East Side Subwatersheds

The East Side area includes the land in the eastern part of Kitchener, Cambridge and Woolwich in Waterloo Region. The land is drained by Hopewell, Chilligo and Freeport creeks, as well as the Randall and Breslau drains. We continue to carry out annual monitoring to establish baseline chemical, physical, and biological conditions prior to significant land-use changes, as well as to collect and provide information for subwatershed studies.