Category: News Releases
Annual Leighton & Betty Brown Conservation Scholarships Presented
August 18, 2022Scholarships help watershed students pursue post-secondary conservation education.
A presentation ceremony held at the Lee Brown Marsh on Tuesday, August 16 celebrated the selection of recent high school grads Ali Flinsenberg and Fred Wernaart as recipients of the 2022 Leighton & Betty Brown Conservation Scholarship. The Lee Brown Marsh Management Committee, a committee of Long Point Region Conservation Authority, awarded each recipient with $1,000 to help support the post-secondary environmental education they will begin this fall.
The recipients applied for the annual scholarship and were selected due to their established interest in environmental conservation, their upcoming education and their career aspirations.
Ali, an East Elgin Secondary School graduate, has volunteered and worked closely with environmental organizations including ReForest London and various Conservation Authorities. She will be attending Trent University’s new Climate Science and Policy program come the fall and hopes to find a career as a conservation officer. Fred, a Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School graduate, is a member and supporter of several naturalist organizations and associations and has been banding birds since childhood. He will be attending the Fish and Wildlife course at Sir Sandford Fleming College and plans to pursue a career in wildlife conservation.
Presenting the award, Marsh Management Committee chair Tom Haskett congratulated both recipients on their hard work and thanked them for their passion for conservation. “We are proud to help contribute to funding your education,” he said. “It is a joy to see individuals such as yourselves invested in the important work that is the conservation of our environment.”
Image: Lee Brown Marsh Management Committee chair Tom Haskett (right) shakes the hand of Leighton & Betty Brown Conservation Scholarship winner Fred Wernaart. [Tuesday, August 16, 2022].
About the Leighton & Betty Brown Conservation Scholarship
The Leighton & Betty Brown Conservation Scholarship is presented annually by the Lee Brown Marsh Management Committee and Long Point Region Conservation Authority to students in the Long Point Region watershed who are graduating from high school and pursuing a degree in an environmental or natural resources field at a post-secondary level. The scholarship was established to honour the former Marsh Manager, Leighton, and his wife Betty and their many years of service at the Marsh. Find more information online at lprca.on.ca/scholarship/
Children’s Fishing Derby to be a ‘Reel’ Good Time
July 26, 2022The Deer Creek Children’s Fishing Derby is back—catch plenty of fishing fun on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022!
The Deer Creek Children’s Fishing Derby will be held at Deer Creek Conservation Area on Saturday, August 13, from 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Open to youth ages 16 and under, the derby is a great way for kids and their families to form fond memories and acquire a love of fishing. Cast from shore or launch a non-motorized or electric boat and fish the farther sections of the reservoir.
The cost to participate is $5 per child, plus admission to the Conservation Area. Space is limited, so an online pre-registration system has been made available. Visit https://bit.ly/DCderby2022 to secure your spot. On the day of the event, walk-ins will be accepted until capacity is reached.
The event is hosted by Long Point Region Conservation Authority and sponsored by organizations including the Police Association of Ontario and the Norfolk County OPP Detachment. A huge thank you goes to the many local businesses who support the Deer Creek Children’s Fishing Derby; the derby would not be possible without their contributions.
The Deer Creek Children’s Fishing Derby is part of Bob Izumi’s Kids and Cops Fishing Days. To learn more about Kids and Cops Fishing Days, please visit www.kidsandcops.ca, https://www.facebook.com/KidsCopsCanadianTire, or contact Jessica at events@kidsandcops.ca or 877-822-8881.
Event Details
DATE: Saturday, August 13, 2022
TIME: 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – check-in opens at 8 a.m., prizes awarded at 1:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Deer Creek Conservation Area, 1929 Norfolk County Road 45, RR #2, Langton ON N0E 1G0
COST: $5/child (plus Conservation Area admission)
REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/DCderby2022
Annual Long Point Region Conservation Stewardship Award Presented
April 7, 2022Tillsonburg’s Paul DeCloet recognized for his substantial contributions to environmental sustainability.
Long Point Region Conservation Authority proudly presented Tillsonburg’s Paul DeCloet with the annual Long Point Region Conservation Stewardship Award at the Authority’s April board meeting on Wednesday, April 6. Paul was nominated and selected for the award due to his extensive contributions to conservation and environmental sustainability within the Long Point Region watershed.
Paul was nominated by Kristen Bernard of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, who highlighted his passion for the outdoors, decades of volunteer work, willingness to share his expertise and community land donations as clear examples of promoting and upholding environmental sustainability in the region.
An active volunteer with the local Lions Club, Paul has coordinated and participated in numerous tree planting projects. Ever dedicated to ensuring that the community is able to enjoy the outdoors and reap the benefits of a healthy watershed, Paul has recently donated a forested property to Norfolk County who will be maintaining the land with public access to the walking trails.
Paul is a familiar face at the Long Point Region Conservation Authority, not only because of his coordination of tree planting projects but because he served on the Authority’s Board of Directors from 1987 through 1997, taking on the role of Board Chair from 1993 to 1996.
“Conserving our environmental resources is a collaborative endeavor,” says John Scholten, Chair of the Long Point Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors. “Conservation Authorities are not alone in the effort to protect the environmental wellbeing of our watershed. Much of the planting and restoration work we do is only possible thanks to people like Paul and we are all the better for his gracious and inspiring willingness to share his knowledge and care for our environment.”
In his acceptance speech, Paul spoke to how positive an experience donating the forest property to Norfolk County has been. “I feel just as happy about it today as I did the day I gave it,” he said. “In fact, more so because I know many people are using it for what I wanted it to be. It has literally been a joy for me, what I do. And this honour that I receive here today from this Board makes everything just a little bit more meaningful than yesterday. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Image: Chair of the Long Point Region Conservation Authority Board, John Scholten (left) presents Paul DeCloet with the 2021 Long Point Region Conservation Stewardship Award [Wednesday, April 6, 2022].
About the Conservation Stewardship Award
The Long Point Region Conservation Stewardship Award is presented annually by Long Point Region Conservation Authority as a means to recognize excellence in conservation within the Long Point Region watershed. For information on eligibility and the nomination process, visit lprca.on.ca/conservation-stewardship-award.
Flood Outlook Statement (Flood Message #1)
March 4, 2022Long Point Region Conservation Authority is issuing a Flood Outlook Statement for all areas within its watershed.
The watershed is expected to receive warm temperatures and rainfall this weekend, with temperatures above 10o Celsius anticipated. An average of 25.8mm of Snow Water Equivalent over the watershed was recorded on March 1, 2022. Light rain is in the forecast with 10-15mm expected between Saturday, March 5 and Monday, March 7. Frozen areas are expected to melt and contribute to watercourse flow. These conditions create the potential for minor flooding in flood-prone areas. Additionally, any watercourses with ice cover may have increased flooding through ice-jamming behind flow constrictions or bottlenecks.
Members of the public are reminded to stay away from ditches, streams, rivers and ponds as the combination of slippery banks and cold, fast-flowing water is dangerous. Parents are reminded to keep children and pets away from these areas.
Landowners are also advised to make sure dams, culverts and catch basins are free from debris and functioning properly.
Water levels are expected to remain high for several days. Therefore, this Flood Outlook Statement is in effect through Sunday, March 13, 2022. LPRCA staff will continue to monitor conditions throughout the watershed and will update this message as necessary.
Contact Ben Watson at 519-842-4242 ext. 265 should further information be required
Riverine Flood Watch Termination (Flood Message #2)
February 25, 2022The Flood Watch issued on Monday, February 21, 2022 for watercourses in the Long Point Region watershed is now terminated.
All watercourses across LPRCA’s watershed have peaked and are now declining, however stream levels remain high and are running swiftly, and there is still ponded water in low-lying areas. Additionally, snow pack remains in wooded areas and river ice and associated ice jams are still present.
Due to these conditions, LPRCA is issuing a Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety for all watercourses within its jurisdiction.
Members of the public are reminded to stay away from ditches, streams, rivers and ponds as the combination of slippery banks and cold, fast-flowing water is dangerous. Ice conditions on watercourses, ponds and reservoirs are expected to continue to deteriorate and should be considered unsafe. Parents are reminded to keep children and pets away from these areas.
Present conditions and flows from the past event can be viewed on the LPRCA website’s Flood Forecasting Data & Resources page.
LPRCA staff will continue to monitor weather forecasts and watershed conditions.
Contact Paul Gagnon at 519-842-4242 ext. 232 should further information be required.
Riverine Flood Watch (Flood Message #1)
February 21, 2022Long Point Region Conservation Authority is issuing a Riverine Flood Watch for all areas within its watershed.
A Texas Low Pressure system is forecast to travel across Southern Ontario Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing above-freezing temperatures and rainfall. Depending on the path and strength of the weather system, areas of the Long Point Region watershed may see 15 – 20 mm of rain.
Melting of the existing snow pack in combination with the forecasted rains is expected to increase runoff. An estimated 15 mm of snow water equivalent remains on the ground. River systems have yet to recover fully from last week’s rainfall event and ice cover that was weakened or moved last week may now break up or jam.
Local watercourses may be overwhelmed, leading to localized flooding in low-lying areas.
Members of the public are reminded to stay away from ditches, streams, rivers and ponds as the combination of slippery banks and cold, fast-flowing water is dangerous. Ice conditions on watercourses, ponds and reservoirs are expected to deteriorate and should be considered unsafe. Parents are reminded to keep children and pets away from these areas.
Landowners are also advised to make sure dams, culverts and catch basins are free from debris and functioning properly.
Water levels are expected to remain high for several days. Therefore, this Flood Watch is in effect through Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. LPRCA staff will continue to monitor conditions throughout the watershed and will update this message as necessary.
Contact David Proracki, 519-842-4242 ext. 264, should further information be required.
Riverine Flood Warning (Flood Message #3)
February 17, 2022Long Point Region Conservation Authority is issuing a Riverine Flood Warning for all areas within its watershed.
The Long Point Region watershed received 15- 20 mm of rain over the course of last night and this morning. While this amount of rain is less than what was forecast, flooding in low lying areas is still expected due to rain and snowmelt.
Action: Areas along the Big Otter Creek, specifically the town of Vienna, may experience flooding due to high flows and/or ice-jamming. Given Vienna’s vulnerability to flooding and ice jams, Flood Coordinators should warn property owners in the most flood-prone areas of Vienna of the potential for flooding.
Members of the public are reminded to stay away from ditches, streams, rivers and ponds as the combination of slippery banks and cold, fast-flowing water is dangerous. Ice conditions on watercourses, ponds and reservoirs are expected to deteriorate and should be considered unsafe. Parents are reminded to keep children and pets away from these areas.
Landowners are also advised to make sure dams, culverts and catch basins are free from debris and functioning properly.
Water levels are expected to remain high for several days. Therefore, this Flood Watch is in effect through Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. LPRCA staff will continue to monitor conditions throughout the watershed and will update this message as necessary.
Contact David Proracki, 519-842-4242 ext. 264, should further information be required.
Riverine Flood Watch (Flood Message #2)
February 16, 2022Long Point Region Conservation Authority is issuing a Riverine Flood Watch for all areas within its watershed.
The Long Point Region watershed is expected to experience warm temperatures and rainfall from this evening to tomorrow afternoon. There is an average of 34.7 mm of Snow Water Equivalent, and an additional 25-50 mm of rain forecast. There is, however, a large degree of uncertainty about the amount of precipitation and the state it will take (rain or snow).
The rain and warm temperatures are expected to result in a partial melt of the snowpack. Localized flooding can be expected because of ponding around frozen ditches, culverts and catch basins. Depending on the amount of rain we receive, flows into local waterways may result in minor flooding in low-lying areas. Additionally, there is the possibility of local movement of river ice and ice-jamming. Flood Coordinators are being asked to monitor areas typically prone to ice jams.
Members of the public are reminded to stay away from ditches, streams, rivers and ponds as the combination of slippery banks and cold, fast-flowing water is dangerous. Parents are reminded to keep children and pets away from these areas.
Landowners are also advised to make sure dams, culverts and catch basins are free from debris and functioning properly.
Water levels are expected to remain high for several days. Therefore, this Flood Watch is in effect through Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. LPRCA staff will continue to monitor conditions throughout the watershed and will update this message as necessary.
Contact David Proracki, 519-842-4242 ext. 264, should further information be required
Flood Outlook Statement
February 15, 2022Long Point Region Conservation Authority is issuing a Flood Outlook Statement for all areas within its watershed.
The watershed is expected to receive warm temperatures and rainfall on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022 and Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. There is an average of 34.7 mm of Snow Water Equivalent, and an additional 35-40 mm of rain is in the forecast. This combined 70-75 mm is expected to increase flow in all waterways within the watershed. This creates the potential for minor flooding in flood prone areas. Additionally, any watercourses with ice cover may have increased flooding through ice-jamming behind flow constrictions or bottlenecks.
Members of the public are reminded to stay away from ditches, streams, rivers and ponds as the combination of slippery banks and cold, fast-flowing water is dangerous. Parents are reminded to keep children and pets away from these areas.
Landowners are also advised to make sure dams, culverts and catchbasins are free from debris and functioning properly.
Water levels are expected to remain high for several days. Therefore, this Flood Outlook Statement is in effect through Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. LPRCA staff will continue to monitor conditions throughout the watershed and will update this message as necessary.
Contact Ben Watson at 519-842-4242 ext. 265 should further information be required.
Flood Warning Termination (Event Message #2)
January 7, 2022The Flood Warning issued on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 for the Lake Erie shoreline within the Long Point Region Conservation Authorities Jurisdiction is now terminated.
During Wednesday’s event, high winds caused minor to moderate storm surge. Lake Erie flood levels reached 175.34 metres (IGLD85) in the Port Dover area and 175.75 metres (IGLD85) in Port Colborne. The Port Rowan Gage recorded a maximum of 175.22 metres (IGLD85). These elevations were below flood stage 0 for Port Rowan, at stage 0 for Port Dover, and briefly peaked to stage 2 for Port Colborne.
Lake Erie static water levels are expected to remain near record highs over the coming months. High static water levels increase the risk of flooding caused by moderate to severe wind-driven surges. Strong lakeshore surge events typically occur from fall through spring.
Due to the forecast for high lake levels, the previously issued Shoreline Conditions Statement – Lake Erie Flood Outlook remains in effect until further notice.
LPRCA staff will continue to monitor forecasted conditions and will update this message as necessary.
Contact LPRCA at lprca.floodmessage@lprca.on.ca or 519-842-4242 should further information be required.