Greetings!

Despite recent snowfalls, the weather is warming up. With inputs of snowmelt, and rainfall runoff, it is a good time to get out for water monitoring.

We are waiting on the new stock of chemicals to come in from our supplier, so we only have 1 water kit available to borrow at this time. If you would like to borrow the water kit for monitoring, let me know ahead of time so that I can check that the kit is available and ready for pickup.

For new volunteers, we will have training and site orientations in May.
The training is mandatory for new volunteers. There are no new methods to cover, so returning volunteers do not need to attend this training (although they are still welcome to come).

Read through this newsletter for more water monitoring-related news.

Thanks,

Aiesha
Aiesha Aggarwal
Conservation Analyst at The Couchiching Conservancy

I am your water monitoring program coordinator. If you want to arrange water kit pickup or have any questions, please to not hesitate to get in touch.

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Water Monitoring Training
When: May 10, 2 pm - 5 pm

Location: Grant's Woods, 1485 Division Rd W, Orillia, L3V 6H2

Sign-up: You can sign-up here. This website works best on a computer.
Water monitoring training covers hydrology background, safety, and methods for monitoring. Plus volunteers will have a chance to try out the methods using the water monitoring kit. This is mandatory for new volunteers and optional for returning.

After the training, I will be in touch with new volunteers to plan site orientation visits.

Above photo: Mel and Al at the 2022 water monitoring training
Stories of Mnjikaning, the Fish Weirs
Do you know the significance of the area where Lake Simcoe flows into Lake Couchiching?

This is the site of the Mnjikaning Fish Weirs. Some of the oldest wooden stakes of the fish weirs have been carbon dated as being over 5000 years old.

It is an ecologically and culturally significant area. Learn more from this excellent video with stories told by Chippewas of Rama First Nation Elder Mark Douglas.

Read about the Mnjikaning Fish Weirs National Historic Site of Canada here.
Water Quality Spotlight: Turbidity
Turbidity is the measure of the relative clarity of a water sample. It is impacted by the presence of suspended particles.

You may see an increase in turbidity after heavy rainfalls and snowmelt as runoff washes sand, silt and clay into the waterway and turbulent waters mix-up sediment from the streambed. Algal growth also increases turbidity.

High turbidity means that less light penetrates the water column, which in turn impacts aquatic plant growth. The suspended particles can also get into fish gills, impacting their ability to absorb oxygen.
Reading: Buried Rivers
Waterways have been lost in many cities. They are buried, filled, and/or confined to underground pathways. In Toronto and Montreal, some efforts have taken place to map out the routes of these water networks. Since the early 2000s, Vancouver has been working to bring their waterways back to the surface.

Read the full story here - by Jaela Bernstein and Emily Chung, CBC
Image: Screenshot from the CBC article
3 years ago, Toby Rowland (Couchiching Conservancy Biologist) tracked the route of Orillia's coldwater stream, Sundial Creek. Watch the video here
Species Spotlight: Ruffed Grouse
Water monitors Meghan and Thomas came across a pile of ruffed grouse droppings during their water monitoring visit last month.

Grouse have distinct pellet-like droppings that often have white on one end.

If you have a monitoring site near a forest, you may hear the accelerating thumping sound of grouse wing beats. Listen to the sound here.
Above image: Ruffed grouse droppings (T. Kaethler), and a ruffed grouse in a tree (A. Aggarwal)
Other Couchiching Conservancy News
Image: Quinlan and Carsten, 2023 summer staff
We are hiring for two positions at the Couchiching Conservancy:

If you know anyone who may be interested in these positions, please share the job postings with them.

For more Couchiching Conservancy related new, sign up for the Couchiching Conservancy monthly newsletter
Thank you for taking the time to read through this newsletter. If you come across any interesting water related news, or have a story you would like to share from your water monitoring adventures, send it my way and I may share it in the next water monitoring newsletter.
You are receiving this email because you are a water monitor with The Couchiching Conservancy. Please let us know if things have changed and you can no longer volunteer, or do not wish to receive these emails. 
The Couchiching Conservancy | couchichingconserv.ca