Grand River Conservation Authority

Conservation authority in Ontario, Canada

43°22′33.24″N 80°17′8.57″W﻿ / ﻿43.3759000°N 80.2857139°W﻿ / 43.3759000; -80.2857139﻿ (Grand River Conservation Authority Head Office)

Grand River Conservation Authority

Founded| 1932
Focus| Manage the water and other natural resources in the Grand River Watershed
Location|

* Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Area served

| Grand River Watershed
Website| www.grandriver.ca

The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) is a conservation authority in Ontario, Canada. It operates under the Conservation Authorities Act of Ontario. It is a corporate body, through which municipalities, landowners and other organizations work cooperatively to manage the Grand River watershed and natural resources within it.

Created in 1932 as the Grand River Conservation Commission, the GRCA is the oldest water management agency in Canada. It is one of 36 conservation authorities in Ontario and is a member of Conservation Ontario.

The GRCA also owns and manages many conservation areas, parks and trails within the watershed.

## History

[edit]

The Grand River provided transportation, water supply, and waterpower attracting settlement to the valley in the 19th century. The combined deforestation and urban settlement aggravated flood and drought conditions.

A main part of the Grand River's course flows through the Carolinian life zone, which contains a southern type of forest that is found only in this area of Canada. A wide variety of rare plants and animals are found here.

The water quality in the river started to deteriorate to the point where it was a major public health concern. To deal with these problems, a group of eight municipalities came together in 1934 to form the Grand River Conservation Commission. The Commission completed the Shand Dam, the first multi-purpose dam in Canada, in 1942. It was built for flood control and the low flow augmentation to improve water quality during the dry summer months. The Commission also started planting trees to re-vegetate the landscape along the river.

Prior to World War II, renewable natural resources were exploited to encourage economic and industrial expansion and growth. As a result of public concern over the state of the environment in Ontario, the Province passed the Conservation Authorities Act, 1946. The Act was based on three main principles:

* Initiative for the establishment and support of a conservation authority must come from the local people (all watershed municipalities).
* The best unit for dealing with renewable resource conservation is the watershed.
* If initiative and support were shown locally, the Ontario government would provide technical advice and financial assistance in the form of grants.

The Grand River Conservation Authority is a corporate body established to enable municipalities to jointly undertake water and natural resource management on a watershed basis - for the benefit of all.

The broad goal of all conservation authorities in Ontario is specified in Section 20 of the Conservation Authorities Act:

> The objects of the Authority are to establish and undertake in the area over which it has jurisdiction, a program designed to further the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources other than gas, oil, coal and minerals. (RSO 1990, c. 27)

Under the terms of the Act, the Grand Valley Conservation Authority was formed in 1948. This allowed all watershed municipalities to work collaboratively to address a broad range of resource management issues.

The practicality of two conservation organizations operating in the same watershed was closely scrutinized in the 1960s. To avoid potential conflict over roles and responsibilities and to eliminate duplication of programs the Grand River Conservation Authority was established in 1966 through the amalgamation of the Grand River Conservation Commission and the Grand Valley Conservation Authority.

## Conservation areas

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Active

* Belwood Lake Conservation Area
* Brant Conservation Area
* Byng Island Conservation Area
* Conestogo Lake Conservation Area
* Elora Gorge Conservation Area
* Elora Quarry Conservation Area
* Guelph Lake Conservation Area
* Laurel Creek Conservation Area
* Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area
* Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area
* Rockwood Conservation Area
* Shade's Mills Conservation Area
* Bannister Lake Conservation Area
* Chesny Conservation Area
* Chilligo Conservation Area
* Dumfries Conservation Area
* Puslinch Tract Conservation Area
* Starkey Hill Conservation Area
* Taquanyah Conservation Area
* Wrigley Lake Conservation Area

## Other

[edit]

* The Arboretum, University of Guelph
* Avon Trail
* Blue Springs Creek Wetland Complex
* Cambridge-Paris Trail
* City of Cambridge Trails
* Chicopee Ski Club, Kitchener
* Chilligo Restoration Area, Cambridge
* Conestogo Dam
* Damascus Dam
* Dickson Wilderness Area
* Dunnville Marshes
* Elora Cataract Trail[1]
* Emerald Lake Recreation Area
* Eramosa River Valley
* F.W.R. Dickson Wilderness Area
* Gordon Memorial Pathway, Brantford
* Grand River Forest
* Grand River Scenic Parkway
* Grand Valley
* Guelph Dam
* Guelph Lake Rotary Forest
* Guelph Radial Line Trail
* Heritage Park

* Homer Watson Park
* Homer Watson Scenic Lookout
* Hamilton-Brantford Trail
* Idylwild Park, Cambridge
* City of Kitchener Trails
* Kortright Waterfowl Park
* Laurel Creek Nature Centre
* Laurel Dam
* Lover's Leap Scenic Lookout
* Luther Dam
* Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area
* Mill Creek - Puslinch
* Mohawk Island National Wildlife Area
* Murray Overlook
* Paris-Brantford Trail
* St. George Camp Ground
* Shand Dam
* Spottiswood Lake
* Sudden Tract
* Taquanyah Nature Centre
* Walter Bean Trail
* City of Waterloo Trails
* Woolwich Dam
* Town of Woolwich Trails

|

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "GRCA - Trails - Elora to Cataract -". Archived from the original on 2006-09-08. Retrieved 2008-09-09.

## External links

[edit]

* Grand River Conservation Authority
* Conservation Ontario Archived 2008-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
* Conservation Authorities Act. R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER C.27. e-Laws. ServiceOntario. Government of Ontario.
* Conservation Authorities Act. R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 106. CONSERVATION AREAS — GRAND RIVER. e-Laws. ServiceOntario. Government of Ontario.

| North: Saugeen Conservation

Grey Sauble Conservation

Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority

|
|

West: Maitland Valley Conservation Authority

Upper Thames River Conservation Authority

| Grand River Conservation Authority | East: Credit Valley Conservation

Conservation Halton

Hamilton Conservation Authority

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

| South: Long Point Region Conservation Authority |

* v
* t
* e

Protected areas of Ontario

CRHP
Central
County of Brant
Eastern
Essex County
Greater Sudbury
Golden Horseshoe
Kingston
Middlesex County
Niagara RM
Northern
Ottawa
Perth County
Peel RM
Southwestern
Toronto
Waterloo RM
Wellington County
York RM

National parks and affiliated areas

| National Parks|

* Bruce Peninsula
* Fathom Five
* Georgian Bay Islands
* Lake Superior
* Point Pelee
* Pukaskwa
* Rouge
* Thousand Islands

|

National Marine
Conservation Areas|

* Fathom Five
* Lake Superior

National Historic Sites|

* Battle Hill
* Battle of Cook's Mills
* Battlefield of Fort George
* Bead Hill
* Beausoleil Island
* Bellevue House
* Bethune Memorial House
* Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse and Blockhouse
* Butler's Barracks
* Carrying Place of the Bay of Quinte
* Fort George
* Fort Malden
* Fort Mississauga
* Fort St. Joseph
* Fort Wellington
* Glengarry Cairn
* HMCS Haida
* Inverarden House
* Kingston Fortifications
* Laurier House
* Merrickville Blockhouse
* Mississauga Point Lighthouse
* Mnjikaning Fish Weirs
* Navy Island
* Peterborough Lift Lock
* Point Clark Lighthouse
* Queenston Heights
* Rideau Canal
* Ridgeway Battlefield
* Saint-Louis Mission
* Sault Ste. Marie Canal
* Sir John Johnson House
* Southwold Earthworks
* Trent–Severn Waterway
* Woodside
* more...
* in Hamilton
* in Kingston
* in Niagara Region
* in Ottawa
* in Toronto

National Wildlife Areas

| National Wildlife Areas|

* Big Creek
* Eleanor Island
* Long Point
* Mississippi Lake
* Mohawk Island
* Prince Edward Point
* Scotch Bonnet Island
* St. Clair
* Wellers Bay
* Wye Marsh

|

Migratory Bird Sanctuaries|

* Beckett Creek
* Chantry Island
* Eleanor Island
* Moose River
* Rideau Valley
* Hannah Bay
* St. Joseph's Island
* Upper Canada

Provincial parks and affiliated areas

| Northern Ontario|

* Agassiz Peatlands
* Blue Jay Creek
* Caliper Lake
* Daisy Lake Uplands
* Fairbank
* Goose Island
* Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Mnidoo Mnissing
* Quetico
* Sandpoint Island
* Spruce Islands

| Algoma District|

* Algoma Headwaters
* Aubinadong River
* Aubinadong-Nushatogaini Rivers
* Aubrey Falls
* Batchawana Bay
* Batchawana River
* Blind River
* Goulais River
* Lake Superior
* Little White River
* Matinenda
* Michipicoten
* Mississagi
* Montreal River
* Nagagamisis
* Nimoosh
* North Channel inshore
* Obatanga
* Pancake Bay
* Pichogen River Mixed Forest
* Pokei Lake/White River Wetlands
* Potholes
* River Aux Sabels
* Sandy Islands

|

Cochrane District|

* Abitibi-De-Troyes
* Dana-Jousey Lakes
* Esker Lakes
* Fushimi Lake
* Greenwater
* Groundhog River Waterway
* Kesagami
* Kettle Lakes
* Lake Abitibi Islands
* Little Abitibi
* Little Current River
* Mattagami River Beach and Aeolian Deposit
* René Brunelle
* Tidewater
* Wildgoose Outwash Deposit

Kenora District|

* Aaron
* Albany River
* Beekahncheekahmeeng Deebahncheekayweehn Eenahohnahnuhn
* Blue Lake
* Bonheur River Kame Nature Reserve
* Eagle-Dogtooth
* East English River
* Fawn River
* Kahnahmaykoosayseekahk
* Lake of the Woods
* Lola Lake
* Minnitaki Kames
* Ojibway
* Opasquia
* Otoskwin–Attawapiskat River
* Pahngwahshahshk Ohweemushkeeg
* Pakwash
* Pipestone River
* Polar Bear
* Rushing River
* Sahkeesuhkuh Weesuhkaheegahn
* Sandbar Lake
* Severn River
* Sioux Narrows
* Turtle River–White Otter Lake
* Weeskayjahk Ohtahzhoganeeng
* West English River
* Winisk River
* Winnange Lake
* Woodland Caribou

Nipissing District|

* Alexander Lake Forest
* Algonquin
* Amable du Fond River
* Finlayson Point
* Jocko Rivers
* Kenny Forest
* Manitou Islands
* Marten River
* Mattawa River
* Opeongo River
* Samuel de Champlain
* Temagami River
* Upper Madawaska River
* West Sandy Island
* Widdifield Forest

Parry Sound District|

* French River
* Grundy Lake
* Killbear
* Magnetawan River
* Mikisew
* Noganosh Lake
* Oastler Lake
* Restoule
* South Bay
* Sturgeon Bay
* The Massasauga

Sudbury District|

* Biscotasi Lake
* Chapleau-Nemegosenda River
* Chiniguchi Waterway
* Chutes
* Five Mile Lake
* Grassy River-Mond Lake Lowlands and Ferris Lake Uplands
* Halfway Lake
* Ivanhoe Lake
* Killarney
* Killarney Lakelands and Headwaters
* La Cloche
* La Motte Lake
* MacMurchy Township End Moraine
* Mashkinonje
* Missinaibi
* Mississagi River
* Obabika River
* Rushbrook
* Solace
* Spanish River
* Sturgeon River
* The Shoals
* Wakami Lake
* Wanapitei
* Wenebegon River
* Windy Lake
* Woman River Forest

Thunder Bay District|

* Arrow Lake
* Black Sturgeon River
* Brightsand River
* Gravel River
* Gull River
* Kakabeka Falls
* Kashabowie
* Kopka River
* La Verendrye
* Lake Nipigon
* MacLeod
* Michipicoten Island
* Nakina Moraine
* Neys
* Obonga-Ottertooth
* Ogoki River
* Ouimet Canyon
* Pan Lake Fen
* Pigeon River
* Porphyry Island
* Pukaskwa River
* Rainbow Falls
* Ruby Lake
* Sedgman Lake
* Silver Falls
* Slate Islands
* Sleeping Giant
* St. Raphael
* Steel River
* Wabakimi
* White Lake
* Whitesand

Timiskaming District|

* Englehart River Fine Sand Plain and Waterway
* Gem Lake Maple Bedrock
* Kap-Kig-Iwan
* Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater
* Larder River Waterway
* Makobe-Grays River
* W.J.B. Greenwood
* West Montreal River

Eastern Ontario|

* Alexander Stewart
* Barron River
* Bell Bay
* Bissett Creek
* Bon Echo
* Bonnechere
* Bonnechere River
* Burnt Lands
* Carson Lake
* Centennial Lake
* Charleston Lake
* Driftwood
* Fitzroy
* Foy
* Frontenac
* Grant's Creek
* Lower Madawaska River
* Matawatchan
* Murphys Point
* Ottawa River
* Petawawa Terrace
* Puzzle Lake
* Rideau River
* Sharbot Lake
* Silver Lake
* Voyageur
* Westmeath

Central Ontario|

* Arrowhead
* Awenda
* Balsam Lake
* Bass Lake
* Beattie Pinery
* Big East River
* Bigwind Lake
* Boyne Valley
* Devil's Glen
* Dividing Lake
* Earl Rowe
* Egan Chutes
* Emily
* Gibson River
* Hardy Lake
* Hockley Valley
* Indian Point
* J. Albert Bauer
* Kawartha Highlands
* Lake on the Mountain
* Lake St. Peter
* Mara
* Mark S. Burnham
* McRae Point
* Mono Cliffs
* North Beach
* Oxtongue River-Ragged Falls
* Petroglyphs
* Quackenbush
* Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands
* Sandbanks
* Silent Lake
* Six Mile Lake
* Springwater
* Wasaga Beach
* Waubaushene Beaches
* Wolf Island

Golden Horseshoe|

* Bronte Creek
* Darlington
* Forks of the Credit
* Sibbald Point
* Short Hills
* Uxbridge

Southwestern Ontario|

* Black Creek
* Clear Creek Forest
* Craigleith
* Inverhuron
* James N. Allan
* John E. Pearce
* Komoka
* Lion's Head
* Long Point
* MacGregor Point
* Pinery
* Point Farms
* Port Bruce
* Port Burwell
* Pretty River Valley
* Rock Point
* Rondeau
* Sauble Falls
* Selkirk
* Trillium Woods
* Turkey Point
* Wheatley

Conservation reserves|

* Bennet Lake Esker Kame Complex
* Torrance Barrens
* White Bear Forest
* more...

Former parks|

* Ipperwash
* Serpent Mounds

Conservation Authorities and Areas

* Ausable Bayfield
* Hay Swamp
* Cataraqui Region
* Little Cataraqui Creek
* Lemoine Point
* Gould Lake
* Mac Johnson
* Catfish Creek
* Central Lake Ontario
* Heber Down
* Lynde Shores
* Credit Valley
* Cheltenham Badlands
* Elora Cataract Trailway
* Limehouse
* Crowe Valley
* Essex Region
* Cypher Systems Group Greenway
* Chrysler Canada Greenway
* Ganaraska Region
* Grand River
* Conestogo Lake
* Elora Gorge
* Guelph Lake
* Starkey Hill
* Grey Sauble
* Halton
* Crawford Lake
* Kelso
* Hilton Falls
* Mount Nemo
* Mountsberg
* Rattlesnake Point
* Hamilton
* Dundas Valley
* Eramosa Karst
* Spencer Gorge
* Kawartha
* Kettle Creek
* Lake Simcoe Region
* Lakehead Region
* Long Point Region
* Lower Thames Valley
* Lower Trent
* Maitland Valley
* Mattagami Region
* Mississippi Valley
* Mill of Kintail
* Morris Island
* Purdon
* Niagara Peninsula
* Ball's Falls
* Beamer Memorial
* Comfort Maple
* Nickel District
* Lake Laurentian
* North Bay-Mattawa
* Nottawasaga Valley
* Otonabee Region
* Quinte
* Raisin Region
* Rideau Valley
* Foley Mountain
* Rideau Ferry Yacht Club
* Saugeen
* Sault Ste. Marie Region
* South Nation
* St. Clair Region
* Toronto and Region
* Albion Hills
* Boyd
* Bruce's Mill
* Black Creek Pioneer Village
* Claireville
* Cold Creek
* Heart Lake
* Kortright Centre
* Lake St. George
* Petticoat Creek
* Tommy Thompson
* Upper Thames River
* Ellice Swamp
* Sifton Bog

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves

* Georgian Bay Littoral
* Long Point
* Niagara Escarpment (including Cheltenham Badlands)
* Thousand Islands – Frontenac Arch
* Wasaga Beach

Greenbelts

* Golden Horseshoe
* Ottawa
* Mer Bleue Bog

Related Departments and Agencies

* Conservation Ontario
* Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
* Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries
* Niagara Parks Commission
* Ontario Parks
* St. Lawrence Parks Commission

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