The Thames River, Ontario Canadian Heritage Rivers System Ten Year Monitoring Report 2000-2012 Prepared for the Canadian Heritage Rivers Board Prepared by Cathy Quinlan, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority March, 2013 ISBN 1-894329-12-0 Upper Thames River Conservation Authority 1424 Clarke Road London, Ontario N5V 5B9 Phone: 519-451-2800 Website: www.thamesriver.on.ca E-mail:
[email protected] Cover Photograph: The Thames CHRS plaque at the Forks in London. C. Quinlan Photo Credits: C. Quinlan, M. Troughton, P. Donnelly Thames River, Ontario Canadian Heritage Rivers System, Ten Year Monitoring Report 2000 – 2012 Compiled by Cathy Quinlan, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, with assistance from members of the Thames Canadian Heritage River Committee. Thanks are extended to the CHRS for the financial support to complete this ten year monitoring report. Thanks to Andrea McNeil of Parks Canada and Jenny Fay of MNR for guidance and support. Chronological Events Natural Heritage Values 2000-2012 Cultural Heritage Values Recreational Values Thames River Integrity Guidelines Executive Summary Executive Summary The Thames River nomination for inclusion in the Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS) was accepted by the CHRS Board in 1997. The nomination document was produced by the Thames River Coordinating Committee, a volunteer group of individuals and agency representatives, supported by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) and Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA). The Thames River and its watershed were nominated on the basis of their significant human heritage features and recreational values. Although the Thames River possesses an outstanding natural heritage which contributes to its human heritage and recreational values, CHRS integrity guidelines precluded nomination of the Thames based on natural heritage values because of the presence of impoundments.