The Canadian Heritage Rivers
System is a national conservation program for Canadian waterways. The
program is designed to promote responsible stewardship of Canada's river
heritage. Canadian Heritage Rivers are
recognized for their outstanding contributions to the country’s cultural
heritage, natural heritage, and recreational opportunities. The program
was established in 1984 and relies on community partnerships and public
support for the creation of conservation strategies specific to each
Canadian Heritage River. Today there are 40 rivers designated at Canadian
Heritage Rivers, with the Thames River being our own.
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Background
The effort to obtain designation for the
Thames River began in 1996 when Dr. Douglas Bocking, retired Dean of
Medicine at the University of Western Ontario and a member of the Order of
Canada, assembled a group of interested parties. These
volunteers worked with the community to document and publicize the
significant features of the Thames watershed.
In December 1998, the Thames
River was officially nominated as a Canadian Heritage River. The following February, a media event was hosted in London
to officially announce the nomination of the river and to thank the many
volunteers and financial contributors. That December, the final document in the process was
submitted to the Canadian Heritage Rivers Board. The final step leading to
designation was the writing of The Thames Strategy, a guidance document for the river’s future.
The Thames Strategy outlines
how the watershed’s natural, cultural and recreational features and values
will be conserved and interpreted for the future. The strategy provides an
opportunity for river managers, stakeholders and residents to work together to
continue to conserve and revitalize the river’s many values. Copies of The
Thames Strategy are available from the Conservation Authority. This colourful
report has been distributed widely to stakeholders in the watershed to
springboard subsequent phases of the project.
On August 14, 2000, the Thames
River was formally designated a Canadian Heritage River! The designation was
announced by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Sheila Copps
and Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable John Snobelen.
The Unique Physical Features
of the Lower Thames River
The Thames is a
"gateway" watershed; it is located in the southern most part of
Canada, directly linked to the Great Lakes and thus the Atlantic Ocean. The
Thames is the largest river tributary to Lake St. Clair and the second largest
river in southwestern Ontario. The lower Thames River flows parallel to Lake
Erie toward Lake St. Clair passing through Delaware, Wardsville, Thamesville
and Chatham as well as the Chippewa, Oneida, Munsee-Delaware and Moravian
First Nation Communities. The Thames finally joins Lake St. Clair at
Lighthouse Cove. Major lower Thames River tributaries include the
Indian/McGregor Creek and Jeanettes Creek at around 30 km each. The Thames was
one of the first rivers formed following the retreat of the last glacier in
Ontario. The lower river flows through flat plains of clay and sand, the
result of thousands of years under glacial lakes.
Because of the flat gradient in
the lower Thames River, Lake St. Clair water levels often dictate water levels
in the Thames, especially during low flows. High lake levels can actually
generate a reverse flow upriver. The lower Thames, occupies a small valley of
its own making. Below the forks in London, to Chatham-Kent line, depth is
generally less than 23 metres. Further downstream, the river is generally not
confined by its flat valley. The river is so shallowly entrenched below the
old lake plain downstream of Chatham, that dykes have been constructed to
control flooding of the adjacent lands. The level of the river is actually
higher than the surrounding land at the mouth. The St. Clair National Wildlife
Area is an internationally renowned marsh located along Lake St. Clair near
the mouth of the Thames.
Much of the soil in the Thames
River basin is well suited to agriculture, especially with tile drainage and,
as a result, the area has been intensively farmed for over 200 years. Erosion
rates along the stretch of river from Delaware to the Chatham-Kent line are
not steady and there may not be any change in a bank for many years until a
single large discharge passes through and scours the bank with enormous
energy. Gullies are quite evident especially through the Munsee/Delaware First
Nation. Here, the tributary streams cut through the sandy soil down to the
base level of the river, creating steep-sided narrow gulches along their lower
courses. Over time this area becomes raised. In the "Chatham Flats"
area, this alluvium has a reddish cast that contrasts with the grey clay of
the surrounding landscape which originated under glacial Lake Whittlesey.
The Carolinian Life Zone
There is a long growing season
in the "deep south" of Canada. The Thames is the only major river in
Canada with the majority of its watershed (over 90%) within the Carolinian
Zone. About 22-24% of the Carolinian Zone lies within the Thames Watershed. It
is called "Carolinian" because many of the plants and animals found
here are also found in the Carolinas as well as the Ohio Valley. Trees that
are common in the Carolinian Floristic Zone include Sugar Maple, American
Beech, Red Oak, Basswood. There are also many less common species such as
Black Walnut, Butternut, Sassafras, Sycamore, Hackberry, Tulip Tree and Black
Oak which survive here because of the long growing season. More than 40% of
Canada’s endangered species occur here, along with more than 25% of the
country’s population. The natural areas along the Thames River play a
significant role in preserving this province’s and country’s rare plant
life. This region is widely recognized as one of the most biologically
significant and diverse regions in Canada with more than 2200 species of
vascular plants. The only Canadian site for the endangered Wood Poppy is in
the floodplain of the Thames River.
Before human settlement, there
were also extensive areas of tallgrass prairie, especially in Essex and Kent
Counties. These were some of the first lands to be cleared for agriculture
and, as a result, they are some of the most endangered communities in North
America. Today, small pockets of tallgrass prairie are found along the Thames
River banks and within its valley in suitable habitat.
The fauna is also extremely
diverse in the watershed. The Thames contains the largest number of Eastern
Spiny Softshell Turtles in Canada and is critical to the survival of this
endangered species. Owing to its many habitats, nutrient rich waters, long
growing season, and connection with the Great Lakes, the Thames River sustains
one of the most diverse fish and freshwater mussel communities in Canada. The
Thames River sustains one of the most diverse fish communities in Canada. The
river’s complex system of interconnected springs, swales, ravines, streams
and rivers provides a broad range of habitats for some 88 fish species from 19
families. The Carolinian influence is also reflected in the mammal community
of the Thames. For example, the Southern Flying Squirrel, Virginia Opossum and
Woodland Vole are all Carolinian Species at the northern edge of their ranges
in Ontario. Many species, especially those with southern distributions, are at
risk in Canada due to their limited range or because of habitat loss.
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