The Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) or Ganaraska Conservation, is a
conservation authority in the Canadian
province
A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
. It was established in October 1946 via the ''
Conservation Authorities Act
The ''Conservation Authorities Act'' () was created by the Ontario Provincial Legislature in 1946 to ensure the conservation biology, conservation, restoration and responsible management of hydrological features through programs that balance huma ...
'', and is a member authority of
Conservation Ontario.
The authority is responsible for the management and protection of the
Ganaraska River watershed in
Northumberland County and the
Regional Municipality of Durham
The Regional Municipality of Durham (), informally referred to as Durham Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada. Located east of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York, it forms the east end of the Greater Toronto A ...
in
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a Region, primary region of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. It is the most densely populated and southernmost region in Canada, with approximately 13.5 million people, approximately 36% o ...
.
History
As a result of a pilot study entitled "Ganaraska Watershed: A study in land use with recommendations for the rehabilitation of the area in the post war period” by A.H. Richardson, the Ganaraska River Conservation Authority was formed in October 1946. The report laid out the plan for managing the Ganaraska River watershed.
In 1962, the Wilmot Creek, Graham Creek, and some smaller streams flowing to Lake Ontario were added, and the authority was renamed the ''Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority.'' In 1970, Gage Creek and Cobourg Creek were added to the authority's mandate, extending it to in area.
One major objective from the start of the Authority's establishment was the reforestation and acquisition of lands for flood control. The first tree was planted in May 1947. By 1991, the GRCA had planted over on land acquired from private landowners and local municipalities. In 1997, the GRCA took over management of the Ganaraska Forest, taking over from the Province of Ontario.
Flooding was one reason for the reforestation. Floods had occurred on the Ganaraska River between 1848 and 1937. In 1980, a once-per-100 year event caused flooding in
Port Hope. The GRCA channelized and deepened the river through the town and a flood in Port Hope has not re-occurred.
Conservation areas
Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority manages nine
conservation area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewoo ...
s:
*Ball's Mills Conservation Area
*Ganaraska Millennium Conservation Area
*
Rice Lake Conservation Area
*Cobourg Conservation Area
*Garden Hill Conservation Area
*Richardson's Lookout Conservation Area
*Thurne Parks Conservation Area
*Port Hope Conservation Area
*Sylvan Glen Conservation Area
References
External links
*{{official, https://www.grca.on.ca/
Conservation authorities in Ontario