Latest news with #GRCA
CTV News
15 hours ago
- Climate
- CTV News
GRCA warns about rising water levels after rainy week
The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) is reminding residents to be cautious around local waterways over the next few days. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were forecasted Wednesday and Thursday. Experts said thunderstorms may further increase the amount of rainfall in localized areas. 'Some areas in the watershed have already experienced 30-40 mm of rain in the last 12 hours, with another 20-30 mm of rain expected,' said a news release from the GRCA. The GRCA predicts no significant flooding but stressed that periods of heavy rain can cause flows in rivers and streams to increase quickly and without warning. 'While widespread riverine flooding is not expected, there may be some flooding in low lying areas near watercourses and in urban areas, if drainage systems are overwhelmed,' the GRCA said. Experts warn that banks adjacent to rivers and creeks are very slippery and, when combined with fast-moving water, pose a serious hazard. Parents are encouraged to keep their children and pets away from all watercourses. The GRCA said flood messages will be issued as needed.
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Blue-green algae advisory issued for Half Moon Lake
Blue-green algae is pictured in this photo from the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA). Alberta Health Services (AHS) is advising people to avoid parts of Half Moon Lake with blue-green algae blooms. The health authority said cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, has been identified in the waters of Half Moon Lake in Strathcona County, approximately 27 kilometres east of Edmonton. Visitors to the lake are advised to avoid all contact with algae blooms, not to swim or wade or allow pets to do so where algae blooms are visible, not to feed whole fish or trimmings from the lake to pets and to consider limiting human consumption of whole fish and trimmings from the lake. Fish fillets from the lake are still safe for human consumption. If you or your pet comes into contact with blue-green algae, AHS recommends that you wash with tap water as soon as possible. Cyanobacteria often looks like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface water. It can be blue-green, greenish-brown and/or pinkish-red. It can smell musty or grassy. Those who come in contact with or ingest water containing blue-green algae may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea and vomiting and/or diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and resolve within one or two days. Symptoms in children are usually more noticeable. Exposure to the bacteria can be fatal to pets. AHS said the waters of Half Moon Lake which do not have visible blooms, can still be used for recreational purposes, even while the health advisory is in place.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Greater Reading Chamber Alliance wins national award for marketing
The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance's marketing team has received an award for excellence from a nationwide association of chambers of commerce. The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, a nationwide organization based in Virginia, granted the GRCA one of its 12 Awards for Communications Excellence, the GRCA said in a release. The annual awards showcase the top communications and marketing work of chambers of commerce and similar organizations. 'This year's winners have creatively celebrated their communities, strengthened local identity and showcased their commitment to inspiring progress and building vibrant, thriving regions,' Sheree Anne Kelly, ACCE president and chief executive officer, said in the release. To create the award-winning 'Member Storytelling Campaign,' Leah Fassnacht, GRCA senior director of communications and marketing; and Audrey Krupiak, assistant director of communications and marketing, collaborated with two GRCA members — marketing agency Bell Media Group and photographer Lauren Little. Leah Fassnacht (Courtesy Greater Reading Chamber Alliance)Audrey Krupiak (Courtesy of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance) The team visited GRCA member businesses such as Helping Harvest, Go Fish! Seafood Market & Sushi Bar, Shuman Development Group, Bobcat of Reading, Fromm, Santander Arena and The Standard Group to interview staff and take video and photos. The stories were shared via email, promoted with Facebook campaigns and posted to GRCA's social media channels. The campaign achieved over 344,000 impressions and more than 10,000 link clicks. The videos in the campaign have been viewed more than 200,000 times, resulting in new sponsorship dollars, member retention and opportunities for revenue, the GRCA said. 'This campaign would not have been possible without our GRCA members welcoming us into their businesses, giving us the unscripted, behind-the-scenes look, while being vulnerable and honest about their obstacles and overcoming them,' Fassnacht said. Krya Delinger, co-founder and chief executive officer of Bell Media Group, said the group was honored to play a part in the initiative. 'Not only did we deepen relationships with fellow business owners and operators, but also we had the opportunity to witness and amplify some of the incredible things our business community has accomplished,' Denlinger said. 'We commend GRCA's efforts to dig deep into their members' stories and create campaigns that are truly memorable and meaningful.' This is the third ACE award for Fassnacht and Krupiak, who previously won for their 'Rebuild Berks' marketing campaign in 2021 and their GRCA website redesign in 2022. As one of the 12 winning entries, the GRCA team will go on to compete for the Best in Show title within their annual revenue range category. The three winning entries will be revealed at ACCE's annual convention in Philadelphia during the July 23 awards show presented by Comcast Business.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
GRCA completes repairs at Wellesley Dam
The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has completed repair work to the embankment at the Wellesley Dam. The repair work started earlier this month, shortly after an April storm resulted in high water levels through the watershed. The GRCA said the discharge gate has been returned to service, and the pond is currently filling. There was also an engineering assessment of the concrete spillway structure. 'The results found that although the structure is in fair condition overall and does not currently present any risk to dam safety or public safety, there are areas in poor condition that will require remediation in the near future,' said a news release from the GRCA. Regular inspections of the structure, including the concrete spillway are set to continue. The GRCA said a wildlife scan was done and did not identify any nesting animals or wildlife that would be negatively impacted by the filling of the head pond. Extreme high-water levels not only led to damage of the Wellesley Dam but also the Baden Dam. In both cases, the GRCA said water either overtopped the dams' embankments or seeped through the embankments. 'Emergency repairs were initiated, and both sites were stabilized within hours of the dam safety incidents being identified,' said the GRCA. The GRCA will be initiating a future study to complete a comprehensive conditions assessment of the structure and identify recommendations for future work for the Wellesley Dam and Badem Dam.
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Repair work to begin at Wellesley Dam
A sign is seen outside the Grand River Conservation Authority's administration centre on Friday, June 5, 2015. (Frank Lynn / CTV Kitchener) The Grand River Conservation Authority is getting ready to start repair work in the coming days at the Wellesley Dam. In a news release on Friday, the conservation authority said additional embankment repairs are set to start as early as Tuesday. Engineers assessed the dam throughout April and May after an April storm resulted in high water levels through the watershed. Emergency repairs were completed, addressing safety and stability concerns. However, the assessments also identified other parts of the embankment in need of remediation. The conservation authority is still waiting for the results of an engineering assessment of the concrete spillway. The embankment repairs will be done by R&M Construction, a company out of Acton, and should wrap up by early June. During the work, the pedestrian path on the dam and embankment will be closed. The total cost of the repair work is expected to exceed $100,000. A full report will be presented to the board of the Grand River Conservation Authority in June.
