Residents and anyone else using the Cranberry Marsh trail are invited to help gather scientific data to inform a water level study at the marsh.
The Town of Collingwood and the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) have started a water study for the Cranberry Marsh, and as part of the study, have installed a monitoring station at the lookout on the boardwalk trail.
Residents who go by the monitoring station are invited to record their observations. There's a ruler mounted on the boardwalk to measure water level. Those wishing to record a measurement can take a photo of the ruler at the station, record the measurement, date, and time, and text all the information with the photo to 705-717-8694.
There's a sign at the site with detailed instructions.
“The community monitoring station was installed in August, and we will be collecting data for one year,” said Ian Ockenden, the manager of watershed science at NVCA in a news release from the conservation authority and the town. “This year-long project will tell us what is happening in the wetland. Wetland water levels fluctuate naturally, and we need to determine if these water levels are changing beyond what would be expected in a natural system.”
To learn more about how water levels fluctuate in wetlands, visit NVCA’s website at nvca.on.ca.
Findings from the Cranberry Marsh study will be reported back to Collingwood council following the year-long study.
