Let’s hear it for the buoys
Posted Apr 21, 2026 12:19:50 PM.
Last Updated Apr 21, 2026 04:05:23 PM.
It’s another sure sign summer is right around the corner.
The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) staff are out this week beginning the annual installation of warning booms and buoys, upstream of GRCA-owned dams.
The devices help warn boaters, paddlers and anglers to stay away.
It’s a big job. The GRCA owns and operates 28 dams across the Grand River watershed. Each requires unique actions and approaches to ensure people are adequately warned of the dangers ahead.
Along with the booms and buoys, signage has been erected to warn water users of changing conditions ahead. They also show the locations of portage routes around the dams.
The GRCA warns that there are over 100 dams throughout the watershed not owned or operated by them. Those dams may not have the same safety devices in place, so added caution will be needed.
There are several resources available from the GRCA to help educate people about dam safety. There is even an easy-to-read 12-page book designed to educate children on how to stay safe around dams.
In a press release the GRCA said: “It is important to remember that while the water around dams may appear peaceful, the areas upstream and downstream are much more dangerous. The GRCA urges all water enthusiasts to heed the warning buoys and booms, obey the signage and stay away from the dams for their own safety.”
