From the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority:

Big news from our flood forecasting team… we’ve made some new hires! After years of monitoring rainfall, water levels, and watershed conditions, we’re excited to announce that frogs have officially joined the team to support flood forecasting efforts.

Frogs are highly sensitive to changes in moisture, temperature, and atmospheric pressure, making them ideal for:

Early warning “chorus alerts” before rain events

Wetland condition monitoring

On-the-ground reporting

Our team has already noticed increased accuracy during spring conditions, although meetings have become significantly louder…

We’re currently working on translating key frog calls into actionable data. Early findings suggest:

“Ribbit” = light rain

“RIBBIT RIBBIT” = significant rainfall

Continuous chorus = you might want to check your sump pump

More updates to come as our newest team members settle into their roles.