Monthly Archive

Flood data collection begins on four Rideau Valley lakes

RIDEAU VALLEY WATERSHED, April 28, 2023 – Work is underway to collect flood hazard data on four upper watershed lakes. 

Beginning this May, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) will be collecting important data that will inform future flood mapping projects on Lower Rideau, Big Rideau, Bobs and Otty Lakes, in co-operation with local municipalities. RVCA has contracted Water’s Edge Environmental Solutions Team to be on the lakes throughout the Spring and Fall of 2023.

This data collection is the first phase of a larger initiative to complete natural hazard mapping around the lakes. Water’s Edge will survey topography surrounding the lakes to verify recent LiDAR analyses, lake bathymetry, bridges, culverts, and nearby channel cross-sections while also documenting and assessing land uses, precipitation, historic high water marks, and water levels and flows. They will also document water control structures, their operating policies and their operational history. The data will be analysed in future projects to develop robust hazard mapping reports. 

The RVCA received $160,000 in funding from the federal Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP) to cover up to half of the project’s total cost. The funding program was announced in 2022 to increase the number and quality of publicly accessible flood maps across Canada as extreme weather drives more severe flooding in communities across the country.

Mapping the flood hazards in these lakes will reduce impacts on people and property by promoting responsible land use planning, directing development away from flood prone areas and enhancing the RVCA’s flood forecasting and warning program. 

While the surveyors will likely not need to access private property to carry out their work, they will be visibly active on the lakes during shoulder seasons throughout 2023. Waterfront residents can expect to see their boat moving slowly along shorelines and sometimes weaving back and forth to collect lakebed data. They may also be spotted on roadsides as they document bridges, culverts and other man-made structures. 

Conservation Authorities are responsible for mapping natural hazards including flooding under the Conservation Authorities Act. While many urban parts of the Rideau Valley watershed have been mapped over the past 60 years, this is the first time these lakes are being formally mapped for flood hazards. 

The hazard maps will also help RVCA comment on municipal planning files with respect to their impact on flooding, erosion and other natural hazards, and will help direct development away from floodplains and hazard areas in our own permitting program for work near watercourses and wetlands. 

To learn more about our hazard mapping program visit https://www.rvca.ca/watershed-monitoring-reporting/reporting/flood-risk-mapping-reports.

-30-

Chapman Mills trail reopens with new accessible bridge

BARRHAVEN, April 21, 2023 – The trail at Chapman Mills Conservation Area has fully reopened just in time for spring – and it’s more accessible than ever. 

A new pedestrian span was installed overnight on Sunday, March 19, replacing the old wooden bridge that had reached the end of its lifecycle. The new bridge is wider with more accessible slopes and railings. The ramps on either end are also longer and safer. 

“We are thrilled to reopen with even more accessibility and safety features at one of our busiest properties,” said Chelsey Ellis, RVCA’s conservation lands manager. “We thank the community for their patience while we completed this critical project.” 

The 23-acre conservation area on the shores of the Rideau River is in walking distance from two seniors’ residences and surrounded by family-friendly neighbourhoods. While the trail still includes some steep slopes, the new pedestrian bridge will allow people of all ages and abilities to more fully enjoy the site’s 1.5 kilometre boardwalk trail, which connects to multi-use pathways south of Vimy Memorial Bridge. 

The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF) secured the funding to complete the project, including $150,000 from the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

Local donations and community support were also key to bringing the project to life. 

RVCA staff have been working with renowned accessibility consultant Marnie Peters to create a matrix of the world’s best outdoor accessibility solutions and apply them to all infrastructure projects going forward. Another accessible bridge project is also underway at Baxter Conservation Area south of Manotick.

To learn more about the Chapman Mills project visit www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/chapman-mills-accessible-bridge or contact Chelsey Ellis at .

To plan your visit to Chapman Mills visit https://www.rvca.ca/conservation-areas/no-fee-required/chapman-mills-ca.

About Chapman Mills Conservation Area: 

Chapman Mills Conservation Area is located on the west bank of the Rideau River on Prince of Wales Drive between Winding Way and Lodge Road. It consists mainly of natural river shoreline, wetlands and flood plain areas that are unique in the City of Ottawa. 

Visitors can enjoy a covered picnic shelter, scenic lookouts, walkways and boardwalks that lead pedestrians on a 1.5 km stroll through some sensitive and beautiful habitats. Interpretive signs along the way tell the site’s environmental story. At the trail’s north end visitors can also enjoy an accessible dock for launching canoes, kayaks and other paddlecrafts, as well as a viewing platform. The south end has a shoreline entrance for paddlecrafts. Parking is located off Winding Way.

The land for Chapman Mills Conservation Areas was a gift to the people of the Rideau Valley from the South Nepean Development Corporation, along with additional land ceded from Parks Canada. Minto Development Inc. provided the development funds necessary to carry out the improvements for public use of Chapman Mills Conservation Area.

-30-