News

April 21, 2017

High Waters in Lower Parts of Ottawa River Watershed

The rise of flood waters on the Ottawa River is slow but continuing and is approaching the 1:10 year flood frequency*. The slow rise of flood waters on the Ottawa River will continue today aided by runoff from the overnight rains. Levels had dropped yesterday on Lac Deschene but have risen again today. Downstream of Chaudiere Falls the rate of rise decreased slightly but that is likely to change with the impact of the rain. The locations at risk of flooding on the Ottawa River within the jurisdiction of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority are communities around Lac Deschene (e.g.…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

April 19, 2017

"Minor" Drought Status Rescinded

The drought status in the Rideau River watershed that was left at “Minor” after a dry year in 2016 is, by this statement, reduced to “Normal”. The uncertainty that prompted holding the Minor status through the winter was because it wasn’t clear what state groundwater resources had been left at as the onset of winter arrived. With a period of warmer temperatures and the loss of much of the snow cover by late March, there was an opportunity to access the monitoring wells in the Rideau River watershed. Measurements indicated that groundwater levels had been restored to about the long…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

April 19, 2017

Flood Watch to Include Ottawa River

As water levels and flows in the Rideau River watershed recede, levels on the Ottawa River have been rising. Rain on Saturday and Sunday had little impact on stream flows anywhere in the Rideau watershed. Rain forecast for Wednesday and Thursday of about 30 millimetres can be expected to cause flows to rise by as much as 50 cubic metres per second on the Rideau. This will not be enough to bring on the return of flooding in those areas recently affected. Levels on three of the four Rideau Canal reservoir lakes have been declining very slowly but are sensitive…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

April 12, 2017

Flood Warning Downgraded to Flood Watch

With access ways to the waterfront properties on the Long Reach of the Rideau River (Kars to Burritts Rapids) again passable, the Flood Warning, in place for the last week, is now reduced to Flood Watch. Rain forecast for Saturday evening into Sunday is expected to cause an upturn in flows in the Rideau system. However, flows are expected to have receded sufficiently by then that the increase will have a minor impact. The expectation is that flows, as measured at the recording station at Carleton University, will increase to about 280 cubic metres per second (cms) by early Monday.…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

April 10, 2017

Flood Warning — Rideau River Water Levels Subsiding

Water levels have been dropping throughout the Rideau watershed since Saturday but not all flooded areas are fully dry yet. Water levels have dropped about 22 centimetres since the Saturday peak on the Long Reach between Burritts Rapids and Manotick. Another 34 centimetres are left to go on Hilly Lane and similar amounts on the neighbouring waterfront communities near Kemptville. Until those communities have safe access restored, the Flood Warning will remain in effect. The decline in levels in the Long Reach will be slowed by rain forecast for tomorrow and by water that has to be released from Big…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

April 08, 2017

Flood Warning — Rideau System Reaching Peak Water Levels

Runoff from the rain event on Thursday is working its way through the system leaving several waterfront communities still without access to their properties. Water levels have been holding more or less steady for the last few hours. A definite peak has not yet been reached but can be expected today. Cooler temperatures overnight have slowed the runoff process. Temperatures of over 10 degrees forecast for today will cause much of the remaining snow and ice to melt and run off today which will keep levels up for the short term. Once a definite decline of levels begins, Parks Canada…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements