News from: April 2017

Tips on the proper handling and disposal of sandbags.

Frequently asked questions of the Conservation Authority and the Ottawa Septic System Office

Water levels have declined through the week and are not expected to be affected significantly by rain forecast for the weekend.

With no rain through the week water levels have had time to decline. On the Ottawa, levels below Chaudiere Falls have gone down more than 50 centimetres (cm). The Long Reach on the Rideau has dropped 30 cm.

The Flood Warning will remain in effect through the weekend because of 20 or more millimetres of rain forecast for Saturday and Sunday. However, to have an impact, the rain would need to be from a widespread system with heavy rain at times. Indications are that the rain will come as showers spread over two days. Smaller streams can be expected to have increased flows and some ponding in still wet fields is likely.

Residents in the areas the RVCA monitors on the Ottawa River, Lac Deschene, Petrie Island and Boise Village, can expect to see a continuing decline in levels through the weekend.

Long Reach of the Rideau River will also continue to drop toward navigation level. Hilly Lane has less than 10 cm to go before the road is out of the water.

Big Rideau Lake levels have finally started to decline after Parks Canada staff reduced the inflow from Upper Rideau. Both Upper Rideau and Wolfe Lakes have been gradually dropping.

Water levels on Bobs Lake have remained high despite outflow through the Bolingbroke Dam. Christie Lake continues to have flood issues because the outlet of the lake is too narrow to pass the excess water quickly. Levels on Bobs Lake have been above Full Supply since the spring freshet in early April and relief became necessary.

Flows in the Tay through Perth are presently on a downward trend but the recession may be slow as water passes through from Bobs Lake. Some flooding has occurred in Stewart Park and in and near Last Duel Park in Perth.

Residents are advised to stay away from watercourses where flows are high and where banks might be unstable. Parents are encouraged to explain these dangers to their children.

Only if it is safe to do so, the public is encouraged to share photos of water conditions in their area via RVCA Facebook (@RideauValleyConservationAuthority) and Twitter (@RideauValleyCA).

Conservation Authority staff will continue to monitor conditions and will issue updates as warranted.

For water level and flow information in the Rideau system as well as the Ottawa River, visit the RVCA Streamflows and Water Levels webpage at http://his.rvca.ca/rvcafwl/.

For more information about conditions on the Ottawa River, also check the webpage of the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board at http://ottawariver.ca/river-levels-flows.php#river-levels-flows-7-days.

Flood levels on both the Ottawa and Rideau River systems can be expected to decline through the week following peak flows on Monday.

No rain is in the forecast for today or tomorrow. During that time, water levels can be expected to decline slowly. However, the Flood Warning will remain in effect because of up to 40 millimetres of rain forecast to start on Thursday or Friday. The impact will depend on how much levels have subsided, how widespread the weather system is and how intensely the rain falls.

The areas the RVCA monitors on the Ottawa River, Lac Deschene, Petrie Island and Boise Village, all continue to be flooded.

Flood waters are also still present on the Long Reach of the Rideau River.

Big Rideau Lake levels continue to rise by 1 to 1.5 centimetres a day. Parks Canada staff will reduce the flow over the dam between Big and Upper Rideau in an effort to control that rise.

Bobs Lake levels remain high despite outflow through the Bolingbroke Dam that is causing high water levels on Christie Lake.

Flows in the Tay through Perth are presently on a downward trend but the recession may be prolonged by the outpouring from Bobs Lake.

Residents are advised to stay away from watercourses where flows are high and where banks might be unstable. Parents are encouraged to explain these dangers to their children.

Only if it is safe to do so, the public is encouraged to share photos of water conditions in their area via RVCA Facebook (@RideauValleyConservationAuthority) and Twitter (@RideauValleyCA).

Conservation Authority staff will continue to monitor conditions and will issue updates as warranted.

For water level and flow information in the Rideau system as well as the Ottawa River, visit the RVCA Streamflows and Water Levels webpage at http://his.rvca.ca/rvcafwl/.

For more information about conditions on the Ottawa River, also check the webpage of the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board at http://ottawariver.ca/river-levels-flows.php#river-levels-flows-7-days.

Flood levels can be expected to decline through the afternoon today as peaks are being reached on the Rideau and tributaries.

Peak levels have been or are being reached in the lower Rideau watershed downstream of Smiths Falls as runoff from the heavy weekend rains passes through the system. The general indication is that levels are stabilizing and will decline over the afternoon.

The Long Reach of the Rideau has stabilized and can be expected to start to decline this afternoon. It will take a couple of days for the flood waters to fully recede from the roadways. Hilly Lane, for example, has over 30 centimetres of water to shed.

The Rideau Canal reservoir lake levels continue to be well above the “Full Supply Limit”. Upper Rideau Lake has begun to decline and Parks Canada staff will cut back the outflow to Big Rideau to help reduce levels there. Outflow continues to be passed through the Bolingbroke Dam in an effort to reduce flood levels on Bobs and Crow Lakes. The unfortunate recipient of that outflow is Christie Lake where flooding is also occurring. Flows in the Tay through Perth are presently on a downward trend but the recession may be prolonged by the outpouring from Bobs Lake.

Residents are advised to stay away from watercourses where flows are high and where banks might be unstable. Parents are encouraged to explain these dangers to their children.

Only if it is safe to do so, the public is encouraged to share photos of water conditions in their area via RVCA Facebook (@RideauValleyConservationAuthority) and Twitter (@RideauValleyCA).

Conservation Authority staff will continue to monitor conditions and will issue updates as warranted.

For water level and flow information in the Rideau system as well as the Ottawa River, visit the RVCA Streamflows and Water Levels webpage at http://his.rvca.ca/rvcafwl/.

For more information about conditions on the Ottawa River, also check the webpage of the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board at http://ottawariver.ca/river-levels-flows.php#river-levels-flows-7-days.