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.