Watershed Conditions Statements
October 29, 2017
Water Levels to Rise with Fall Rains
Heavy rain forecast for today and overnight are expected to cause elevated water levels throughout the Rideau River watershed. With very little rain through September and October, flows on the Rideau system had fallen below the long term average for the time of year. As much as 100 millimetres of rain have been forecast for the next 24 hours. This amount of rain can be expected to raise water levels throughout the system. With the Rideau Lakes at winter levels, it is anticipated that there is capacity to accommodate the rain in the upper watershed with little impact. In the…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
With relatively minor rain forecast for the coming week and the flood waters in decline, the RVCA is withdrawing the Flood Watch that has been in effect for the last week. Water levels are still above normal but continuing to decline. The 3-day rainfall of 35 millimetres presently forecast for Wednesday through Friday in eastern Ontario is expected to cause a pause in the decline. Periods of heavier, localized rain may fall in thunderstorms but no significant impact is expected at this time. Waters have receded from the North Gower area where serious flooding along Stevens Creek occurred last week.…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
July 26, 2017
Floodwaters Receding Slowly
As Stevens Creek levels slowly decline, residents of North Gower continue to deal with water in basements and on streets as a result of record setting rainfall. On the Rideau, minor flooding of low-lying areas on the Long Reach have access issues similar to what often occurs in the spring. Parks Canada staff are doing strategic dam operations to get water levels down throughout the Canal system with as little impact as possible. With high flows passing through the dams, boaters are advised to stay well away. Also with high waters, boat wake becomes a problem causing damage to shorelines.…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
Flooding has occurred in areas of the Rideau Watershed as a result of rains that were closer to monthly totals than daily amounts. The community of North Gower has had floodwaters in some homes and in the streets near Stevens Creek. Low-lying areas along the Rideau and its tributaries have also been flooded but no residential flooding has been reported or is expected in those areas at this time. A weather system moving into eastern Ontario Wednesday night may bring more rain in thunder storms. What impact these storms will have will depend on timing, intensity and size. The decline…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
July 24, 2017
Heavy Rains Forecast in Rideau River Watershed
Heavy rains forecast for Monday into Tuesday could cause rapid increases in water levels in small streams and raise rivers and lakes to above normal levels. The Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) has issued a Rainfall Warning that says “A slow moving upper disturbance over Lake Huron is expected to generate significant rainfall amounts over much of Eastern Ontario”. As much as 100 millimetres (mm) of rain is possible over a wide area. A few days without rain provided some capacity for infiltration of the rain into the soil but that storage has been filled with water levels already on…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
Above normal rain has received plenty of attention over recent weeks with close to a normal month worth of rain having fallen at several monitoring locations in the Rideau watershed in half the month of July. Most extreme is at the Ottawa Airport where 109 millimetres (mm) has fallen to date where 92 mm is the 30 year historical average. Normal precipitation on the watershed to mid-July is about 504 mm. This year, an average of 729 mm has been recorded. After relatively high spring levels in April on Rideau watershed streams and lakes, rainfall has continued to keep levels…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
