May 17, 2018 — RIDEAU VALLEY WATERSHED — More than 30 new classes will be visiting the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s two flagship outdoor education centres thanks to special funding through the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation, the Ottawa Community Foundation and TD Friends of the Environment. Subsidies are now available to cover busing costs for schools visiting Baxter and Foley Mountain. Separate subsides are also available to priority schools visiting Baxter who need assistance covering program and busing costs.

Baxter Conservation Area, located in the City of Ottawa near Kars and Foley Mountain Conservation Area in Westport will welcome some 1,800 additional students during the 2018-2019 school year thanks to this funding. Owned and operated by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) these two popular outdoor destinations offer education programming year-round to nursery schools, day cares, home schooling groups, public and private schools and community groups. Each year, over 10,000 children participate in these interactive, curriculum-based programs.

“Our outdoor programs are carefully crafted, innovative and reflect the Ontario curriculum,” said Andrea Wood, Baxter Conservation Area Supervisor and Interpreter. “We are so excited to offer this special funding — we want everyone to access our programs because the best way to learn about nature is to experience it.”

Programs can be a half-day or a full-day and look to provide students with a strong understanding of our natural world, how it functions and how humans fit into it. Topics include beaver pond ecology, forest habitats, orienteering and snowshoeing. All programs are interactive and experiential to provide students with a “hands-on” approach to learning about natural science in our “Ecology Lab.”

"We are constantly looking for ways to make our programing more accessible,” Rebecca Whitman, Foley Mountain Conservation Area Supervisor and Interpreter. “We look to remove barriers — through accessible trails, low program cost and now special subsidies.”

Teachers who are interested in this opportunity are invited to contact Baxter and Foley Mountain Conservation Areas directly.

“We are looking to foster a lifelong relationship between children and the natural world,” said Ms. Whitman. “Learning outdoors is a wonderful adventure and we believe children learn best by doing.”

To learn more about outdoor education programs, day camps and other outdoor learning at Baxter and Foley Mountain Conservation Areas, visit www.rvca.ca.

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The Ottawa Community Foundation is a public, non-profit organization created by and for the people of Ottawa. It connects donors who care with causes that matter and serves as a trusted resource for addressing issues and leveraging opportunities in the community. It attracts and manages a growing endowment, the invested earnings of which provide grants to charitable organizations. For more information, visit www.ocf-fco.ca.

The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority is one of Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities. The RVCA is responsible for furthering the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources in the watershed. The Rideau watershed covers 4,234 square kilometres in eastern Ontario and is home to over 620,000 people. For more information, visit www.rvca.ca.

The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation is a registered environmental charity working to help protect and conserve the lands and waters of the valley of the Rideau River in Eastern Ontario. The Conservation Foundation builds partnerships and seeks new individuals, corporations and groups wanting to get involved in the vital work of taking care of our own natural environment. For more information, visit www.rvcf.ca


TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) is a national charity that funds environmental projects across Canada. With the support of more than 180,000 donors, TD FEF has provided approximately $89 million to over 26,000 environmental projects and programs. For more information, visit https://fef.td.com/. 

May 15, 2018 – By this statement the Flood Warning issued on April 30 for Bobs and Christie Lakes is terminated.

The water level on Bobs Lake has receded to the ‘Full Supply’ threshold. No significant rain is presently forecast for the next four days. Therefore, levels on both Bobs and Christie Lakes can be expected to continue to recede toward normal summer levels over the rest of the week. Rain forecast for Saturday and Sunday is not expected to be enough to raise levels again.

Caution is still needed around lakes and rivers with water still cold and above normal in some locations.

May 15, 2018 – By this statement the Flood Warning issued on April 30 for Bobs and Christie Lakes is terminated.

The water level on Bobs Lake has receded to the ‘Full Supply’ threshold. No significant rain is presently forecast for the next four days. Therefore, levels on both Bobs and Christie Lakes can be expected to continue to recede toward normal summer levels over the rest of the week. Rain forecast for Saturday and Sunday is not expected to be enough to raise levels again.

Caution is still needed around lakes and rivers with water still cold and above normal in some locations.

May 10, 2018 – The Mississippi Valley and Rideau Valley Conservation Authorities are advising residents that water levels appear to be stabilizing. Some nuisance flooding (Petrie Island, Boise Wood) has occurred. Rain that fell this morning was not enough to have an impact and there is no rain forecast for the next five days that would cause levels to increase again. Water levels will gradually decline to normal summer levels over the next two weeks barring the development of a significant weather system..

Note that streambanks are slippery along the Ottawa River, water is fast moving and still very cold. Children should be informed about the hazards and kept away from all watercourses as levels fluctuate with the spring weather.

This message will lapse on May 15, 2018 unless conditions warrant further messaging.

Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board http://ottawariver.ca/river-levels-flows.php#river-levels-flows-7-days for more information.

May 10, 2018 – The Mississippi Valley and Rideau Valley Conservation Authorities are advising residents that water levels appear to be stabilizing. Some nuisance flooding (Petrie Island, Boise Wood) has occurred. Rain that fell this morning was not enough to have an impact and there is no rain forecast for the next five days that would cause levels to increase again. Water levels will gradually decline to normal summer levels over the next two weeks barring the development of a significant weather system..

Note that streambanks are slippery along the Ottawa River, water is fast moving and still very cold. Children should be informed about the hazards and kept away from all watercourses as levels fluctuate with the spring weather.

This message will lapse on May 15, 2018 unless conditions warrant further messaging.

Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board http://ottawariver.ca/river-levels-flows.php#river-levels-flows-7-days for more information.

May 10, 2018 –  The Flood Warning issued on April 30 for Bobs and Christie Lakes remains in effect.

Levels on both lakes continue to decline at the rate of about one centimetre per day. However, levels are still above the ‘Full Supply’ threshold at which damage can occur. Rain today is not expected to be sufficient to affect the decline of the lake levels and no rain is forecast for the next five days. Levels can be expected to recede to summer levels over the next week barring a significant weather system forming and moving through the region.

Caution around lakes and rivers is advised for everybody. Children need to be informed about the hazards of cold, deep or fast moving water.

May 10, 2018 –  The Flood Warning issued on April 30 for Bobs and Christie Lakes remains in effect.

Levels on both lakes continue to decline at the rate of about one centimetre per day. However, levels are still above the ‘Full Supply’ threshold at which damage can occur. Rain today is not expected to be sufficient to affect the decline of the lake levels and no rain is forecast for the next five days. Levels can be expected to recede to summer levels over the next week barring a significant weather system forming and moving through the region.

Caution around lakes and rivers is advised for everybody. Children need to be informed about the hazards of cold, deep or fast moving water.

May 7, 2018 –  The Flood Warning issued on April 30 for Bobs and Christie Lakes remains in effect.

Levels on both lakes have declined slightly but both remain above the ‘Full Supply’ threshold at which damage can occur. This decline will continue for the next two days with no precipitation forecast. However, rain is forecast for Thursday and through next weekend with a possible five day total close to 55 millimetres. If this amount falls, water levels are likely to increase but the primary impact is expected to be on Bobs and Christie Lakes.

Outflows from Bobs Lake are presently stable and no adjustments are planned for today. Some lower lying properties on Christie Lake have been affected by high waters. Docks and other shoreline structures have been damaged and bank erosion has occurred on some properties on both lakes.

Everyone needs to be cautious around lakes and streams with the fluctuating water levels. Children need to be educated about the hazards and kept away from all watercourses.

This message will be in effect until Wednesday, May 9.

May 7, 2018 –  The Flood Warning issued on April 30 for Bobs and Christie Lakes remains in effect.

Levels on both lakes have declined slightly but both remain above the ‘Full Supply’ threshold at which damage can occur. This decline will continue for the next two days with no precipitation forecast. However, rain is forecast for Thursday and through next weekend with a possible five day total close to 55 millimetres. If this amount falls, water levels are likely to increase but the primary impact is expected to be on Bobs and Christie Lakes.

Outflows from Bobs Lake are presently stable and no adjustments are planned for today. Some lower lying properties on Christie Lake have been affected by high waters. Docks and other shoreline structures have been damaged and bank erosion has occurred on some properties on both lakes.

Everyone needs to be cautious around lakes and streams with the fluctuating water levels. Children need to be educated about the hazards and kept away from all watercourses.

This message will be in effect until Wednesday, May 9.

May 4, 2018 – Water levels are expected to increase through the weekend on the Ottawa River.

As snowmelt runoff from the upper reaches of the Ottawa River watershed continues to work through the system, levels on the river in the Ottawa area are expected to rise. A weather system presently passing through the region will combine with the snowmelt to raise levels in low-lying shoreline areas that are typically flooded during spring freshet. More extensive flooding is not expected at this time.

Weather forecasts are presently indicating that next week will bring sun and warmer temperatures which will help cause levels to decline toward normal early summer levels.

Note that streambanks are slippery along the river, water is fast moving and still very cold. Children should be informed about the hazards and kept away from all watercourses as levels fluctuate with the spring weather.

This message in effect until May 7.

Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board http://ottawariver.ca/river-levels-flows.php#river-levels-flows-7-days for more information.