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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.…
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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…
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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"Minor" Drought Status Rescinded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…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
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.…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
Rain forecast for the first week of May can be expected to cause water levels to rise significantly in the Ottawa River. Rainfall forecast for today could raise levels to what were reached last week. Additional rain forecast to fall this week can be expected to at least maintain levels and possibly cause further increases.around Lac Deschene, at Petrie Island and at Boise Village, east of Cumberland. Within the Rideau watershed, levels will increase but no flooding issues are expected at this time with the exception of Bobs and Christie Lakes which have continued to have high levels since the…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
Rain on Monday has pushed water levels in the Ottawa River above the peak reached last week. This Flood Warning is specific to areas around Lac Deschene, at Petrie Island and at Boise Village, east of Cumberland. A short-lived peak can be expected on Wednesday. Rain, possible on Thursday but probable for Friday and through the weekend, is expected to increase levels further. Peak elevation at Britannia last week was 59.924 metres above sea level. At 10:00 this morning, the level was 60 metres. Downstream of the Chaudiere Falls the peak level last week was 44.09 metres. The measurement this…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
January 12, 2018 – With unusually warm temperatures melting much of the snow cover, water levels are rising throughout the Rideau watershed bringing on unstable ice conditions. Levels can be expected to continue to rise through the day until a forecast rapid freeze occurs mid-afternoon. In faster flowing stream sections, ice has broken up and been moved downstream and there is the potential for ice jamming that could cause localized high water situations. On lakes and flat stream sections, the ice will have been lifted by the increased water levels and have meltwater ponded on the surface. As temperatures drop,…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
January 18, 2018
Water Safety: Another January Thaw Brings Unsafe Conditions on Rivers and Lakes Throughout Rideau Watershed
January 18, 2018 – Temperatures around the freezing point through the weekend and rain early next week will once again cause the loss of much of the snow cover and unstable ice conditions in the Rideau Valley. As the snowmelt and rain runoff moves through the Rideau system, the ice cover will be shifting and, in some places, breaking up. Water can be expected to pond on top of the ice. Going on ice covered water bodies is not advisable for the next several days. Slightly more snow on the ground in the upper watershed west of Smiths Falls and more…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
February 16, 2018
Warmer Temperatures and Rain Could Cause Unsafe Conditions on Rivers and Lakes Throughout Rideau Watershed
February 16, 2018 – Significant rainfall forecast for Monday and Tuesday along with melting snow can be expected to cause river flows and lake levels to rise. Going on iced over waterbodies is not advisable for the next several days until levels decline and colder temperatures can restore the integrity of the ice. As the snowmelt and rain runoff moves through the Rideau system, the ice cover can be expected to shift and, in some places, break up. This could lead to ice jamming at culverts and bridges which could cause localized flooding. Ponding water on the surface will make…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
March 09, 2018
Spring Outlook
March 9, 2018 –The winter of 2017-18 has been one of wide variations and periods of record cold. First snow on the ground to start this winter was relatively early at the beginning of November but little more fell until after December 28 followed by the onset of the record cold temperatures including -30 degrees on January 1. After ten days of frigid temperatures, a few days of warm temperatures reduced the snow cover significantly. That warm spell ended with a flash freeze. Precipitation in all its forms and widely varying temperatures continued through January into mid-February. Since February 19,…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
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March 29, 2018
Below Average Spring Freshet Expected
March 29, 2018 – Barring a rain event not presently in weather forecasts, it is appearing that the spring freshet of 2018 in the Rideau valley may have already occurred on March 2 as a result of the above normal temperatures in the latter half of February that removed all of the snow. The snow that fell after the early March thaw, has gradually declined over the month with several sunny days and above freezing daily temperatures. With little snow and minor rainfall forecast, there is not expected to be enough runoff to cause significant increases in water levels in…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
May 02, 2017
Rain Brings Water Levels Up On Rideau
The rain event yesterday has caused water levels in the Rideau watershed to rise again. Water levels in the Rideau Valley had fallen close to historical average levels since the spring freshet peak on April 7. As much as 60 millimetres of rain on Monday has caused levels to increase again. Another 70 millimetres is forecast to start Thursday and continue through the weekend which can be expected to cause a further rise of water levels. Low-lying communities along the Long Reach of the Rideau between Kars and Kemptville can expect to see out of bank levels and it is…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
April 03, 2018
Flows in Rideau Valley to Fluctuate from Latest Weather
April 3, 2018 – Rain in the order of 20 millimetres is forecast for today and into the night that will cause water levels throughout the Rideau valley to increase beyond levels reached after rain on Saturday. How much levels increase will be limited by dropping temperatures and the changeover from rain to freezing rain or snow overnight and tomorrow. Peak flows from this weather are still expected to be less than average for the spring freshet. These may not be the actual freshet maximum flows. The Long Reach of the Rideau River, between Manotick and Kemptville, could have levels…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
April 11, 2018 – A weather system out of the mid-west U.S. has the potential to bring several forms of precipitation in significant amounts in to eastern Canada over the next week. Snow, rain and freezing rain may fall beginning tonight with showers or flurries. Tomorrow, rain is forecast to fall through the afternoon. Rain is expected to begin again late on Friday morning and continue into Saturday, changing to snow in the early morning finishing with as much as 20 centimetres. Rain is presently expected to resume on Sunday and continue into Monday. If the full amount of forecast…
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Watershed Conditions Statements
