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The National Capital Commission and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority Team Up to Enhance Black Rapids Creek

An important wetland in the Greenbelt’s west end will soon become a bigger and better piece of nature. The National Capital Commission (NCC) will team up with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) and the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund to enhance and double the size of the existing wetland in the headwaters of Black Rapids Creek.

Sporadic and random rainfall over the last week was not enough to bring the Rideau River watershed out of the Severe Drought status reached in mid-August

Previous rain in August did cause flows and levels to increase but only for a brief period. With rain coming in small cells that affected very limited areas, levels have quickly declined again. Forecast for this week has a total of 20 millimetres possible that will not have a significant impact.

With little rain over the last two weeks, the Moderate Drought conditions continue in the Rideau watershed.

The accumulated precipitation over the last 90 days is less than 60% of the long term average for this time of year which is the threshold for Moderate Drought. No significant rain is presently in weather forecasts for the next week but hot temperatures are. This means that evaporation will be a significant component of the water level decline process throughout the watershed.

Despite the recent rainfall, the Rideau Valley remains in a Severe Drought Status.

The 90-day accumulation of rainfall recorded at Environment Canada climate stations in and around the Rideau River watershed has increased to an average of 82 percent of the historical average. The 30-day accumulation is about 99 percent.

Based on the 30 Day Precipitation drought indicator, the Rideau River Watershed is in the “Severe” Drought category.

There has been no rain recorded at the Ottawa Airport since July 25. Some rain has been recorded at other locations in and around the watershed but there have not been the several days of rain needed to restore the deficit that has accumulated. There is rain forecast through Friday and Saturday but that is expected as thunderstorms which will not produce the needed general rain over the whole watershed. Warm weather is forecast to continue through next week which will cause losses to evaporation that will contribute significantly to the decline of water levels throughout the watershed.