News

April 03, 2017

Flood Outlook —Forecast Rain Expected to Increase Flows Significantly

Rain presently forecast for this week is expected to cause a significant increase in flows and water levels, potentially to 1:4 year frequency (flow that has a 25% probability of occurrence in any year). There is still some snow in the Rideau River watershed which will be much reduced today with the arrival of temperatures above 10 degrees. This will increase flows slowly through the day. Twenty millimetres of rain now forecast for Tuesday will cause further increases. Fifty millimetres of rain on Thursday and Friday can be expected to bring a peak on Saturday possibly in the range of…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

March 28, 2017

RVCA Celebrates Successful Year

The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) Board of Directors celebrated another successful year with the release of their 2016 Annual Report. The report highlights numerous on-the-ground projects that happened throughout the Rideau watershed that drains over 4,000 square kilometres in Eastern Ontario. For over 50 years RVCA, along with its many volunteers and partners, has been working to protect and enhance our local environment. Year after year, conservation authority staff, municipalities and partners continue to have a positive impact on the health and resilience of our watershed. Today’s investment in local watershed health will ensure a sustainable future that supports…

Published in Media Release

March 27, 2017

RVCA Launches Strategic Plan

A renewed vision for a thriving watershed will guide the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) during the coming years. The RVCA board of directors unveiled its new strategic plan at its board meeting held March 23. The plan builds upon the Conservation Authority’s past 50 years of success and will guide it towards a sustainable future. RVCA Chair Lyle Pederson and General Manager Sommer Casgrain-Robertson are excited that the plan, entitled Conserving Our Watershed, Ensuring Our Future, charts a course to 2020. “We’ve worked hard to develop a set of strategies and plans that identify clear priorities for RVCA to…

Published in Media Release

March 03, 2017

Deep Freeze Slows Runoff

Cold temperatures have slowed runoff and will cause declining water levels in watershed lakes and streams through the weekend. There is enough water moving through the system from the melt and rain that flows are still increasing in some tributaries. This will tail off today and levels can be expected to decline through the weekend. Weather forecasts indicate another warmup with some rain next week that could cause flows to increase again. The warm temperatures and increased flows caused the ice on all waterbodies to become unstable. With refreezing occurring, new ice will be forming. However, it will take a…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

February 27, 2017

Potential for Low-Lying Areas to be Flooded

Warm temperatures and rain could cause water levels to threaten access to lower lying communities. This message applies particularly to Hilly Lane, Cedar Beach and Rideau Glen and other small communities along the Long Reach of the Rideau River near Kemptville that are susceptible to flooding. The Hilly Lane community could start to have water encroaching on the access road by Wednesday as a result of above zero temperatures melting the remaining snow and a two-day total rainfall of as much as 20 millimetres. Fortunately, temperatures are forecast to fall below freezing by Wednesday night which can be expected to…

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

February 21, 2017

Live 88.5 Carbon Neutral Forest Grows

Canada’s first and only carbon neutral radio station continues in its efforts to plant trees and maintain its efforts to offset carbon emissions. Ottawa’s LiVE 88.5 FM will see another 5,700 trees planted in the southern Ottawa area to offset the carbon dioxide produced annually at their Ottawa broadcast centre. This brings their total to 39,900 trees planted since they decided to go carbon neutral in 2011. This adds up to over 20 hectares (50 acres) of forest. “LiVE 88.5 is proud to work with the RVCF to help grow and manage our expanding forest,” said Dan Youngs, Live 88.5…

Published in Media Release