News

October 17, 2016

Ottawa Hazard Mapping Public Open Houses

Members of the public are invited to an upcoming open house to review hazard maps. The RVCA has just completed a review and update of existing hazard maps (floodplain and steep slopes) along the Rideau River from Hogs Back to Rideau Falls. These maps are typically known as “floodplain mapping,” but they also show areas that are prone to natural hazards such as flooding, erosion and unstable slopes and natural environment features such as wetlands. The mapping takes these features into consideration and will be used by the City of Ottawa and the Conservation Authority when updating Official Plans and…

Published in Media Release

October 05, 2016

Erratic Rains means “Severe” Drought Condition Continues

The drought status in the Rideau River watershed remains at “Severe” because sustained flows in the streams and rivers have not been restored. As has been the case all summer, rainfall has been very erratic with significant amounts recorded at some monitoring stations and very little at others. There has been enough rain in the last two weeks to make many watershed residents forget that there is still a drought. Lawns are green. Farm crops are close to being ready for harvest.

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

September 16, 2016

“Severe” Drought Condition Continued

Recent heavy but localized rain was not sufficient to change the drought status in the Rideau River watershed from “Severe.” Streamflows and lake levels continue to decline throughout the watershed. At the climate station at Kemptville, 44 millimetres of rain was recorded on September 10. Both Smiths Falls and Rideau Ferry received 26 but all of 2 mm was recorded at the station at Innisville east of Perth. Where the heavier rainfall occurred, levels increased but they quickly fell back to where they had been.

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

September 06, 2016

Rideau Watershed still in “Severe” Drought Condition

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.

Published in Watershed Conditions Statements

August 30, 2016

Improving and Doubling the Size of a Wetland

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.

Published in Media Release

August 29, 2016

Workshop: Headwater Drainage Feature Guideline Implementation: Practitioners Experiences — Eastern Ontario

This workshop will update participants on some of the work that has been implemented since the 2011 Eastern Ontario Headwaters workshop. Updates will include advances in policy, monitoring, research and restoration which were all core themes at the 2011 workshop. Participants will hear a range of case studies from Eastern Ontario that collectively address how to incorporate headwater management in routine management decisions, policy development, and science understanding. Participants will hear from experts from Conservation Authorities, the City of Ottawa and the private sector on local success stories.

Published in Other News