Water Safety Statement | March 9, 2021

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THIS FLOOD NOTICE IS NO LONGER ACTIVE

Message #2021-02

Issued: 9:30 a.m., Tuesday March 9, 2021

SUBJECT: Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety issued for all watercourses / waterbodies in the Region of Otonabee Conservation. 

ISSUED TO: Municipalities of Selwyn, Douro-Dummer, Asphodel-Norwood, Otonabee-South Monaghan, Cavan Monaghan, City of Kawartha Lakes, City of Peterborough and Trent Hills, and Otonabee Conservation’s other partners in flood emergency management.

A Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety is issued when high flows, ice or other factors could be dangerous, but flooding is not expected.

CURRENT WATERSHED CONDITIONS and RISK – Our local rivers and creeks are currently flowing at average levels for this time of year.  Based on the observations from the March 1st snow survey, there was 28.8cm of snowpack with approximately 68mm of snow water equivalent and frozen ground conditions.  The snowpack has degraded over the past week with the sunshine and warmer temperatures and has become icy and granular.

Above seasonal temperatures are predicted for the next four days with nighttime lows dipping below zero.  A weather system is forecast to move into our region on Wednesday and Thursday with the potential to bring upwards of 10-15 mm of precipitation.  The combination of warm daytime temperatures, snowmelt and rain will result in run-off to lakes, rivers, creeks and wetlands, causing higher than normal water levels and flows, but no flooding.

Under these conditions, all local rivers, creeks, ditches, and lakes should be considered extremely dangerous. Riverbanks are slippery, unsafe and could be undercut. Stream currents are strong, and temperatures dangerously cold.  Road-side ditches, wetlands and other low-lying areas will experience ponding.  Ice cover, where it exists, is extremely hazardous.  

Water levels can be monitored on-line at:

  1. Trent-Severn Waterway’s Water Management InfoNet
  2. Water Survey of Canada Real-Time Hydrometric Data 
  3. Otonabee Conservation Precipitation and Water Level Data

This WATERSHED CONDITIONS STATEMENT will remain in effect until Monday, March 15, 2021.

Neil MacFarlane| Flood Forecasting & Warning Duty Officer
705-745-5791 x 231
250 Milroy Drive, Peterborough, ON K9H 7M9
orcafloodduty@otonabeeconservation.com
Flood Watch Hotline 705-745-5791 x 228