Message #2022-12
Issued: 10:00 a.m., Friday, June 10, 2022
Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety – issued for the Kawartha Lakes from Young’s Point to Lakefield, the Otonabee River, Rice Lake, and the Trent River from Rice Lake to Hastings.
ISSUED TO: Municipalities bordering the Kawartha Lakes from Young’s Point to Lakefield, the Otonabee River, Rice Lake, and the Trent River to Hastings (Selwyn, Douro-Dummer, Otonabee-South Monaghan, Cavan Monaghan, 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 could be dangerous, but flooding is not expected.
Conditions Along the Trent-Severn Waterway: Watersheds draining into the Kawartha Lakes have, over the past 7 days, received 50 – 100 mm of rain, exceeding the normal precipitation for the month of June. The last 25 days have seen precipitation values of more than 50-75% above normal. As a result, there are higher-than-normal water levels along the Trent-Severn Waterway.
To address the higher-than-normal water levels caused by the recent precipitation, adjustments to water control structures (i.e., dams) will increase water flows along the system from Lock 1 – Trenton to Lock 27 – Young’s Point, particularly overnight (i.e., outside of navigation hours). As a result, the public is advised that overnight flows should be considered non-navigable.
Residents and visitors are reminded to exercise extreme caution on and around the water because water is an extremely powerful force that should never be underestimated. Caregivers are reminded that children and pets should not be allowed to approach the edge of waterbodies/watercourses. KEEP S.A.F.E. – Stay Away From Edges of riverbanks/lakeshores as they will be slippery and the banks may collapse because they are undercut.
Area water information 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 further notice.