Watershed Conditions Statement - Water Safety - June 13

A Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety is in effect for some large Kawartha Lakes, including Balsam, Cameron, Sturgeon, and Pigeon Lakes, as well as Lake Scugog.

No flooding is expected, but flows throughout the system are high and could be dangerous.

WATERSHED CONDITIONS STATEMENT – WATER SAFETY – KAWARTHA LAKES

DATE:   June 13, 2022 

TIME:    4:15 pm             

Message sent based on information received from:

• Trent-Severn Waterway
• Kawartha Conservation Flood Forecasting Network

Affected Municipalities:

• City of Kawartha Lakes
• Municipality of Trent Lakes
• Township of Scugog

A Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety is in effect for some large Kawartha Lakes, including Balsam, Cameron, Sturgeon, and Pigeon Lakes, as well as Lake Scugog.

No flooding is expected, but flows throughout the system are high and could be dangerous.

As Trent-Severn Waterway officials advise, the Trent-Severn Waterway drainage area, including the Kawartha Conservation watershed, have received up to 120 mm of rain over the past 10 days. It significantly exceeds the normal precipitation for the month of June. As a result, there are higher-than-normal water levels along the Trent-Severn Waterway.

In addition, flows will increase outside of navigation hours as a part of the Trent-Severn Waterway water management operations. The public should consider these overnight flows as non-navigable.

The public is cautioned that fast-moving water will create hazardous conditions especially around the dams and locks. During this period of above-normal water levels and flows, residents and visitors should exercise extreme caution on and around water. Areas around dams, culverts and bridges should be avoided at all times. Parents and caregivers are advised to keep children and pets away from all waterways.

Trent-Severn Waterway officials are monitoring water levels and flows throughout the system very closely and will adjust the water control structures as required. Anyone having concerns about water levels throughout the system can contact Parks Canada at (705) 750-4950 or trentsevern@pc.gc.ca.

This Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety – Kawartha Lakes will be in effect until further notice. 

Iryna Shulyarenko                                                             Nancy Aspden

Hydrologist                                                                        Acting Manager, Integrated Watershed Management

Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety is a general notice that existing or potential conditions pose a risk to personal safety. Watershed Conditions Statements - Water Safety may be issued when streams are flowing at or near bank full levels, when ice conditions are unsafe, or when stream banks are icy, soft and/or slippery.