Watershed Conditions Statement - Water Safety - March 7

Environment Canada forecasts that the daytime air temperatures during the next 5 days will remain above the freezing mark, returning to below-freezing overnight. Additionally, mixed precipitation, including up to 10 cm of snow are expected today. In these conditions, the snowpack will continue melting very gradually, sustaining, but not increasing the elevated water levels in local rivers and streams. No flooding problems are expected at this time.

WATERSHED CONDITIONS STATEMENT - WATER SAFETY

DATE:                    March 7, 2022 

Message sent on the basis of information received from:

• Kawartha Conservation Monitoring Network
• Surface Water Monitoring Centre - Ministry of Northern Development, Natural Resources and Forestry
• Environment and Climate Change Canada

The warm weather observed yesterday, has significantly reduced the snowpack around the Kawartha Conservation watershed, producing a substantial run-off.  Responding to the runoff, water levels in local rivers and streams have increased sharply yesterday afternoon. However, as the air temperature cooled to the below freezing mark overnight, the snowmelt and, consequently, runoff subsided considerably. As a result, all local watercourses have peaked overnight, below the flooding thresholds. Some overland flooding in areas with poor drainage has been observed. 

Environment Canada forecasts that the daytime air temperatures during the next 5 days will remain above the freezing mark, returning to below-freezing overnight. Additionally, mixed precipitation, including up to 10 cm of snow are expected today. In these conditions, the snowpack will continue melting very gradually, sustaining, but not increasing the elevated water levels in local rivers and streams. No flooding problems are expected at this time.

Ice cover on the rivers and streams within the Kawartha Conservation jurisdiction has melted or is deteriorating very quickly and is extremally unsafe. The large Kawartha Lakes remain frozen, but ice conditions should be considered extremally dangerous.

In these circumstances, all local rivers, streams, ditches, and lakes will remain extremely dangerous. Riverbanks are slippery and unsafe. Water levels are high, stream currents are strong, and temperatures dangerously cold.

Kawartha Conservation is warning all residents to stay away from water bodies, as well as water structures such as bridges, culverts, and dams. Children should be warned of dangerous conditions, and caregivers should maintain a close watch on children who are outside.

Kawartha Conservation is closely monitoring the weather and watershed conditions and assessing the flood hazard. We are in regular communication with the partner agencies, such as the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Ministry of Northern Development, Mining, Natural Resources and Forestry. We will continue advising the watershed residents, local municipalities, and partner agencies about the situation using the Kawartha Conservation website, media outlets, and social media. You can subscribe to receive the Kawartha Conservation flood messages.  

If you are aware of or have concerns about flooding, please contact Kawartha Conservation at 705.328.2271 x219 or 705.344.0155 after hours.

This Watershed Conditions Statement-Water Safety will be in effect or updated before Friday, March 11^th, 2022.

Iryna Shulyarenko                         Mark Majchrowski,       

Hydrologist                                    Chief Administrative Officer        

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.