ORCA issues Flood Warning - March 26, 2025

Message # 2025-07

Issued:  2:15 p.m., Wednesday March 26, 2025

 This FLOOD WARNING is issued for the Trent-Severn Waterway and local watercourses within the jurisdiction of Otonabee Conservation.

 Issued to: Municipalities, water management authorities, Indigenous communities, Ministry of Natural Resources, and Otonabee Conservation’s other partners in flood emergency management.

 Weather: 40 to 60 millimeters of precipitation is expected, starting Friday, March 28 and continuing throughout the weekend into Monday, March 31. Forecasted precipitation is regional-scale, falling on both the Haliburton-Reservoir Lakes region of the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW) and the more southerly area under jurisdiction of Otonabee Conservation.  The highest precipitation amounts are expected to fall in the north in the form of snow and freezing rain, whereas a mix of snow and rain is expected to the south. This significant precipitation event will be immediately followed by an upward trend in air temperatures.

Flood Risk: Melting snow and precipitation in the Haliburton-Reservoir Lakes region of the TSW has already increased water levels and flows on the hydrologically connected Kawartha Lakes, Rice Lake and Otonabee River. Also, local watercourses, including the Ouse River, Indian River and tributaries to the Otonabee River are experiencing high water levels and flows due to snowmelt and rainfall run-off.

 The forecasted precipitation will cause a rapid increase to water levels and flows on watercourses where the precipitation falls as rain. A second pulse of increased water levels and flows is expected as air temperatures trend upwards, beginning next week.  As a result, flooding of low-lying, flood vulnerable development areas on the shores of the Trent-Severn Waterway and local watercourses within the jurisdiction of Otonabee Conservation is imminent or occurring. It is also possible that the remaining ice cover will break-up due to a rapid rise in water levels and flows.

 Actions: Municipalities, Indigenous communities, local water managers, and Otonabee Conservation’s other partners in flood emergency management are advised to monitor conditions and take appropriate action to protect against imminent or occurring flooding. Water levels can be monitored at Trent-Severn Waterway, Water Survey of Canada and Otonabee Conservation websites.

 This FLOOD WARNING message will expire Thursday, April 03, 2025, unless up-dated earlier.

                                                                      -30-

Gordon Earle | Flood Forecasting & Warning Duty Officer | 705-745-5791 x 214
250 Milroy Drive, Peterborough, ON K9H 7M9
orcafloodduty@otonabeeconservation.com

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Note: A Flood Warning is defined as a notice declaring that flooding is imminent or occurring. The Flood Warning is issued based upon information received by the Conservation Authority's weather and water level monitoring systems and other information sources, and is intended to provide notice to municipalities, water managers and other flood emergency management services and residents that action is required on their part.