ORCA issues Flood Watch - January 24, 2024

Message # 2024-03

Issued:  12:15 p.m., Wednesday January 24, 2024

Subject:  FLOOD WATCH - issued for all local watercourses excluding the Trent-Severn Waterway (i.e., Kawartha Lakes, Otonabee River, Rice Lake and Trent River to Hastings)

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 ORCA’s other partners in flood emergency management.

This FLOOD WATCH is issued to alert municipalities, residents, and businesses that flooding of local rivers, streams and creeks is possible.

WEATHER: Beginning today, Wednesday, January 24^th, and continuing through to Saturday, January 27^th, the Region will experience above freezing air temperatures combined with forecasted rainfall of about 25-30 millimeters (mm).

LOCAL WATERCOURSE CONDITIONS: The water content of snow on the ground ranges from 35 mm in the south to 60 mm in the north of our watershed region. Water levels/flows in local rivers, streams and creeks are seasonal to above seasonal. The continuous melt of snow and ice over 4 days, combined with 25-30 millimeters of rainfall, will result in higher water levels and flows.  This may cause the break-up of sheet ice and dislodging of shore ice, resulting in ice jamming causing flooding, especially around culverts in urban areas. Municipalities and residents in areas with a history of ice jamming are advised to be aware and prepare for possible localized flooding. Surface ponding of rainfall/snowmelt run-off due to poor drainage is also expected.

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 Region Conservation Authority website/

TRENT-SEVERN WATERWAY CONDITIONS: With this message the previous Flood Watch issued on January 15^th for the Trent-Severn Waterway is cancelled because there are no longer any flooding concerns for the Kawartha Lakes within our Region, the Otonabee River, Rice Lake or Trent River (to Hastings). However, residents along the shorelines of these waterbodies can expect unsafe ice conditions and are advised to stay safe by staying off the ice. Residents along the shores of the Otonabee River will see increased flows/levels but there are no flooding concerns.

This FLOOD WATCH message will expire Wednesday, January 31st, 2024, 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 | Flood Watch Hotline 705-745-5791 x 228