WATERSHED CONDITIONS STATEMENT – Water Safety Statement
Date: February 16th, 2018
This notice is intended to update the public and local municipalities of the status of the watercourse conditions within the Niagara Peninsula and the eastern portions of the City of Hamilton and Haldimand County.
Over the last 24 hours, the Region has experienced temperatures well above freezing, which has resulted in a majority of the snowpack melting and running off into local creels and rivers. Light rain in the amount of 5 to 10mm accompanied this melting event. The combination of warm temperatures and rain has elevated water levels within our local watercourses.
Smaller water courses like 4 Mile Creek in Niagara-on-the-Lake and 12 Mile Creek in Pelham and Thorold have peaked and are beginning to recede. Larger watercourses like 20 Mile Creek and the Welland River are still on the rise but are not expected to reach critical levels. Localized flooding of low-lying areas is expected or is occurring at this time. The NPCA will continue to monitor stream and weather conditions closely and will issue further messages as required.
The increasing runoff and water levels will destabilize the ice and raise the possibility of ice jam flooding. Residents are urged to keep themselves, children and pets well away from streams and creeks as these watercourses and their associated ice conditions will be hazardous. Drivers are reminded there is an increased risk of water over roads and should not drive through any flooded roadway, being particularly careful at night. Local municipalities are advised to check for debris and ice clogging culverts, catch basins, and other storm infrastructure.
Information on the Flood Status in the watershed and water levels within local watercourses can be found on the NPCA’s website at:
This notice is in effect until noon Sunday, February 18th, 2018 and will be updated as required.
What if a Flood Message is Issued for Your Area?
- Take heed of the message issued.
- Be prepared to follow the advice and instructions of emergency response officials.
Monitoring weather and flood conditions is a shared responsibility of Conservation Authorities, OMNR, and Environment Canada. The OMNR Surface Water Monitoring Centre in Peterborough monitors weather forecasts and water levels across the province, providing the information to Conservation Authorities. Other information is also available from Environment Canada. Conservation Authorities and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources are responsible for forecasting where and when flooding is likely to occur and issuing appropriate messages. Advance warning of an impending flood allows municipalities and other government agencies to put emergency response plans into operation, and if necessary, evacuate communities. When flooding is possible or about to occur, Conservation Authorities (or the Ministry of Natural Resources in areas where there is no Conservation Authority) issue flood messages to municipal emergency management officials and the media. The municipal officials then take action to warn local residents. Flood messages are posted on Conservation Authorities’ websites. In some watersheds, members of the public can receive flood messages directly through e-mail and/or Twitter.
