Flood Watch - Peterborough Bancroft District - Black River Watershed - Friday, April 11, 2025
Flood Watch
Peterborough Bancroft District - Black River Watershed
Friday, April 11, 2025
3:00pm
The Ministry of Natural Resources– Bancroft Work Centre is advising area residents that a Flood Watch is in effect for the Black River watershed in the Peterborough Bancroft District until Friday, April 18, 2025.
Residents should expect water levels and river flows to remain high through the April 12 to 13 weekend and into the week of April 14 to 18.
Runoff into local lakes and rivers is anticipated to increase with forecasted rainfall, snow melt and warm weather.
MNR advises residents to exercise extreme caution concerning ice conditions. No ice is safe ice. High water levels combined with a forecast for high winds has the potential to damage shoreline infrastructure due to moving ice.
MNR also advises extreme caution when using forest access roads for outdoor activities as many are seasonally inundated with water, prone to washouts and may be impassible due to current water levels.
Lower-lying portions of known flood-prone areas will be impacted to varying degrees as lake and river water levels remain high in response to recent and forecast precipitation and melting snow in the coming week. Residents and visitors should exercise caution while around waterbodies and maintain close supervision of children and pets.
Residents that have been affected by high water and flow conditions in the past should continue take necessary action to protect/secure any vulnerable property in proximity to rivers and lakes and closely monitor developing conditions and regularly check for updated messages.
The ministry is closely monitoring the weather and developing watershed conditions.
Further updates will be issued as appropriate.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Description of Weather System
Minimum precipitation as snowfall and colder than normal temperatures over the past week has resulted in declining inflows to local watersheds.
Temperatures over the next 7 days are expected to remain seasonal with daytime highs up to +14°C and nighttime lows down to -5°C. There is up to 5 mm of rainfall forecasted.
Description of Current Conditions
Lake water levels are generally declining and river flows have decreased over the past week, but significant snowpack remains across the watersheds with increased runoff from snowmelt anticipated. Ice on local lakes and rivers is unsafe and is breaking up. High winds combined with high water levels have the potential to damage shoreline infrastructure due to moving ice.
DEFINITIONS
• WATERSHED CONDITIONS STATEMENT – WATER SAFETY: indicates that high flows, melting ice or other factors could be dangerous for such users as boaters, anglers and swimmers but flooding is not expected.
• WATERSHED CONDITIONS STATEMENT – FLOOD OUTLOOK: gives early notice of the potential for flooding based on weather forecasts calling for heavy rain, snow melt, high winds or other conditions
• SHORELINE CONDITIONS STATEMENT – WATER SAFETY: indicates that along the Great Lakes shorelines high water melting ice or other factors could be dangerous but flooding is not expected.
• SHORELINE CONDITIONS STATEMENT – FLOOD OUTLOOK: gives early notice of the potential for flooding along the Great Lakes shorelines based on weather and lake conditions, and water safety information.
• FLOOD WATCH: potential for flooding exists within specific watercourses and municipalities.
• FLOOD WARNING: flooding is imminent or occurring within specific watercourses and municipalities.
LEARN MORE
• Surface Water Monitoring Centre public webpage www.ontario.ca/page/surface-water-monitoring-centre
• Environment Canada bulletins: www.weather.gc.ca
• A close watch on local conditions and weather forecasts from Environment and Climate Change Canada is recommended.
Nathan Hack, IRM Technical Specialist, Bancroft Work Centre, 613-202-1620
ontario.ca/mnr