Otonabee Conservation has Issued a Flood Watch for Peterborough and Surrounding Area

Otonabee Conservation issued a flood watch to Peterborough and surrounding municipalities on Sunday, that will be in effect until Tuesday.

File Photo

The flood watch has been issued to the Municipalities of Selwyn, Douro-Dummer, Asphodel-Norwood, Otonabee-South Monaghan, Cavan Monaghan, City of Kawartha Lakes, City of Peterborough and Trent Hills.

A slow-moving, moisture-laden Colorado low-pressure system is bringing widespread rainfall to the Region. It started overnight on Sunday and will continue through Monday and Tuesday.

Total local rainfall amounts of 30-50 mm are expected before the system leaves the Region. The Region will get a break from the soaking rain through mid-week, starting Wednesday. However, this period of fair weather will be short-lived, ending Friday, October 29th as another potent Colorado low-pressure systems will again bring total local rainfall amounts of 30-50mm over the weekend. During both rainfall events, localized amounts of 50+ mm are possible if heavy downpours also occur.

Expected rainfall and especially heavy downpours, combined with already moderately elevated water levels/flows in the Region’s lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, and wetlands may cause minor flooding in low-lying areas.

As a minimum, water pooling on roads and in low-lying areas and higher than normal water levels and flows can be expected, especially in the vicinity of culverts and bridges. Higher than normal water levels and flows will continue throughout the week and next weekend as the expected rainfall from the two events flushes through our waterways.

Residents are advised to be extremely cautious around all local lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks because shorelines/riverbanks will be slippery and could be undercut, and currents will be strong. Road-side ditches, wetlands and other low-lying areas may experience unsafe ponding conditions. Dams and other water control/water conveyance structures are especially dangerous and should always be avoided.

Otonabee Conservation is advising all area municipalities and residents to prepare themselves for possible flooding. Area water data and information 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 Conservation Precipitation and Water Level Data

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