Flood Contingency Cover 14.Cdr
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FLOOD Contingency Plan 2014 CONSERVATION 1078 Bruce Rd. 12, P.O. Box 150 Formosa ON N0G 1W0 Tel 519-367-3040 Fax 519-367-3041 www.svca.on.ca CONTENTS Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority Member Municipalities……………………. 1 Watershed Map………………………………………………………………………………….. 2 Preparing for Flood Emergencies Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority Flood Warning System………….. 3 Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority Flood Forecasting System……… 4 Roles & Responsibilities of Participating Organizations………………………. 4 Communicating Flood Messages The Communications Process……………………………………………………………… 6 Flood Messages – Terminology…………………………………………………………… 6 Lines of Communication – Flow Chart………………………………………………… 8 Flood Bulletins Message Record Forms (examples)……………………………. 9-11 Contingency Plan Distribution List…………………………………………………………………. 12 Saugeen Watershed Emergency Flood Warning Personnel Directory……………. 13 Watershed News Media Services………………………………………………………………….. 14 Ministry of Natural Resources Flood Response Personnel for Saugeen Watershed…………………………… 15 County & Municipal Emergency Operations………………………………………………….. 16-22 MEMBER MUNICIPALITIES Municipality of Arran-Elderslie Municipality of Brockton Township of Chatsworth Municipality of Grey Highlands Town of Hanover Township of Howick Township of Huron-Kinloss Municipality of Kincardine Town of Minto Municipality of Morris-Turnberry Town of Saugeen Shores Municipality of South Bruce Township of Southgate Township of Wellington North Municipality of West Grey The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority is a corporate body established under the Conservation Authorities Act of Ontario to manage watershed resources and related conservation projects in partnership with its 15 member municipalities and the Province of Ontario. 1 WATERSHED MAP Southampton 15 Saugeen River GSCA LAKE HURON Port Elgin ARRAN- 25 SAUGEEN 16 ELDERSLIE SHORES CHATSWORTH 10 21 6 Paisley Markdale 12 North Saugeen River Chesley 14 GREY HIGHLANDS 9 Rocky Saugeen River Tiverton 7 27 WEST GREY KINCARDINE 7 3 11 10 10 1 18 North Penetangore River BROCKTON Saugeen River Saugeen River Dundalk Teeswater River 4 Durham NVCA Kincardine 2 20 Saugeen River 23 10 Hanover 8 Penetangore River Walkerton 5 22 4 3 Beatty Saugeen River 6 Ripley SOUTHGATE 17 26 Neustadt 19 Point Pine River 4 9 9 21 Clark 3 13 South Saugeen River HURON- Mildmay South Saugeen River KINLOSS Mount Teeswater 24 SOUTH BRUCE 9 6 Forest 89 Clifford WELLINGTON NORTH 4 6 MINTO HOWICK GRCA MORRIS-TURNBURY MVCA CONSERVATION 0 Gauge sites 2 PREPARING FOR FLOOD EMERGENCIES Introduction Periodic high flow events have always been a natural function within the Saugeen River Watershed. Verified records, from as far back as 1915, reveal that floods have occurred, and will continue to occur in the future, at anytime during any year. Their magnitude varies with the extent of snow cover, ambient air temperature, amount and duration of rainfall, direction and velocity of wind, pre-event soil conditions, etc. As the global climate changes, flooding may become more frequent and severe in the future. The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority operates snow measuring courses, precipitation stations and automated river level recording gauges that assist in predicting the probability, height and time of arrival of a flood downstream. The Flood Warning System attempts to minimize the loss of life, property damage and social disruption through effective communication. Selected agencies and officials will be sent flood bulletins when flooding is anticipated. When notified, municipalities should distribute warnings, as quickly as possible to residents and businesses that may be at risk. As part of its water resources management program, the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority remains committed to assisting municipalities with the design and construction of flood control structures in unprotected high risk areas. However, it must be remembered that such structures provide a limited degree of protection for specific locations. As long as watershed residents live and work in flood susceptible areas, an effective warning system must be in operation. The personnel and procedures detailed in this publication comprise the data collection and information dissemination components of the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority’s flood warning and river forecasting system. Each official associated in any way with this system should be fully aware of his/her responsibilities and be prepared to make every possible effort to ensure its effectiveness. The Flood Warning System The system that is used by the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority to communicate flood-related messages to affected residents within its jurisdiction serves two primary purposes. 1. The communications network enables the Authority to relay routine information concerning watershed river conditions to selected agencies and municipal officials. 2. It is also used to provide rapid, advance warning and technical support to concerned officials and to citizens whose lives and properties may be endangered by floodwaters. 3 The Flood Forecasting System – How It Works The system consists of an extensive network of data collection gauges strategically located throughout the basin, constantly monitoring factors that could potentially affect the amount of water entering the river system and the corresponding water levels. Information concerning the water content of the snow cover, present stream levels, intensity and duration of precipitation, wind speed, temperature and sunlight is recorded either manually or automatically and accessible on demand from the Forecast Centre. In addition, regular field inspections are made of river ice conditions throughout the watershed during the winter months. With this data, flood forecasting personnel operate a real time computer model for the Saugeen watershed that can predict the flood potential within the watershed. Coupled with analytical comparisons of up-to-date streamflow measurements and long range weather forecasts with past historical flood events, forecasting staff can estimate potential river levels and peak flow volumes and timing, as well as monitor the progression of a flood as it travels downstream through the river system. The other fundamental component of any emergency response system is relaying the essential information to all potentially affected parties and initiating an effective and coordinated response to the identified emergency. The primary purpose of this Flood Contingency Plan is to address this important element of public safety. Roles and Responsibilities of Participating Organizations A number of agencies, municipal departments and individuals bear responsibility, in varying degrees, for the efficiency of the flood warning system. These groups are identified in the following section. A more detailed outline of the responsibilities and functions of several of the organizations noted is contained within the Ontario Government publication, Planning for Flood Emergencies, distributed by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The SAUGEEN VALLEY CONSERVATION AUTHORITY has several areas of responsibility for flood emergencies: - Monitor watershed and weather conditions and operate a flood forecasting system in order to provide watershed residents with warning of anticipated or actual flood conditions; - Issue Flood Messages to municipalities and other appropriate agencies to advise of the potential of flooding; - Provide advice to municipalities in preventing or reducing the effects of flooding; - Maintain communications with municipalities and the Ministry of Natural Resources during a flood event. 4 POLICE: During a flood emergency, the police service of jurisdiction is responsible for carrying out rescue operations, obtaining necessary medical aid and maintaining law and order within affected areas as per that jurisdiction’s municipal emergency plan. RADIO, TELEVISION AND PRINT NEWS MEDIA SERVICES operating within the Authority’s jurisdiction provide the primary means of relaying flood-related information to affected residents. MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS are initially responsible for the welfare and protection of their residents from floods. It is crucial that each municipality establish a peacetime emergency plan, compatible with those of other agencies, which will assist officials with the orderly implementation of local resources. Authority assistance in the development of such plans is available upon request. MUNICIPAL RESIDENTS also have an obligation to safeguard their belongings to the best of their abilities after being duly warned of a flood danger. The MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES maintains the provincial streamflow forecast centre at the Surface Water Monitoring Centre in Peterborough, which advises the Authority of potential storm-producing weather patterns that may adversely affect watershed conditions. Through the local flood response co-ordinator (Owen Sound Area Supervisor for the Saugeen Watershed), the ministry directs and delivers the provincial response to a municipal request for assistance, when a flood emergency has escalated beyond the capabilities of local resources. 5 COMMUNICATING FLOOD MESSAGES The Communications Process During anticipated or actual flood events, the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority is responsible for the operation of the Flood Forecast Centre, located within its Administrative Office in Formosa. When a Flood Advisory is in effect, the centre will be staffed during regular business hours (8:30am