BULLETIN Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Flood Warning North Bay District NEWS Tuesday, April 30, 2019 16:00 The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry – North Bay District is advising area residents that an Updated Flood Warning is in effect in the District until Monday, May 06, 2019. The Ministry is closely monitoring the weather and developing watershed conditions. Further updates will be issued as appropriate. TECHNICAL INFORMATION Description of Weather System We will see another Texas Low move towards the lower Great Lakes, bringing moist, unstable conditions to most of Southern Ontario and into the North Bay area. The system will bring periods of rain with the potential for heavier amounts, Tuesday evening into Wednesday. The current forecast for the North Bay MNRF District is showing rain, snow and or ice pellets ranging from 5-10mm over the next two days. Daytime temperature highs are expected to range from 1 to 10 degrees centigrade for the next couple of days. Overnight temperatures are forecast to hover around zero degrees and slightly below zero in the northern reaches of the district. Description of Current Conditions Most of the lower portions of northeastern Ontario have received substantial precipitation over the last week. The combination of repeated rainfall and snowmelt has resulted in water levels and stream flows across the area rising significantly, reaching or exceeded flood stage in many areas. Forecast precipitation for Tuesday and Wednesday will maintain or further add to existing high water conditions across most of the North Bay District. 1 Road closures and sand bagging has been reported and area residents have been impacted by flooding. Localized flooding has been reported on much of the southern portion of the District, which includes the Tomiko River, Sturgeon River, Upper French River, Mattawa River, Pickerel River, Wolf River, Restoule River, South River as well as creeks and streams that flow into sections of these respective watersheds. Lake Temiskaming and the Ottawa River system are expected to be affected by significant rainfall combined with snow melt on the Ottawa River watershed, water levels all along the Ottawa River, and on Lake Temiskaming, will be well above normal conditions. Municipalities and residents, especially those in low-lying areas and along shorelines, are encouraged to monitor these conditions and prepare accordingly. Shorelines and banks adjacent to rivers and creeks are very slippery and unstable at this time and, when combined with cold open water, pose a serious hazard. Lake Nipissing water levels are increasing and are expected to reach the Maximum ‘Non-Damage’ Water Level of 196.22 on the lake by Friday. There is the possibility that water levels on the lake will exceed that mark into the weekend. In the northern reaches of the district which includes the Matabitchuan River and Montreal River watersheds, increased flows and water levels have been reported. Continued melting of the snow pack coupled with forecasted precipitation and water/reservoir management will contribute to increased runoff and the potential for localized flooding. A close watch on local forecasts and conditions is recommended. DEFINITIONS • 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 • 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. • 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/flooding 2 • Environment Canada bulletins: www. weather.gc.ca • A close watch on local conditions and weather forecasts from Environment Canada is recommended. ontario.ca/mnrf Disponible en français Contact Information For more information please contact: Graham Mewett, IRM Technical Specialist 705.475.5529 [email protected] Or Danielle Loranger, A/IRM Technical Specialist 705.475.5523 [email protected] 3 New Liskeard TTeemmiisskkaammiinngg SShhoorreess North Montreal Cobalt Haileybury April 30, 2019 Watershed LLaattcchhffoorrdd Temagami North Legend Highway Conservation Authority Admin Area Bear TTeemmaaggaammii Island Watershed Tertiary Northy Bay MNRF District Affected Portions of Watersheds Sturgeon Montreal Watershed Upper Ottawa - Kipawa Marten River Wyse Sturgeon Temiscaming Thorne French Glen Eldee Afton Central Ottawa - Dumoine River Tilden Valley Lake Upper Ottawa Desaulniers Field - Kipawa Kipling NNiippiissssiinngg Watershed MMaarrkkssttaayy--WWaarrrreenn OOuueesstt Phelps Verner North Bay Redbridge Garden Songis SStt..--CChhaarrlleess Lavigne Village District MMaattttaawwaa North North Corbeil Rutherglen Deux-Rivieres BBaayy Bonfield Callander Eau Central Ottawa 0 12.5 25 50 North French Astorville Claire Monetville Watershed Wades - Dumoine Monetville Kilometers Noelville Dokis Landing Chiswick Watershed Chapman's Landing Nipissing PPoowwaassssaann Map Produced By : North Bay District Restoule Christian North Bay Mattawa Farleys Valley Date Produced : 04/30/2019 Trout Conservation Map Projection : NAD 1983 UTM Zone 17N Corners Port Golden Creek Authority Data Sources : Base Data - Land Information Valley Loring Loring Bear Ontario Valley Map Purpose : Watershed Conditions Statement Arnstein South River µ This map is illustrative only. Do not rely on it as a 1:1,000,000 precise indicator of routes or locations, nor as a guide to navigation. FLOOD WARNING Date: April 25, 2019 From: NBMCA Duty Officer, Kurtis Romanchuk Time: 2:30 PM Message No: 4 FLOOD WARNING notifies that flooding is imminent or already occurring in specific watercourses or municipalities. Municipalities and individuals should take action to deal with flood conditions. This may include road closures and evacuations. This Flood Warning updates the previous Flood Warning. Current Conditions: The rainfall over the past week combined with the high snow water equivalence has resulted in continued significant runoff to area watercourses and lakes. Since April 18, more than 55mm of precipitation has fallen, and more than 100mm of snow-water-equivalence has melted. Between 10 and 30mm of rain is forecasted for tomorrow, and up to 50mm through this week, with some variability between weather forecasters. Flooding is imminent or occurring in low-lying areas around lakes and watercourses, particularly along large rural systems where runoff is accumulating. Wasi Lake, Trout Lake, Lake Talon, Lake Nosbonsing, and other lakes along and near the Mattawa River are currently experiencing very high water levels, and water levels will likely continue to rise with the forecasted rainfall. Urban watercourses including Chippewa Creek may experience a quick rise in response to any intense rainfall event. It is expected that Lake Nipissing will reach 196.0m, 15cm above the summer operating level, by this weekend. Lake Nipissing is also forecasted to reach 196.22m, the flood limit at which damages may begin to occur, by May 2. This may pose a threat to properties along the Lake Nipissing and Callander Bay shoreline, particularly if there are strong winds or waves. NBMCA is preparing to operate the Backflood Control Structure on Parks Creek to prevent the rising waters from Lake Nipissing from flowing upstream into Parks Creek. Information about the current status of Lake Nipissing may be found at the Public Services & Procurement Canada (PSPC) website: https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/ontario/eaux-water/renseignement-information-eng.html Although there is flooding in low lying areas along the Mattawa River, there are no concerns regarding backwater flooding in Mattawa from the rising water levels in the Ottawa River. Information about the current forecast water levels for the Ottawa River may be found at the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board website: http://www.ottawariver.ca/Forecast-2019.pdf. Duty Officer: Kurtis Romanchuk P: (705) 474-5420 F: (705) 474-9793 email: [email protected] www.nbmca.ca Page 1 of 2 Risk: Water levels within local watercourses and waterbodies are elevated due to the past rain combined with snowmelt. Water levels are expected to continue to rise with continued snowmelt. All residents, especially those in low-lying areas, are encouraged to monitor the conditions that are developing. Parents are encouraged to keep their children and pets away from watercourses and waterbodies. Municipalities are encouraged to monitor water crossings and to respond high water levels. A close watch on local conditions and updated forecasts and warnings from Environment Canada is also recommended Staff at the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority will continue to monitor weather and watershed conditions and provide updates if conditions change. The general public is advised of these messages through the www.nbmca.on.ca website with the flood status icon and a link to information about current conditions. NBMCA also circulates these messages to local media and social media, posting on Twitter (@theNBMCA), Instagram (nbmcainfo), and Facebook (NBMCA). The public is invited to share photos of watershed conditions on social media using #NBMCAFlood. This message will be in effect until (or updated before) Thursday,