Water Levels Update

CEWF continues to be in regular contact with the TSW water management manager to monitor watershed conditions.

As of March 3, conditions were stable and near normal for lake levels and flows. The water equivalent in the snowpack in northern parts of the reservoir area was a bit below normal but as one moves south towards the Kawartha Lakes it was normal. In the southern parts of the Trent watershed the snowpack was above normal. Most reservoir lake levels were normal or just below normal as a result of the relatively cold conditions we have seen. Below the snowpack the ground has been frozen with a coating of ice in many areas resulting from the two winter rain events we experienced in February. Overall, the snowpack represents a solid base for filling the system in the spring.

We are now entering the time of year when conditions can be changeable. The intersection of the warm and cold air masses tends to be over our area with the chance of temperature extremes and significant precipitation. Recall that in 2020 a very warm week in March with winds resulted in much of the snow sublimating (evaporating) and/or melting and we had less runoff than expected from snowmelt and lakes were slow to fill. This past weekend we experienced one warm day with high winds and some rain in some areas but now the forecast is for a return to more normal winter conditions with more snow.

The most serious immediate impact from short periods of rain and melt is changing ice conditions on our lakes as there may be surface flooding and increased flows under ice making conditions unpredictable. Residents should be reminded to expect changing conditions.

When weather conditions change and the spring runoff begins, MNDMNRF with be responsible for issuing flood warnings if they are warranted. CEWF will continue to be in touch with the TSW water management team and we will post information on our website as it becomes available.