— The following is a release from the Trent Severn Waterway, Parks Canada —
Trent-Severn Waterway – Water Level Management Update – March 17, 2025
Parks Canada’s water management team continues to actively monitor water levels, flows, and weather forecasts across the Trent-Severn Waterway. These factors are used to determine dam operations on a daily basis for the Trent-Severn Waterway.
Parks Canada maintains the Ontario Waterways Water Management InfoNet on the Trent-Severn Waterway website at: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/trentsevern/info/infonet/point-gestion-eau-water-management-updates
The InfoNet contains background information on water management practices, water management updates, frequently asked questions about water management, various reports on water management, and the most recent water levels of lakes along both the Rideau Canal and the Trent-Severn Waterway. The information comes from hydrometric gauges located at key points along both waterways and is vetted by trained and experienced Parks Canada water management staff.
This information is intended as supplemental information only. Please refer to your respective Conservation Authority or the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry as the primary source for relevant flood forecasting information specific to your area. These are: Kawartha Conservation, Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, Ganaraska Conservation Authority, Lower Trent Conservation Authority, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority or, in all other areas of the Trent and Severn Watersheds, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
Weather
The total amounts of precipitation recorded across the watersheds over the past 36 hours ranged from 10 to 40 mm. The weather forecast for the next five days predicts small precipitation amounts, approximately 5 mm of rain, with warmer air temperatures expected by midweek.
Outlook
Significant rainfall preceded by warm temperatures has, for the most part, primed the snow to be ready to run off and has resulted in the ongoing snowmelt and runoff across most of the watersheds. Water levels and outflows have increased and are expected to increase at all locations due to the precipitation and ongoing snow melt and runoff from rain. The Trent-Severn Water Management team will be active, and the changing conditions will be closely monitored. Any watershed conditions updates will be released by your Conservation Authority or local Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources district office.
Haliburton and Northern Areas
While most of the reservoir lakes remain at their respective winter set dam configurations with the onset of the melt, the reservoirs will be managed based on the remaining snowpack and anticipated inflow releases. Water levels on the lakes are near and above average and have increased from significant rainfall amounts. Flows on the Gull are above average for this time of year, as are the flows on the Burnt River, which are increasing due to rain and snowmelt runoff. The Haliburton snowpack, while reduced
because warm temperatures and rain remain close to average for this time of year and are rapidly receding due to warm temperatures and localized melt.
Kawartha Lakes and the Otonabee River
Water levels on the Kawartha Lakes are currently well below average but have increased due to rain and runoff and are expected to continue rising with ongoing snowmelt and rain runoff. Water flows on the Otonabee River are above average for this time of year and are expected to increase. Flows will remain higher as a result of the received precipitation.
Rice Lake and the Lower Trent
Rice Lake’s water level is above the long-term average and increasing. Water flows on the Lower Trent River are above average and increasing due to higher amounts of precipitation received.
Severn River
Lake Simcoe water levels are near average and are increasing due to the received precipitation and ongoing melt combined with precipitation runoff. Flows on the Black River are above average and increasing. Flows on the Severn River are on average and will continue to increase with additional discharge from Lake Simcoe and additional inflows generated by the received precipitation. Lake Simcoe outflows may be reduced depending on the response of the Black River.