The Trent Severn Waterway team is currently working and actively operating the dams on the reservoir lakes.
— The following is a release from The Trent Severn Waterway Parks Canada —
Trent-Severn Waterway – Water Level Management Update – April 17, 2025
Parks Canada’s water management team continues to actively monitor water levels, flows, and weather forecasts across the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site. These factors are used to determine dam operations on a daily basis for the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site.
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 and Forestry.
Weather
The five-day weather forecast is predicting a series of low-pressure systems, with total amounts of rain ranging between 20-30 mm. Daytime temperatures are forecasted to rise significantly and remain above the freezing mark overnight.
Outlook
While the winter snowpack has receded significantly in the Haliburton area, forecasted rain and the remaining melting snowpack are expected to generate inflows, impacting the system as a whole. Flows and water levels remain high and, while receding, may level off or increase at some locations as the impact of the rain runoff makes its way through the system. The public should expect significant fluctuations in water levels in some locations over the next several weeks as necessary seasonal operations are being conducted across the waterway to prepare for the upcoming navigation season.
The Trent-Severn Water Management team will be active, and 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.
Haliburton and Northern Areas
Water levels and flows remain high in the northern areas. Gull River reservoirs are 86% full, Burnt River reservoirs are 91% full, and Central Lakes reservoirs are 93% full. Lake levels are monitored on a 24-hour basis, and operational activities are currently conducted based on the current watershed conditions, lake levels, estimated runoff amounts, and forecasted rainfall. The flows on Gull River and Burnt River have peaked and are receding but are expected to remain high because of the high amount of runoff from precipitation.
Kawartha Lakes and the Otonabee River
The inflows are receding across the system, and as a result, water levels are decreasing. Water levels in the Kawartha Lakes, however, remain above full level conditions due to sustained and high inflows from the Haliburton area and the amounts of rainfall. Flows on the Otonabee River are above average for this time of year.
Rice Lake and the Lower Trent
Rice Lake, Upper and the Lower Trent River are above full. While water levels are receding, they remain high due to the above normal precipitation amounts and inflows from the Otonabee River, Crowe River. The Crowe River has peaked and is also receding.
Severn River
Lake Simcoe water levels are above average, above full, and beginning to recede, but may increase with the forecasted precipitation amounts. Black River flows have peaked and are receding but remain high for this time of the year. Operations for Lake St. John are currently being conducted as the Black River flows show stable trends. Lake Simcoe outflows remain maximized as Black River flows continue to decline. Flows on the Severn River are stable and will remain high.