(North Bay October 15, 2021) Recent rainfall has left the ground saturated and water levels significantly above average for this time of year. These conditions combined with 23mm of rain in the forecast over the weekend have prompted the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority to issue a Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook for Chippewa Creek and similar urbanized watercourses and Water Safety statement for the remainder of its jurisdiction.
Flood outlook gives early notice of the potential for flooding based on weather forecasts that could lead to possible high runoff, riverine flooding, lakeshore flooding, or erosion while a Watershed Conditions Statement for Water Safety indicates that high flows and unsafe banks, could be dangerous for people in and around water.
“Although water levels are generally below flood levels, we’re seeing levels that would be typical for spring freshet. Watercourses in urbanized areas, such as Chippewa Creek, responded quickly to the rainfall and remain elevated, while watercourses in rural areas continue to rise and have not yet reached peak levels,” said Kurtis Romanchuk, NBMCA Duty Officer.
The current forecast for the NBMCA area of jurisdiction is around 7mm of rain today, 11mm tomorrow (Saturday), 5mm on Sunday, and clear thereafter. Due to the recent rainfall, the ground and surface storage areas are likely saturated, and further rainfall may result in significant runoff. Depending on the amount and intensity of rainfall, it is possible that flood levels may be reached in some areas.
“Localized flooding from area watercourses is possible if intense rainfall occurs, and water is likely to accumulate on roadways, parking lots and flat or low-lying areas. Serious flooding is not anticipated at this time,” added Romanchuk.
All residents, especially those in low-lying areas, are encouraged to monitor the conditions that are developing. Municipalities are encouraged to monitor shorelines and water crossings and respond to high water levels as necessary.
Banks adjacent to rivers and creeks become very slippery with precipitation, and when combined with open and/or fast-moving water can pose a serious hazard. Parents are encouraged to keep their children and pets away from watercourses and water bodies.
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.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 theNBMCA.
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) Wednesday, October 20, 5:00pm.
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For information on NBMCA's Flood Forecasting Program and notifications, visit the Flood Forecasting page of our website.