Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook and Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety

A Flood Outlook for most of the North Bay-Mattawa watershed, along with a Watershed Conditions Statement - Water Safety for the Lake Nipissing Shoreline and the Mattawa River downstream of Hurdman Dam, have been issued according to the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA).

Water levels on area lakes and rivers are generally normal for this time of year, though they have risen over the past week in response to mild temperatures, rainfall, and snowmelt. On April 1, the average snow depth was 42.5 cm and the snow water equivalent across the watershed was 133.3 mm, which are both above normal. The remaining snow is wet, heavy, and unstable, and many wetlands and low-lying areas are currently inundated. Trails at the Corbeil Conservation Area are closed due to flooding.

"Significant water content remains stored in the snowpack, and many wetlands and low-lying areas across the watershed are inundated,” said Angela Mills, NBMCA Flood Duty Officer. "Water levels and flows are expected to increase with forecasted rain and resulting snowmelt."

The April 1 scheduled snow survey recorded an average snow depth decrease of 10.1 cm and a snow water equivalence decrease of 23.3 mm since the March 23 survey. All three monitoring stations are currently above normal.

Table 1: North Bay Golf and Country Club (Chippewa Creek Watershed, North Bay)  

*Data prior to Dec. 2011 from the former Northeast Mental Health Centre, Hwy 11

Table 2: Corbeil Conservation Area (La Vase River Watershed, Corbeil)

Table 3: Shirley Skinner Conservation Area (Kaibuskong River Watershed, Chisholm)

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a Yellow Warning – Rainfall for the North Bay–Powassan–Mattawa area, with 30–50 mm of rain and possible freezing rain expected today, April 2, into tomorrow. Temperatures are forecast to reach 10 °C tomorrow, with daytime highs above freezing and overnight lows near freezing through the weekend, and additional rainfall expected Saturday. Water levels and flows on local creeks and rivers will rise in response.

The public is encouraged to keep children and pets away from watercourses and shorelines. Residents should be aware that water levels and flows in local streams and rivers, particularly in urban areas, can change rapidly during and after rainfall events. While widespread flooding is not anticipated, ponding and localized flooding is possible in flood-prone, low-lying areas. For flood emergencies, contact your local municipality. Residents of unincorporated townships should contact the Ministry of Natural Resources – North Bay District.

NBMCA staff will continue to monitor conditions as part of the Authority's Flood Forecasting and Warning Program and will update this message as needed.

Current flood status and condition updates are available at nbmca.ca. This statement is also distributed to local media and posted on X (@theNBMCA), Facebook (@theNBMCA), and Instagram (@nbmcainfo).

This message is in effect until Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM EDT.

Note: The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority is responsible for local flood forecast and warning programs for residents who live within the jurisdiction, including those in North Bay and Callander to Mattawa. Where a Conservation Authority has not been established, the local MNR District Office is responsible for local Flood Forecast and Warning programs, including along the Ottawa River, see MNR Flood Forecast and Warning.

Released Flood Bulletin - April 2, 2026

CONTACT:

Angela Mills, Flood Duty Officer, cell: 705-497-4668
Paula Loranger, Community Relations Coordinator, cell: 705-494-5115