May 1, 2023: After several days of heavy rain both here and in the northern part of the Ottawa River watershed, we did see the lower Ottawa rise today. And that will continue until at least Wednesday. According to the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board, levels in the Constance Bay area are expected to rise by 25-30cm above last week's levels.
The City of Ottawa’s Emergency Operation Centre remains active and will have a presence in affected areas of Ward 5 over the next few days as we monitor levels and provide resources where needed. If you feel your property is in jeopardy or have time to assist with volunteer efforts please reach out to West Carleton Disaster Relief.
We have seen how quickly things can change so please stay vigilant, continue to monitor water levels and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Just contact our office at Clarke.Kelly@Ottawa.ca
We will provide the latest daily updates here on our website, and on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Best regards,
Clarke
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River Conditions Forecast from the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board
Last Update: 2023-05-02 5:46 PM Next Update: 2023-05-03 5:00 PM
Flows and levels on the Ottawa River continue to rise due to increased runoff from significant rainfall over the entire basin received over the last few days. Levels are expected to peak in all locations on Wednesday or Thursday from Mattawa down to Chats Lake, and on Thursday or Friday from Lake Deschenes down to the Hawkesbury / Grenville area. Levels should remain 40 cm to 70 cm below the historical levels of 2019 depending on locations. Levels in Mattawa and Pembroke are now expected to slightly exceed the major flood threshold. Levels are above major flood threshold in Lake Coulonge since April 19 and are expected to exceed that threshold in Chats Lake and Lake Deschenes today. Please refer to the forecast section of our website for more information about the expected peak levels. Between Ottawa/Gatineau and the Hawkesbury / Grenville area, levels are expected to exceed the major flooding thresholds starting today in flood prone areas. The major flood threshold is defined as the level at which one or several streets are beginning to flood, with several houses/buildings or neighbourhoods being affected
More details about forecasted peak levels is provided in our May 1 Press Release.