The Planning Board was established to ensure integrated management of the principal reservoirs of the Ottawa River Basin:
Water levels and flows on the main stem of the Ottawa River are close to normal for this time of the year and are expected to be fairly stable over the coming week.
Because of reduced evapotranspiration and increased precipitation during the fall, water level increases are common on the Ottawa River.
In the fall, the soil capacity to absorb precipitation is less than in summer. This is because the vegetation, which has become dormant with trees having shed their leaves, is not intercepting rainfall or taking up the water contained in the soil. Such reduced evapotranspiration rates lead to rapid increases in water runoff to the river and increases in water levels.
Operationally, as reservoirs are already full at this time of the year, all excess precipitation result in increased river flows that must necessarily pass through the system as there is no available storage. It should be noted that elevated water levels during the fall do not affect the ability to drawdown reservoirs over the winter period. Also, they are not a predictor of high water levels in the spring. For more information about fall river conditions and reservoirs drawdown, please refer to the December 11 bulletin by the Ottawa River Regulating Committee available below.
You may also be interested in reading our latest FAQ – ‘Q14 – What are the factors that contribute to flooding?’
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Bulletins posted on 2020-12-11 by Ottawa River Regulating Committee
The Ottawa River Regulating Committee provides integrated management of the principal reservoirs in the Ottawa River basin throughout the year,
Bulletins posted on 2020-10-23 by Ottawa River Regulating Committee
The Ottawa River Regulation Committee would like to advise residents that a notable increase in water levels and flows is
Bulletins posted on 2020-10-21 by Hydro Quebec
Please note that the bulletin issued by Hydro-Québec on October 21st was updated on October 27, 2020. Read the Press