Ottawa River Water Levels – Lake Coulonge down to Montreal Region
Press Release posted on 2019-04-16 by Ottawa River Regulating Committee
OTTAWA/GATINEAU, Tuesday April 16, 2019 — The Ottawa River Regulating Committee cautions that levels and flows on the Ottawa River from Lake Coulonge down to the Montreal region continue to rise due to precipitation received and ongoing snowmelt. With significant rainfall forecasted later this week, levels will exceed minor flood levels over the Easter weekend in flood prone areas along the Ottawa River at Lake Coulonge, Chats Lake, Britannia / Lac Deschenes, Pointe-Gatineau, Ottawa / Cumberland, Rockland, Thurso and other vulnerable areas down to the Montreal Archipelago. Based on the current weather forecast, levels could reach those observed during the period from April 18 to April 21, 2017. They will however remain below the maximum levels that were reached in May 2017.
River Conditions Forecast / Flooding Risk: The current snowpack throughout much of the Ottawa River basin remains at twice its normal depth for this time of the year. Meteorological forecasts indicate that two low pressure systems will be combining to produce significant rainfall (30 to 55 mm) throughout the watershed beginning on Thursday. Combined with spring runoff from the central and southern portions of the watershed, this precipitation is expected to cause a rapid and sustained increase in water levels and flows on the main stem of the Ottawa River. Levels are expected to exceed minor flood levels over the weekend in vulnerable areas along the Ottawa River with further significant flooding possible based on the amount of precipitation received.
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