Otonabee Conservation issues flood watch for Peterborough region

The conservation authority says a warming trend and precipitation over the next week will result in "significant" snowmelt and rainfall runoff.

Milder temperatures and rainfall expected over the next week prompted  Otonabee Conservation on Wednesday to issue a flood watch for waterbodies in the region — with the exception of Trent-Severn Waterway, Kawartha Lakes, Otonabee River and Rice Lake.

The conservation authority says the warming trend and precipitation will result in “significant” snowmelt and rainfall runoff.

“Continuing for the next week or more, the region will experience continuous snowmelt and 20 to 50 millimeters of rainfall, with most of the rain arriving March 18th and 19th,” a statement reads.

The Otonabee Region watershed includes Peterborough, sections of the City of Kawartha Lakes and the townships of Selwyn, Douro-Dummer, Asphodel-Norwood, Otonabee-South Monaghan and Cavan Monaghan, as well as the Municipality of Trent Hills.

Flooding is possible in low-lying areas with water levels and flows expected to increase along rivers, streams, creeks and wetlands.

However, a watershed onditions statement was issued for the Trent-Severn Waterway, Otonabee River and Rice Lake where high flows, ice or other factors could be dangerous, but flooding is not expected.

“If waters rise enough as to exceed channel capacity, it is expected to only do so in low-lying areas and to cause only nuisance level flooding,” the authority states.

The conservation authority notes waterbodies in the City of Kawartha Lakes are not expected to experience flooding over the next week given inflows from the north are expected to hold steady. However, ice conditions will become increasingly unsafe.