High water bulletin
Posted May 17, 2011 02:49:50 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Steady rain has prompted the Grand River Conservation Authority to issue a high water safety bulletin.
“Obviously coming into the long weekend, we’ve got a lot of people out on the (Grand) river either fishing, canoeing, boating, even on the riverbanks,” explains Cam Linwood, Communications Co-ordinator for the GRCA, of the precautionary measure. “We want to make sure people are aware that the water is moving a lot faster than it normally is at this time of year and we want them to be ready.”
The bulletin has been issued in the wake of several days of rain, totalling up to 50 millimetres in some parts of the Grand River Watershed. Linwood says that has saturated the ground and much of the rainfall has run directly into the river, causing flows to increase. Reservoirs are full at this time of year so much of the water that goes into the reservoir comes directly back out.
The forecast, while wet, is not calling for any major rainfall events. And Linwood says that’s a good sign.
“Flooding doesn’t seem to be an issue,” he states. “We are monitoring things but (this bulletin was issued because of) all the rain over the past week and (what’s ahead) in the coming days.”
Parents are encouraged to keep their children and pets away from watercourses at this time.
Information on river flows and reservoir levels can be found on the GRCA’s website at www.grandriver.ca in the “River data” section.
