Rideau Canal - Water Level Management Update – April 11, 2025

Rideau Canal - Water Level Management Update – April 11, 2025

Parks Canada's water management team continues to actively monitor water levels, flows, and weather forecasts across the Rideau Canal National Historic Site. These factors are used to determine dam operations on a daily basis for the Rideau Canal National Historic Site.

Parks Canada maintains the Ontario Waterways Water Management InfoNet on the Rideau Canal website at https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/rideau/info/infonet.

The InfoNet provides background information on water management practices, updates on water management, frequently asked questions about water management, various reports on water management, and the most recent water levels of lakes along both the Rideau Canal and the Trent-Severn Waterway. The information comes from hydrometric gauges located at key points along both waterways and is vetted by trained and experienced Parks Canada water management staff.

This information is intended as supplemental information only. Your respective Conservation Authority continues to serve as the primary source for relevant flood forecasting information specific to your area. These are the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and the Cataraqui Conservation Authority.

Weather

The five-day forecast suggests a precipitation event with up to 15 mm of rain, and a warming up of air temperatures over the weekend.

Outlook

In the short term, water levels and flows have peaked across the system. While cold temperatures resulted in the recession of the inflows over the past week, watersheds remain saturated. The Rideau Water Management team will be actively monitoring the changing conditions. Any watershed conditions updates will be released by your Conservation Authority.

Cataraqui River

Lakes are near their seasonal averages and are expected to increase with the forecasted amount of rain.

Tay River

Bobs Lake and Christie Lake levels are above average, above full, and are stable; however may increase due to the rain. The levels on both lakes will continue to be monitored, and the balancing of the high water will continue. Flows on the lower Tay River are increasing.

Rideau River

Wolfe Lake, Upper Rideau Lake, and Big Rideau Lake levels are above the seasonal averages, monitored daily and assessed in relation to estimated runoff amounts. All the river reaches from Smith Falls to Burritts Rapids are near or above seasonal levels. Levels on the Long Reach are at full supply and receding. The flows in the Rideau River are average and receding.