Coalition for Equitable Water Flow

CEWF 2019 Priorities

Each year the CEWF Executive Committee reviews and updates its priorities for the upcoming year. To view the 2019 priorities - click here. This same document can be viewed from our website home page - see left column under 'Background'.

Please forward any questions or comments via our CEWF email - cewfca@gmail.com

Happy New Year!

2018 TSW Water Levels Summary

At the end of December, the TSW resets its online water levels charts. In order to have a record of the 2018 water levels for all the reservoir and canal lakes CEWF is making available screen shots from the TSW site as of the end of December 2018. These include the actual 2018 water level data as well as the multi-year average and historic extremes. The summary charts are organized alphabetically within each sub-watershed as per the Key Map. They may be viewed by clicking the links below (see also under 'TSW Water Levels’ on right hand side of the CEWF website homepage). 

2018 Key Map - click here

Burnt River Sub-Watershed - click here

Gull River Sub-Watershed - click here

Central Reservoirs Sub-Watersheds - click here

Kawarthas Sub-Watershed - click here

Lower Trent Sub-Watershed - click here

Severn River Sub-Watershed - click here

Please refer any questions on this material via our email - cewfca@gmail.com.

Water Management Update - Dec 19/18

From TSW:

Water Level Management Update – Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Trent-Severn

Weather

The weather forecast for Thursday and Friday of this week suggests a precipitation event in the amount of 30 to 50 mm.

Outlook

Depending on the amounts of rain across the areas local snow melt and snow melt runoff will occur greatly impacting the watershed response. Water levels and outflows are expected to increase at all locations due to the precipitation. Trent Severn Water Management team will be active and the changing conditions will be closely monitored. Any watershed conditions updates will be released by your Conservation Authority or local Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources district. 

Haliburton and Northern Areas 

All reservoir lakes remain at their respective winter set dam configuration. Water levels on the lakes in general are near average and are slowly decreasing. Flows on the Gull and Burnt Rivers are about average for this time of year.

Municipal Election Summary

Summary of Responses from Elected Candidates, Municipal Elections, October 22nd, 2018

The CEWF received 24 responses to its questions from candidates elected to 39 councillor positions in the seven Trent watershed municipalities covering the reservoir area. These councillors were "on board" with declared support for the CEWF approach to integrated water management, with flood plain mapping and flood mitigation planning, with the need to update township official planning documents with respect to flooding, with the need for revisions to TSW water management strategies in the context of changing weather patterns, and with identifying trout spawning areas in the RaFT lakes.

Below are links to the pre-election questions put to the candidates by CEWF, and the responses from the 24 candidates who were elected.

CEWF Questions to Candidates [click here]

Responses from Elected Candidates. [click here]

 

Happy Holidays to all from the CEWF Executive Committee!

Water Management Update - Nov30/18

Parks Canada's water management team continues to actively monitor water levels and flows, and weather forecasts across the Trent-Severn Waterway. These factors are used to determine dam operations on a daily basis for the Trent-Severn Waterway. To view the Water Management Update for November 30, 2018 - click here 

Weather

The weather forecast for early next week is changing significantly from day to day. A 20 to 30 mm precipitation event is forecasted across Saturday and Sunday. 

Outlook

Depending on the amounts of rain across the areas local snow melt and snow melt runoff will occur greatly impacting the watershed response. The current forecast that water levels and outflows will increase at most locations. Trent Severn Water Management team will be active and the changing conditions will be closely monitored. Any watershed conditions updates will be released by your Conservation Authority or local Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources district. 

Haliburton and Northern Areas 

All reservoir lakes remain at their respective winter set dam configuration. Water levels on the lakes in general are slightly below average and are beginning to level out. Flows on the Gull River are slightly below average, while flows on the Burnt River are above average. Central Lakes levels are above average for this time of the year.

Water Level Forecast - Oct1/18

To view the TSW 2 week water level forecast dated Oct 1, 2018 - click here

CEWF Annual Communications Meeting 2018

On Saturday September 8, 2018, CEWF held our Annual Communications Meeting attended by representatives of our member lake associations. To view a full summary of the meeting and all the presentation material - click here 

The meeting agenda included administrative reports from the CEWF Executive Committee as well as a detailed review of the water management experience in 2018. Presentations included a review of the Parks Canada capital construction program in the reservoir area and a review of 2018 water management experience from the TSW Water Management Manager of the Trent Severn Waterway of Parks Canada. The Chair of CEWF presented a report to members as well as a review of the CEWF perspective on the 2018 water management experience.

 

Water Level Forecast Sep25/18

To view the TSW 2 week water level forecast beginning Sept 24/18 - click here

Drawdown to winter levels continues with many lakes forecast to drop more than 30 cms in the next two weeks. The TSW goal is to have all reservoirs to minimum levels by October 15 to accommodate the lake trout spawning period. The log settings are already at winter set levels on many lakes, and it is expected that all dams will have winter log settings by next week.

 

Water Level Forecast + Election Responses

The fall drawdown continues. To view the 2 week TSW Water Level Forecast commencing Sep 17 - click here

The election - to view the responses received as of Sep 26 from the 2018 Municipal Election candidates - click here

Water Level Forecast Sep12/18

Significant Drawdown Forecast for Many Lakes - for the 2 week TSW forecast starting Sept 10 - click here

The latest two week  forecast for reservoir drawdown includes significant draws on many reservoirs. Of the 36 reservoirs, 24 are forecast to be dropping more than 25cms, of those 8 will drop more than 35 cms, and two will drop more than 45cms. Many lakes have been at above average levels after much higher than normal rainfall amounts since the last week of July and through all of August when Haliburton recorded almost double its normal rainfall.

The fall water management target is to get all lakes to their minimum levels by October 15 to accommodate lake trout spawning. Given the current relatively high levels on many lakes we can expect rapid drawdown over the next month.