GRAND RIVER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY
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Flood Warning Message #4 – Combined Flood Warning/Flood Watch
The Grand River Conservation Authority is issuing the following combined Flood Warning/Flood Watch message, which replaces Flood Message #3.
Flows in northern and central portions of the watershed continue to recede but will remain high through the weekend. Flows are expected to peak in the southern Grand River watershed on Saturday.
The potential for ice jams still remains in New Hamburg, Plattsville, Six Nations Territory, Cayuga and Port Maitland. Ice jams can occur quickly and without warning, increasing the risk of localized flooding. Residents in areas prone to ice jams should prepare accordingly.
The Flood Warning, previously in place for New Hamburg, has been downgraded to a Flood Watch.
A Flood Warning has been updated for:
- Nith River (Ayr): Flows in the Nith River through Ayr are peaking early Saturday afternoon in Warning Zone 2 based on the current forecast and will recede but remain high through the weekend.
A Flood Watch has been updated for:
- Nith River (New Hamburg): Flows peaked on Friday evening in New Hamburg and will recede but remain high through the weekend. Ice remains intact upstream of New Hamburg dam. Wilmot flood co-ordinators are asked to continue to monitor conditions due to the risk of ice jam flooding.
- Grand River (Six Nations): Flows through Six Nations Territory peaked on Saturday morning. An ice jam located between Fairchild Creek and Chiefswood Road remains in place which will increase the risk of additional ice jams and flooding in low lying areas through this reach. Six Nations and County of Brant flood coordinators are advised to monitor road conditions in this area.
- Grand River (Caledonia and Cayuga): River ice remains present in the southern Grand River upstream of Dunnville Dam. Potential for ice jams is possible in low lying areas typically prone to flooding. Flood coordinators are advised to monitor conditions in this area.
GRCA’s major reservoirs at Belwood, Conestogo, Guelph, Luther, Woolwich, Laurel, and Shade’s Mills are being used to store runoff from this event and reduce flooding downstream of these reservoirs.
GRCA Ice Fishing
Ice Fishing has now been closed at all GRCA Conservation Areas due to unsafe ice conditions.
Stay Safe
The public is reminded to exercise extreme caution around all water bodies. Banks adjacent to rivers and creeks are very slippery at this time and, when combined with current weather conditions, pose a serious hazard. Parents are encouraged to keep their children and pets away from all watercourses and stay off all frozen water bodies, which will be weakened as a result of the warming trend.
This message will remain in effect until 4:00pm on Monday, March 18, 2019. Updated flood messages will be issued as conditions develop and better forecast information becomes available.
More information
- For more information on flows, weather and reservoir conditions see the River Data section of the GRCA website.
- Safety information for parents and children is available in the GRCA’s River Safety Rules booklet.
- More information on the flood warning system is available on the GRCA website.
- Receive GRCA flood messages by e-mail by subscribing through the GRCA website.
- Follow GRCA flood messages on Twitter at grca_flood_msg.
- More information about how the GRCA manages floods is available in the Flooding section of the website.
