Environment Canada issues Rainfall Warnings – Streams and Rivers may see Localized Flooding (media release, July 2, 2023)
The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) encourages residents to be alert for changing water levels in local streams and rivers.
Environment Canada issued Special Weather Statements and Rainfall Warnings this morning for large parts of Southwestern Ontario including the City of London as well as Middlesex, Oxford, and southern Perth Counties.
The statements call for widespread rain of 30 to 50 mm, at times heavy, lasting into this evening with localized rainfall amounts up to 100 mm. As of late morning, the UTRCA’s gauges had recorded up to 25 mm of rain so far today, with most UTRCA gauges recording less than 10 mm.
The UTRCA does not expect significant widespread flooding, but localized flooding is possible in areas that receive heavier and higher rain amounts.
It is not safe to take shelter along riverbanks or in low lying areas that are prone to flooding.
Parents are reminded to keep children and pets away from all watercourses. Banks adjacent to rivers, creeks, and ditches may be slippery and, when combined with fast-moving water, pose a serious hazard. Standing water can also present dangers.
The UTRCA’s flood control reservoirs at Fanshawe, Wildwood, and Pittock Conservation Areas are at seasonal levels and will be operated to reduce any downstream flooding.
Contact: Eleanor Heagy, Communications and Marketing Coordinator