Snow Melt Update
Flood Watch
Issued January 26, 2024 at 10 am; Valid until January 31, 2024
The Upper Thames River basin received 30-50 mm of rain over the past three days. The snowpack in the watershed contained an estimated 20-40 mm of water equivalent before the rains began. The rain received, combined with above freezing temperatures, is melting the snowpack and the water is running off the land and into local waterways.
The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) expects water levels in streams and rivers to continue rising, peaking overnight in smaller streams and upstream areas, and into tomorrow in London. Water levels will remain above normal over the weekend, and into next week. The UTRCA does not expect serious flooding at this time, but water will spill over the banks in low lying areas known to traditionally flood in the spring.
Municipal staff are asked to monitor potential drainage problem areas where snow may have covered catch basins. Smaller rural watercourses have been drifted in by snow which can block flows during a runoff event, backing up water onto adjacent lands and causing localized flooding.
The public is reminded to exercise extreme caution and stay off all frozen water bodies. Any remaining ice cover will be weakened and unstable. Flood control reservoirs are especially hazardous due to fluctuating water levels.
Parents and guardians are reminded to keep children and pets away from all watercourses and off frozen water bodies. Banks adjacent to rivers and creeks are very slippery and, when combined with cold, fast-moving water, pose a serious hazard.
Do not go into standing water or attempt to drive through flooded roadways. It is not safe to take shelter along riverbanks or in low lying areas that are prone to flooding.
The UTRCA’s flood control reservoirs at Fanshawe, Wildwood, and Pittock Conservation Areas are being operated to reduce downstream flooding. UTRCA officials are monitoring the situation and will report on any changing conditions if necessary.