By Staff
August 16th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Record inflows from Lake Erie are expected to continue which impacts water levels in Lake Ontario.
Add significant rainfall to that and local flood warnings become very real. It will be a decade more before the damage done by the August 2014 flood has left our psyches.
The latest information provided by the International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board (ILOSLRB) indicates that Lake Ontario reached a mean daily water level of 75.57 m on August 13th, declining by approximately 1cm per day during the preceding week. The latest water level is 35 cm below this year’s peak level (recorded on June 15th) and remains 64 cm above average but is now 6 cm below the record level for this time of year set in 1947.
Burlington knows what a flash flood look like and the damage they can do. With Climate Change a part of our lives weather warnings need to get tighter attention.
Record high outflows (equivalent to the peak releases during June to August of 2017, but having now surpassed the interval of those outflows in 2017) continue to be released to lower the lake level and provide some relief to shoreline stakeholders, while also considering the effects of higher flows on interests in the St. Lawrence River.
Lake Ontario levels are expected to continue to slowly decline in the coming days, with the forecasted drier conditions combined with the continuation of record-high outflows. Notwithstanding, water levels will remain elevated for the next several weeks and into the late summer months as record inflows from Lake Erie are expected to continue.
All shoreline areas should be considered dangerous during this time. Localized flooding combined with the potential for waves to overtop breakwalls and other shoreline structures continue to make these locations extremely dangerous. Conservation Halton is asking all residents to exercise caution around Lake Ontario shoreline areas and to alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
This Flood Watch – Lake Ontario Shoreline message will remain in effect until August 22nd. Conservation Halton will continue to monitor Lake Ontario wind conditions and lake levels closely and will either terminate this message or issue further updates as necessary.
Additional information is available online through the ILOSLRB website and on Facebook:
Current Conditions: https://ijc.org/en/loslrb/watershed/current-conditions
Forecasts: https://ijc.org/en/loslrb/watershed/forecasts
