The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry – Pembroke District is advising area residents that a Watershed Conditions Statement – Water Safety is in effect throughout the district until Friday, March 28, 2025. A Water Safety Conditions Statement indicates that high flows, melting ice or other factors could be dangerous for such users as boaters, anglers and swimmers but flooding is not expected. This information comes from Madawaska Valley Township’s Emergency Management Coordinator, Fire Chief Corwin Quade, who regularly attends and reports on briefings about the spring freshet.
MNRF recommends that residents in Renfrew County / Pembroke District should consider the following:
- Recent warm weather has resulted in the melting of the snowpack and lake ice. This combined with forecasted precipitation and continued warm temperatures, will likely result in an increase to water levels on lakes and rivers.
- Residents in flood-prone areas are encouraged to closely follow changing conditions and to take necessary measures.
- Residents are advised to stay away from watercourses where flows are high and where banks might be unstable.
- Lower-lying portions of known flood-prone areas may be impacted to various degrees as lake/river levels rise over the next week.
- Please remember, no ice is safe ice. Ice conditions on local lakes may start to deteriorate with warmer temperatures and changing water levels and flows.
- Residents and visitors should exercise caution while around waterbodies and maintain close supervision of children and pets.
- MNRF also advises caution when using forest access roads for outdoor activities as they may become seasonally inundated with water, are prone to washouts and may become
- impassible due to localized flooding.
- The ministry is closely monitoring the weather and developing watershed conditions.
For more information:
• Surface Water Monitoring Centre public webpage www.ontario.ca/page/surface-water-monitoring-centre
• Environment Canada bulletins: www. weather.gc.ca
A close watch on local conditions and weather forecasts from Environment Canada is recommended.