For Immediate Release
Water Safety, Watershed Condition Statement for Residents of Catfish Creek Watershed
Issued on March 8, 2019 at 11:45 a.m.
Issued by: Peter Dragunas, Water Management Technician
Catfish Creek Conservation Authority
(519) 773-9037
This is a Water Safety, Watershed Conditions Statement indicating that high flows, unsafe banks, melting ice or other factors could be dangerous for users such as anglers, boaters, swimmers, children or pets. Flooding is not expected.
Forecast is for mixed precipitation (mostly rain) in the range of 15 mm of cumulative rainfall for Saturday evening and into Sunday morning.
Effective immediately, the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority is issuing a Water Safety, Watershed Conditions Statement for flood prone low-lying areas adjacent to watercourses within the Catfish Creek watershed and its tributaries. At present stream flow and water levels are about average within the Catfish Creek watershed. The snowpack is not saturated and may absorb some of the precipitation. The ground is frozen and has a limited ability to absorb any rainfall that is forecast in the aforementioned time period. As a result infiltration of the forecast rainfall may be limited and runoff has the potential to elevate water levels within the watershed. No major flooding is expected at this time but water levels may rise and may continue to remain higher during this forecast period. Due to these increased adverse weather conditions there is a potential for higher water flows resulting in unsafe channel bank conditions and other unpredictable dangers around waterways within the Catfish Creek watershed. Anglers, boaters, children, pets and people intending to undertake any recreational activities around watercourses need to abstain from these areas during these conditions.
The public is encouraged to exercise extreme caution near open bodies of water, and to keep children away from waterways during times of increased water flow. Landowners are advised to check dams, culverts, and catch basins and make sure they are free from debris and functioning as intended during high water situations.
CCCA will continue to monitor watershed conditions and will issue updates and recommendations as necessary. CCCA always recommends taking any necessary precautions to minimize the results of flood impacts of the Catfish Creek and its tributaries.