Residents that live in the Lower Trent Conservation watershed region are still being asked to conserve water as minor drought conditions continue.
The three month average rainfall for June, July and August in the region is 225 mm, which is very close to the 3-month average summer precipitation total of 220 mm. Therefore there is no longer a precipitation trigger for Low Water Conditions.
However, this intermittent rainfall and low rainfall in some months has resulted in very low flows in some local streams, especially in the northern and eastern portions of the Lower Trent Watershed.
Level 1 Low Water conditions continue to be experienced across the Lower Trent Conservation watershed region, an area stretching from Grafton to Quinte West, and from Lake Ontario to Rice Lake. Based on the continuing Level 1 Low Water Condition, local municipalities, residents and businesses are expected to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 10 percent. Residents can help conserve water by using rain barrels to capture rain for watering lawns and gardens, limiting vehicle washing, etc.
Droughts can cause many severe impacts on the environment and communities including:
Water shortages for human consumption, industrial, business and agriculture use
Decline of water quality
Increase in wildfires
Increases in insect infestations and plant disease
There are three levels of Low Water Conditions with Level 1 being the least severe and Level 3 being the most.
Conservation Authority staff will continue to monitor conditions and report new information as it becomes available. To learn more about Ontario’s Low Water Response program visit our website at www.ltc.on.ca. You can also report any low water observations using the Low Water Reporting Form on the website.
