As temperatures rise above freezing in Waterloo region, conservation authority keeps watch on waterways
Risk of flooding tied to how fast temperatures go up, GRCA says
The temperature is expected to go above zero this week in Waterloo region and area and officials with the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) say they'll keep a close watch on the melting snow and ice all along the watershed.
Environment Canada's forecast says rain and snow are possible all week, with daytime temperatures remaining above freezing until Friday, when they'll drop again.
Vahid Taleban, the manager of flood operations with the GRCA, says they will be conducting a river watch this week along the entire watershed.
"What we observed during the months of January and February was that the temperatures were below normal or below averages. Basically as a result of that, there is some ice buildup or ice formation on the water process, which will potentially increase the risk of ice jams if we see a rapid melt," Taleban said.
"Another pattern that we're observing is that the degree to which the temperatures will rise are more in the lower portion of the watershed and southern portions like the Brantford and Dunnville area. It will be warmer than upper portions or middle portions of the watershed. And that's ideal for us for the river to be free of ice or having looser ice in the lower portion to like free room for the runoff that's generated from upstream basically."
Hoping for a gradual melt
The GRCA has divided the length of the watershed into several segments, and in each segment there is a designated person responsible for keeping track of the river conditions.
Taleban hopes the melt is gradual and isn't a repeat of February of 2018 when overnight, below zero temperatures jumped to between plus 10 to 15 Celsius and caused flooding because of the snow melt and ice jams.
While the flow of the river is monitored 24/7, the snow volumes are looked at about twice a month. Taleban says they look at both the depth of the snow, but also how much water is in the snow pack, what they call the "snow water equivalent."
"This year we have seen a lot of snow and yes, sometimes in some areas there are approaching record values. However, the snow is not very dense. It's a bit light. As a result of that, the amount of water that's in the snow pack is not significantly higher than before," he said.
People living along the watershed can receive four levels of flood messages by subscribing to a service offered by their municipality or through the GRCA website.