For Friday, January 26th, 2024, this notice is intended to advise the public and local municipalities of the flooding within the NPCA’s jurisdiction as it relates to the Niagara Peninsula, the southeastern portion of the City of Hamilton and the eastern portion of Haldimand County.
The recent weather system that occurred overnight January 25th into early morning of January 26th has brought between 20 – 35 mm of rain across the Niagara Peninsula watershed. The combination of rain, snowmelt and saturated soils resulted in significantly increased water levels in some smaller tributaries where flooding is likely occurring. As the water is still moving through the system, water levels are still rising across the watershed in larger creeks and rivers. Currently water levels are below critical thresholds in the larger watercourses like 20 Mile Creek and the Welland River.
The current forecast is calling for the rain to stop by Friday afternoon, however warmer temperatures are expected to melt the remaining snowpack which may cause water levels to steadily increase into the weekend and will cause flooding of low-lying, flood prone areas. Additionally, large masses of ice and debris may cause flooding issues at culverts, bridges, and narrow channel areas.
Residents are urged to stay away from creeks and rivers at this time due to slippery slopes, unstable ice and elevated water levels as they can be hazardous. Local municipalities are advised to check for debris clogging culverts, catch basins and other storm infrastructure.
The NPCA will continue to monitor these conditions and will issue further messages as required. Information on the Flood Status in the watershed can be found on the NPCA’s website at:
https://npca.ca/stream-flow-monitoring
This notice is in effect until 9:00 AM, Tuesday, January 30th, 2024, and will be updated as required.