Conservation Authority warns there may be drought

The Rideau River watershed is dry and has been edging toward a drought since last fall, raising the prospect of conditions that would threaten cottagers and farmers.

While dry land is letting farmers get onto their fields, the dry conditions “may have repercussions in the weeks to come,” says the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority.

The region received only 65 per cent of the normal amount of precipitation in February, March and April. Rainfall was also below average last fall.

The region’s last major drought was in 2012, when an early spring and dry weather did severe damage to corn and soybean crops, and led to a high number of forest fires in Quebec. Rideau watershed residents were asked to reduce water use and stop watering lawns and gardens that year.

“Streamflows are still on the decline following the third-lowest spring freshet flow since 1964 and are now below normal at all recording stations throughout the watershed,” the authority said in a statement Friday.

“Target water levels in the Rideau Canal reservoir lakes have been reached but, in order to achieve the targets for Bobs Lake, outflows had to be reduced, causing particularly low flows in the Tay River. This may have an impact on the success of fish spawning.”

The cool and dry spring weather caused much of the snowpack to sublimate (turn directly to water vapour) rather than melting quickly and running into lakes and streams.

Meanwhile, the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority recently warned that lake levels are low and “water levels could be significantly lower than normal leading into the summer months.”