2026 Spring Freshet Task Force Update
- Ward 5 Staff
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Background
Spring freshet refers to the annual increase of water discharged to rivers as the weather
warms and snow melts.
Spring freshets are heavily influenced by the amount of available
water in the snow, the rate of snow melt, and type of precipitation events. The Ottawa River
watershed conveys water from many rivers including the Rideau River. We can anticipate
some level of flooding and resulting risk from fast moving waters each year.
The increase in flow along the Rideau River and local waterways generally occurs mid-
March to mid-April. Traditionally, the Ottawa River will experience its greatest increases
throughout April/May.
2026 Spring Freshet Task Force, Planning and Flood Preparedness
The annual 2026 Public Works Spring Freshet Task Force has been established and is
monitoring water levels, snow conditions, and forecasts.
The Task Force includes interdepartmental representation to ensure information sharing
between potentially impacted City services. The Task Force includes representation from
Infrastructure and Water Services, Public Information and Media Relations, Ottawa Public
Health, the Corporate Real Estate Office, and Emergency and Protective Services. The
task force meets routinely to share situational awareness, planning, and operational
response updates.
The goal of city operations is to monitor conditions, minimize risk through routine
maintenance activities, and to support residents in flood vulnerable areas across the city.
Much of our planning and response focuses on communities and City assets along the
various rivers and especially along the Rideau River and Ottawa River.
The Infrastructure and Water Services Department (IWSD) is responsible for critical
infrastructure, such as the water purification plants and wastewater facilities. IWSD teams
have reviewed their critical infrastructure flood preparedness plans. Also, the Office of
Emergency Management will be ready to augment support should conditions warrant.
Each year, sandbag filling stations are established for use by residents for homes situated
within flood plains. Updates on sandbag stations will be provided on Ottawa.ca. Residents
should review the new information in this section for tips on flood preparation and planning
should sandbag protection be required.
Current Situation
Members of the Task Force began monitoring snow, river, and reservoir conditions in early
January. Although 2025 was marked by low-groundwater, conditions have returned to near
normal across the watershed thanks to early and ongoing snow events. Limited number of
mid-winter melting events have resulted in higher-than-average water content in the snow
in various locations across the larger Ottawa River catchment area.
No major river flooding is forecast at this time, however the Rideau Valley Conservation
Authority has issued a Flood Watch for the North Gower area. The Mississippi Valley and
South Nation Conservation Authority also issued statements for their areas this week.
Forecasted precipitation may have impacts on our smaller waterways and even the Rideau
River in the coming weeks. Residents are encouraged to monitor melt and rain
conditions over the next few weeks. Due to uncertainty in long‑range forecasting, we are
unable to predict water levels through to the end of the typical freshet for any local
waterways, including the Ottawa River.
The initial work of the 2026 PW Freshet Task Force will include:
▪ Monitoring the Rideau River Flood Control program;
The Rideau River Flood Control operations occur in partnership with the
Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. Ice breaking and clearing operations
along the Rideau River are underway. This work allows water to flow
unrestricted and helps alleviate possible spring flooding in flood-prone areas.
▪ Implementation of a communications plan in partnership with Public Information
and Media Relations (PIMR) to ensure the Water pooling flood control and Freshet
- Current Situation webpages and City of Ottawa social media accounts are
updated.
▪ Ensuring ongoing interdepartmental collaboration on protection plans for critical
assets including the Water Purification Plants and Wastewater Facilities.
▪ Implementation of operational procedures for the appropriate deployment of early
support into communities as required; and
▪ Continued delivery of core Public Works services.
Next Steps
Communication is our priority. Regular updates will be provided to residents through
Ottawa.ca and affected Councillors via task force outreach. Key objectives for these
updates include assisting residents with their personal flood preparedness plans;
increasing awareness of the City’s operational activities, and sharing other resources
through Ottawa.ca. Where impacts occur, Traffic Services will issue updated Emergency Road
Closure notifications on the interactive Traffic Map.
Residents are encouraged to follow the City’s social media channels for updates. Residents
should also visit the Spring Flooding 2026 page for the most current freshet related
information. Residents can also sign up to receive updated flood notices from our local
conservation authority partners:
Information on Ottawa River conditions can be found at Current Conditions - Ottawa River
Regulation Planning Board. To assist with concerns or questions from residents, please
direct inquiries to SpringFreshetLiaison@ottawa.ca.
