With its head waters in Algonquin Park, the Muskoka River Watershed stretches over 5,100 square kilometres and consists of 15 sub-watersheds that ultimately outlet into Georgian Bay. Water levels within large watersheds like the Muskoka River are impacted by a significant number of variables which can fluctuate dramatically throughout the year.
Local and seasonal residents continue to have concerns over water quantity management and the effects of flooding in the Township of Muskoka Lakes. The Township endeavors to keep the public informed about the state of water levels and to advocate for changes to mitigate the potential for flooding. Below is a collection of information relevant to the issues.
Managing Water Levels in the Township |
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Water levels in the lakes and rivers that make up the Muskoka River Watershed are controlled by a series of 42 control dams and spill structures. Of these structures, 11 are associated with power generating facilities, 29 are owned and operated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), one is owned by the District of Muskoka and one is owned and operated by the Township. Water levels of the lakes within the Township of Muskoka Lakes are controlled by the dams in Port Carling and Bala. The levels are managed through manipulation of the stop logs in the dams in order to achieve conditions in accordance with the Muskoka River Watershed Management Plan. The structures are managed in order to achieve power generation, fish habitat, and recreational objectives throughout the watershed. The MNRF is responsible for all operational decisions with respect to the dams. The MNRF attempts to accommodate the additional water from snow melt every spring by drawing down the water levels to provide for the additional volume. It is important to note that there is a limited ability to draw down the lakes and that the dams have a fixed capacity to pass water. The dams are not flood control structures. The MNRF monitors watershed conditions throughout the Province and issues advisories and warnings as conditions change. For information on watershed conditions, see the Surface Water Monitoring Centre. |
Township Advocacy |
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The Township does not have any operational control over the water levels in the lakes. The Township monitors conditions (as described below) and uses the information to guide its response to the prevailing conditions. Since the flood in 2019, the Township of Muskoka Lakes has been active in advocating for change to the MRWMP and for assistance in the development and implementation of mitigating strategies at the provincial level. Since that time the following presentations have been made to the province:
Advocacy remains one of the Townships key tools to affect change through its participation in groups such as the Muskoka Watershed Council and Muskoka River Watershed Communications Committee. |
Monitoring Conditions |
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The Township monitors water levels in Lakes Joseph/Rosseau, Lake Muskoka and the Moon River during the lead up to and through the spring freshet period. Information is obtained from a variety of sources including: Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the District of Muskoka. The sources below provide data covering the primary variables affecting water levels including current snowpack conditions, current water levels and anticipated weather conditions. The information is secured through a number of websites, and will be updated as it becomes available. The Federal Government has infrastructure on Lake Muskoka at Beaumaris and Bala Bay, and at the locks in Port Carling in order to measure water levels in real time. This data can be found at the links below:
The information is disseminated to Township Council and Township Operations Staff on a weekly or more frequent basis as necessary. Operational responses include:
Hydrologic modelling of the lakes and rivers supplemented with actual measurements from the 2019 flooding was completed by the District of Muskoka in 2020 to identify flood prone areas. Residents should consult the District’s GeoHub for further information. |
Integrated Watershed Management |
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In response to the 2019 flooding, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) created the Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group (MWAG) to provide advice regarding priority watershed management issues. MWAG provided recommendations for projects across three key themes:
After careful review and consideration of the Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group's recommendations and advice, in April 2021, the Province announced an initial investment of over $4 million to fund several projects aimed at further examining the existing conditions in the watershed and exploring ways to reduce the impacts of flooding and to address the health of the Muskoka River Watershed. The District of Muskoka is leading the majority of these projects, in partnership with the Muskoka Watershed Council. The District's 12 projects are divided into three phases. Please follow the following links to view the pages for these three phases: |
Stay Informed in an Emergency |
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In times of crisis it is important to have access to trusted, timely and accurate information to ensure the safety of our community. In response to this need, the Muskoka Emergency Response Committee (MERC) has chosen Should water levels become a matter of concern, the Township of Muskoka Lakes will be communicating via our emergency notification app, Voyent Alert!. By downloading the Voyent Alert! app and registering, residents and visitors can select to receive notifications from a wide variety of communication channels including: mobile apps, text/SMS alerting, email or voice calling. The system will also allow you to create and track multiple locations such as “Kid's School”, “Work”, “Cottage” or “Mom’s House”. Any event or communication related to your tracked locations will be forwarded to you along your preferred communication channel(s). Smart alerting capabilities ensure that you will only get notified when a communication is relevant to you or one of the locations you are tracking. |
Key Contacts |
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For further information regarding water levels please contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry:
For further information relating to integrated watershed management and local initiatives please visit the District of Muskoka’s EnviroHub website or call 705-645-2100.
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