A sudden turn in spring weather could lead to flooding in Muskoka.
This is the message from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry as the snow starts to melt across the district. MNRF Partnership Specialist Mara Kerry says if the snowpack melts gradually the lakes and river should stay at the average level for this time of year. But she says that’s never a sure thing.
Kerry says the change in weather would need to be significant to cause a major flooding event. She says thanks to the drier weather we’ve had lately, the snowpack melt is gradual and the water levels are normal for this time of year. She says the current depth of the snowpack, which refers to the buildup of snow over the winter months, is about 37 cm.
Kerry says last year the water levels were normal at the end of March as well, but major rainfall and warmer than usual temperatures in April eventually caused flooding across Muskoka.
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No immediate flooding risk, but water levels are higher than normal