Algonquin Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt says the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW) has begun the drawdown earlier than usual in the Haliburton area. 

 

On her Facebook page last week, Moffatt said July’s rainfall was 30 per cent less than normal. 

 

“The bad news is that if you’re on a flow-through lake this means mudflats, water intakes under threat, boats sitting on the lake bottom,” Moffatt wrote. 

 

She said municipal officials continue to work with the Coalition for Equitable Water Flow to monitor the levels and ensure the TSW knows the local situation. 

 

“When Mother Nature serves up drought-like conditions, there isn’t much to be done but our advocacy with TSW will continue. I’ve been keeping files of water level photos and emails for years, so feel free to send me yours with your lake name and date taken. They are often helpful in our ongoing discussions about water equity,” she said. 

 

In its latest update, the TSW said most lakes are near or above long-term average water levels. They said the Gull River reservoirs were 79 per cent full and the Burnt River reservoirs 83 per cent full while the Central Reservoirs were 84 per cent full. 

 

“The drawdown will continue and the rate of drop will be largely dependent on the rainfall received.” 

 

The most recent two week water level forecast can be found at pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/on/trentsevern/info/infonet/ rabattement-drawdown-forecast