Issued Tuesday, April 21, 2026 – The Ministry of Natural Resources – North Bay District, is advising area residents in the southern areas of the Sturgeon and Upper Ottawa-Kipawa Watersheds (including and south of Janes, Dana, McWilliams, Thistle, McLaren, Gladman, Hammell, Osborne, Garrow, Clarkson and Poitras Townships and excluding the Ottawa River from Lake Timiskaming to the east boundary of Papineau Cameron Township) as well as the French Watershed that the Flood Warning bulletin has been extended until Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 4:00pm.
Residents in these areas should keep a close watch on conditions and exercise caution around lakes, rivers, creeks and streams. Spring freshet is under way and water levels and flows remain high as seasonal temperatures return and snow in the north continues to melt. Flooding persists in some areas and could occur in others. Please alert and or monitor any children and pets under your care to possible dangers and supervise their activities around waterbodies.
The ministry is closely monitoring the weather and developing watershed conditions. Further updates will be issued as appropriate.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Description of Weather System
The current forecast for the next five (5) days is calling for less than 5mm of rain throughout the district. Daytime temperatures will climb to the double digits by tomorrow (April 22) with nighttime temperatures following by the weekend (April 25).
Description of Current Conditions
Municipality of West Nipissing:Declared a State of Emergency due to flooding on April 18, 2026. Water levels remain high with several roads/highways being impacted, including highways 64 and 805.
Lake Nipissing:Water levels are forecasted to possibly reach the maximum “non-damage” level (196.22m) in the next few days. Significant ice remains on the lake which could result in damage if it’s pushed onto shore.
Mattawan Township: Hwy 533 remains closed from First Street in Mattawa and Hwy 63 in Redbridge due to flooding.
East Mills, Wilson (northern reaches), McConkey (southern reaches): Water levels at Le Gou Lake dam are beginning to stabilize.
Ellesmere Village (Tilden Lake area): the low-lying community which has a history of flooding continues to be impacted by high water levels.
After a few days of minimal precipitation as well as cooler temperatures, including below 0℃ nights, water levels and flows in some of the effected areas are starting to slowly trend down. The risk of rising water levels and flows remains high as remaining snowpack has a high moisture content and reduced ability to absorb any currently un-forecast rain events. Watercourses throughout the impacted areas are expected to react accordingly to the warming temperatures and any future rainfall events.
The ground in some of the effected areas remains saturated and has very little capacity to absorb moisture from rainfall or runoff.
Where it remains, lake and river ice continues to deteriorate and is considered unsafe. Extreme caution should be used around all bodies of water as spring freshet continues.
Structures such as homes, boat houses and docks could be at risk of flooding if located near lake/river level or are in other low-laying flood prone areas that have a history of flooding. Residents in these areas are encouraged to monitor conditions and prepare accordingly.
Municipalities, residents and visitors, especially those in low-lying areas and along shorelines, are encouraged to monitor conditions and prepare accordingly. Shorelines and banks adjacent to waterbodies are very slippery and unstable at this time and when combined with cold, fast flowing water, pose a serious hazard.
Everyone is encouraged to prepare accordingly and keep a close watch of local weather forecasts, special weather statements and warnings as weather systems can be dynamic, and paths of travel and amount and type of precipitation may change.
This message remains in effect until Tuesday April 28 at 4pm, or until it’s updated.
DEFINITIONS
- WATERSHED CONDITIONS STATEMENT – WATER SAFETY: indicates that high flows, melting ice or other factors could be dangerous for such users as boaters, anglers and swimmers but flooding is not expected.
- WATERSHED CONDITIONS STATEMENT – FLOOD OUTLOOK: gives early notice of the potential for flooding based on weather forecasts calling for heavy rain, snow melt, high winds or other conditions
- SHORELINE CONDITIONS STATEMENT – WATER SAFETY: indicates that along the Great Lakes shorelines high water, melting ice or other factors could be dangerous but flooding is not expected.
- SHORELINE CONDITIONS STATEMENT – FLOOD OUTLOOK: gives early notice of the potential for flooding along the Great Lakes shorelines based on weather and lake conditions, and water safety information.
- FLOOD WATCH: potential for flooding exists within specific watercourses and municipalities.
- FLOOD WARNING: flooding is imminent or occurring within specific watercourses and municipalities.
LEARN MORE
- Surface Water Monitoring Centre public webpage ontario.ca/page/surface-water-monitoring-centre
- Environment Canada bulletins: weather.gc.ca
- A close watch on local conditions and weather forecasts from Environment Canada is recommended.