A dry start to the summer is causing water levels to drop along the Rideau River.
The Rideau River watershed has dropped to the threshold for “Minor Low Water Status.” The Rideau Canal reservoir lakes are at levels typical of early August.
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority says the rainfall in the last 90 days is about 80 % of the normal amount for this time of year.
Ottawa has only received 0.6 mm of rain in July.
The conservation authority says lake levels and streamflows are below normal for this time of the year, but are still above critical thresholds.
In a statement, the RVCA says “smaller streams will be drying up as they do most years. There is flow in larger streams in the watershed but it is declining.
