Flood Watch – Lake Erie Storm Surge (Event Message #1)

November 2, 2020

Effective immediately, Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) is issuing a Flood Watch – Lake Erie Storm Surge for the entire shoreline within its jurisdiction.

Environment Canada has issued a strong wind warning, and is forecasting west/southwest winds Monday afternoon and into the evening. Winds are expected to reach 55 km/h with gusts up to 90 km/h. With these forecasted winds, minor flooding is expected to impact low lying areas along the Lake Erie shoreline. Wave uprush and increased shoreline erosion can be expected from this event.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is currently forecasting Lake Erie to rise in the western Long Point area by 0.4 meters above the current level to an elevation of 175.1 meters (IGLD 1985), and in the Port Colborne area by 0.85 meters above the current level to an elevation of 175.55 meters (IGLD 1985). Levels are expected to remain elevated between Monday afternoon and the early hours of Tuesday. Wave heights are forecast to reach up to 2.0 meters in the Long Point area and 1.65 m along Haldimand County’s shoreline.
Community flood coordinators are asked to monitor road conditions along the lakeshore and warn those residents and businesses in low lying areas along the lakeshore.

People are urged to use caution or stay away from Lake Erie shoreline areas experiencing strong wave action and elevated water levels. Parents are reminded to keep children and pets away from these areas.

This Flood Watch for the Lake Erie shoreline is in effect until 9:00 A.M. on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020. LPRCA staff will continue to monitor forecasts and will update this message as necessary.

Flood Watch – Lake Erie Storm Surge (Event Message #1)

October 31, 2020

Effective immediately, Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) is issuing a Flood Watch – Lake Erie Storm Surge for the entire shoreline within its jurisdiction.

Environment Canada has issued a strong wind warning and is forecasting southwesterly winds starting early Sunday morning that will continue into the evening. Winds are expected to reach of 50 km/h with gusts up to 80 km/h. With these forecasted winds, minor flooding is expected to impact low lying areas along the Lake Erie shoreline. Wave uprush and increased shoreline erosion can be expected from this event.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is currently forecasting Lake Erie to rise in the western Long Point area by 0.3 meters above the current level to an elevation of 175.0 meters (IGLD 1985), and in the Port Colborne area by 0.62 meters above the current level to an elevation of 175.3 meters (IGLD 1985). Levels are expected to remain elevated between noon on Sunday and 10:00 pm. Wave heights are forecast to reach up to 2.0 meters in Long Point and 1.4 m along Haldimand County in LPRCA’s watershed.

Community flood coordinators are asked to monitor road conditions along the lakeshore and warn those residents and businesses in low lying areas along the lakeshore.

This Flood Watch for the Lake Erie shoreline is in effect until 9:00 A.M. on Monday, November 2^nd, 2020. LPRCA staff will continue to monitor forecasts and will update this message as necessary.

Shoreline Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook Lake Erie

September 30, 2020

Effective immediately, the Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) is issuing a Shoreline Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook for the entire Lake Erie shoreline within its jurisdiction. This includes Bayham, Norfolk County and Western Haldimand County.

Strong southwesterly winds of 45-50 km/h with gusts up to 80 km/h are forecast over Lake Erie and the area Wednesday afternoon and into late evening. With the forecast winds, minor flooding is expected to impact very low lying areas along the Lake Erie shoreline. Wave uprush and increased shoreline erosion can be expected from this event.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is currently forecasting Lake Erie to rise in Long Point by 0.2 meters above the current level to an elevation of 175.05 meters (IGLD 1985), and 0.5 meters to 175.35 meters (IGLD 1985) along the Haldimand County shoreline within LPRCA’s watershed. Peak levels are currently expected to occur Wednesday afternoon and remain elevated into late evening. Wave heights are expected to reach 2 meters in height along the shoreline.

Community flood coordinators are asked to monitor road conditions along the lakeshore.

LPRCA staff will continue to monitor Lake Erie conditions and will update this message as necessary.

This Shoreline Conditions Statement is in effect until 8:30 AM October 1, 2020.

Contact LPRCA at lprca.floodmessage@lprca.on.ca or 519-842-4242 should further information be required.

Level 1 Low Water Advisory Issued

August 17, 2020

LPRCA urges water conservation throughout the Long Point Region watershed.

Water users throughout the Long Point Region watershed are being asked to voluntarily reduce their water consumption by 10 percent because of the unusually dry weather in recent months.

Based on the cumulative lack of rainfall since the beginning of May and lower than typical stream flow and groundwater levels in many areas, the Long Point Region Joint Low Water Response Team (WRT) is issuing a Level 1 Low Water Advisory for all areas of the Long Point Region watershed.

The local Low Water Response Team is made up of representatives from watershed municipalities, the local agricultural sector, other major water users, several provincial ministries and Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA). At a conference call last Thursday, the WRT noted the more northerly areas of LPRCA have been particularly dry this summer, having received only about 50-75% of average rainfall for this time of year over the past 90 days. Areas closer to the lake have generally seen amounts closer to normal.

In response, LPRCA encourages everyone to follow their municipal water use bylaws and to reduce non-essential uses of water.

Urban and rural residents can help by restricting water use, such as lawn watering and car washing; identifying and fixing leaks; and taking care to conserve water indoors.

Irrigators can reduce consumption and the impact on groundwater aquifers and watercourses by following best practices for irrigation, such as:

Arranging with their neighbor to stagger irrigation times;
Pumping at a lower rate over a longer period of time and store water in a pond if possible;
Ensuring that their equipment is running efficiently and not leaking; and
Minimizing daytime irrigation, or when windy, to reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation.

By following these and other best practices, residents in the Long Point Region proactively assist in minimizing the impacts of low water on aquatic ecosystems; conserving water supplies in the event conditions worsen; and hopefully limiting or reducing the need for stronger water restriction measures.

LPRCA will continue to monitor stream flow, groundwater levels and precipitation, and will provide updates as watershed conditions change.

Information on the Low Water Response Program is available on the LPRCA website.

For further information about watershed conditions contact LPRCA at 519-842-4242.

Shoreline Conditions Statement – Lake Erie (High) Static Water Level Outlook

August 5, 2020

Long Point Region Conservation Authority is updating the Shoreline Conditions Statement for all areas along the Lake Erie shoreline. This message is intended to bring attention to the current high static (calm) water levels of Lake Erie and the potential for flooding and erosion as we move into the end of summer.

The National Hydrological Services Great Lakes Water Levels Information Memorandum from August 4, 2020 reports that:

Lake Erie’s level was 71 cm above its July average and 8 cm below the previous record high of 2019.
Lake Erie fell 7 cm last month, more than its average fall of 5 cm.
At the beginning of August, Lake Erie was 70 cm above average, and 9 cm below last year at this time.

Update issued by the Surface Water Monitoring Centre of the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry on August 10, 2022:

Lake Erie declined 8 cm last month while the long-term average sees a decline of 5 cm in July.
Lake Erie’s beginning-of-August level was 24 cm above the period-of-record (1918-2020) average.

Water supplies were greater than normal in the upper great lakes while local supplies to Lake Erie were drier than normal for the month of July. Assuming average water supply conditions, Lake Erie static levels are expected to remain well above average but continue to decrease over the next 3 months. Figure 1 in the PDF attachment shows the 6-month forecast for Lake Erie.

Due to the high level of Lake Erie, there continues to be a heightened risk of flooding from lake surges and wave uprush, and wave-driven erosion along the shoreline.

Community flood coordinators and the public are advised to monitor weather conditions, particularly strong southwest winds. People are urged to use caution or stay away from the Lake Erie shoreline during times of strong wave action and elevated water levels.

LPRCA staff will continue to monitor Lake Erie conditions and will update this message as necessary.

This Shoreline Conditions Statement is in effect until further notice.

Contact LPRCA at lprca.floodmessage@lprca.on.ca or 519-842-4242 should further information be required.

Day-Use Access Begins July 18, Reservations Now Open

July 17, 2020

Day-use access to Deer Creek, Backus Heritage and Waterford North Conservation Areas begins on Saturday, July 18. Parking reservations are required for day-use and the reservation system is now live for booking up to seven days in advance.

Deer Creek Conservation Area, Backus Heritage Conservation Area and Waterford North Conservation area will be opening for day-use access on Saturday, July 18. Reservations made through the ‘Parking’ section on longpoint.goingtocamp.com are required.

Day-use access to the three parks will be available from 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Day-use hours on long weekend Sundays will also be 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

Parking pass reservations are made on a per-vehicle basis, at $14.00 a vehicle. When you select the park and date you plan on visiting, you will be assigned a numbered parking space that you will use on the day of your visit. Once registration is complete, please print the reservation so that it can be displayed on the dashboard of your vehicle when you visit the park. The parking spot is yours for the day, and you can come and go as you please during day-use hours. When pre-registrations reach capacity, reservations for the at-capacity park on that
date will no longer be possible.

Please note that reservations are tied to a specific date and cannot be used on a different day, so be sure you plan to attend on the date you select. Day-use reservations are final sale. No refunds or changes are permitted.

On-site bathrooms will be available for day-use visitors and will be cleaned and sanitized regularly by staff.

While visiting LPRCA property, please be sure to follow the direction of all posted signage and the instructions of park staff. There will be no canoe or kayak rentals at this time, though visitors are welcome to bring their own canoes and kayaks for use. The Backus swimming pool and Conservation Education Centre will remain closed for the season. The Backhouse Historic Site will not be operating; visitors can walk through the historic village, but the buildings will not be open to the public.

Campgrounds Opening for Overnight Camping with Restrictions

July 8, 2020

On Friday, July 10, overnight camping will return to two Long Point Region Conservation Authority campgrounds, for self-contained camping units with functioning washrooms only.

On Friday, July 10, Backus Heritage Conservation Area and Waterford North Conservation Area are opening for overnight camping to self-contained camping units that have functioning washrooms and water facilities. A limited number of campsites will be available for booking at each park and there will be no tent camping.

The Camis reservation system will open at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, July 10 with sites available to be booked for dates between July 10 and October 14. The reservation system is accessed online at longpoint.goingtocamp.com or from the homepage of lprca.on.ca.

To reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 only a select number of sites will be available at each campground to ensure adequate spacing between visitors. Additionally, there will be no on-site washrooms available for campers, which is why both seasonal and overnight campers are required to use camping units with functional bathrooms and water facilities. Certain other amenities, such as park shower facilities, laundry units, pavilions and the Backus swimming pool will also remain closed for the season.

Overnight camping fees can be found on LPRCA’s website, and through the reservation system. Deer Creek Conservation area, Norfolk Conservation Area and Haldimand Conservation Area will not be opening for overnight camping this year.

LPRCA can also confirm that online reservations for day-use access to Deer Creek Conservation Area, Backus Heritage Conservation Area and Waterford North Conservation Area will also soon be available. Pre-registration will be required for day-use. More information, including the day-use access starting date, will be available shortly and will be shared in a media release as well as through LPRCA’s website and social media. Thank you for your patience as we work to adapt to an unconventional operating season, we look forward to seeing you soon.

Flood Outlook Statement Update

July 5, 2020

Campgrounds Closed, Other Properties Opening for Day Use

May 15, 2020

As of 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, Long Point Region Conservation Authority properties without campgrounds will be open to the public for limited day use activities. Conservation Areas with campgrounds will remain closed to the public.

On Saturday, LPRCA is reestablishing public day-use access to Conservation Areas and forest tracts that do not have campgrounds. We are asking that visitors choose to visit the parks and trails closest to their communities to reduce travel distance.

While all LPRCA campgrounds will remain closed to the public for the time being, work is underway to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all. In the near future, LPRCA will release details on the process for opening campgrounds.

If accessing any of the non-campground LPRCA properties that are now open, please do so responsibly and follow the guidelines of health authorities. Visitors to LPRCA Conservation Areas and forest tracts must maintain at least two metres of space between themselves and others. Gatherings involving more than five people are prohibited. Please ensure you take any litter or pet waste with you rather than leaving it behind on the land. All LPRCA properties must be vacated by 8 p.m.

To maintain the health and safety of staff and the public LPRCA administrative facilities and properties with campgrounds remain closed. The following facilities and conservation areas are NOT open to the public:

Backus Heritage Conservation Area
Deer Creek Conservation Area
Haldimand Conservation Area
Norfolk Conservation Area
Waterford North Conservation Area
LPRCA Administration Office
Waterford Workshop

LPRCA closed public access to all LPRCA-owned properties following an April 3 order from the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit to close parks and trails. The reopening of some LPRCA land is in line with health authority recommendations as the Health Unit revoked the order to close trails and parks on May 1 and the Ontario government determined it safe to open to provincial parks for limited recreational use as of May 11.

Please note, LPRCA continues to follow the guidance of the government and health authorities and the status of property access and the camping season is subject to change based on their recommendations. Updates will continue to be posted to LPRCA’s website and social media feeds.

Shoreline Conditions Statement – Lake Erie (High) Static Water Level Outlook

April 27, 2020

The National Hydrological Services Great Lakes Water Levels Information Memorandum from April 3, 2020 reports that:

Lake Erie’s level was 86 cm above average, the highest March mean level on record and 10 cm above the previous record high of 1987.
Lake Erie rose 22 cm in March, on average it rises by 16 cm in March.
At the beginning of April, Lake Erie’s level was the highest on record. It was 90 cm above average, 33 cm higher than last year, and 12 cm above the previous record-high beginning-of-April level set in 1985.

Water supplies over the last three months were generally above average throughout the Great Lakes and Lake Erie’s static water level continues to set records with a daily average level of approximately 175.0 m. Assuming average water supply conditions, Lake Erie static levels are expected to remain well above average and increase into May. Figure 1 below shows the 6-month forecast for Lake Erie.

Due to the high level of Lake Erie, there continues to be a heightened risk of flooding from lake surges and wave uprush, and wave-driven erosion along the shoreline.

LPRCA staff will continue to monitor Lake Erie conditions and will update this message as necessary.

This Shoreline Conditions Statement is in effect until further notice.

Contact LPRCA at lprca.floodmessage@lprca.on.ca or 519-842-4242 should further information be required.