Trent-Severn Waterway Severn Waterway National Historic ... · Water Management Program Water...

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Trent Trent - - Severn Waterway Severn Waterway National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Site of Canada Water Management Program Water Management Program State of the State of the Kawartha Kawartha Lakes Workshop Lakes Workshop October October 28 28 th th , 2008 , 2008

Transcript of Trent-Severn Waterway Severn Waterway National Historic ... · Water Management Program Water...

TrentTrent--Severn WaterwaySevern Waterway National Historic Site of CanadaNational Historic Site of Canada

Water Management ProgramWater Management Program

State of the State of the Kawartha Kawartha Lakes Workshop Lakes Workshop OctoberOctober 2828thth, 2008, 2008

Trent and Severn Watersheds

Rosedale Dam – between Balsam and Cameron

Fenelon Falls Dam – between Cameron and Sturgeon

Lindsay Dam – between Scugog and Sturgeon

Bobcaygeon Main Dam – between Sturgeon and Pigeon

Little Bob Dam – between Sturgeon and Pigeon

Buckhorn Dam – between Buckhorn and Lower Buckhorn

Lovesick Dam – between Lower Buckhorn and Lovesick

Burleigh Falls Dam – between Lovesick and Stony

Youngs Point Dam – between Stony and Katchewanooka

Lakefield Dam – between Katchewanooka and the Otonabee

Dam Operation – Stoplog Dams, the majority

Hydraulic Log Lifter

Maunal Winches Jacking Stoplogs

Dam Operation – Mechanized Dams

Vertical Lift GatesRadial Gates

Water Management Program Priorities

Navigation Mandate along the Canal System

Green Energy

Environment (Wildlife and the Fishery)

Public Health and Safety

Appropriate Water Levels and Flows for other uses

Competing Interests

In the event of wet conditions:

• Public Safety can be endangered with increased water levels/flows.• Resulting high flows can disrupt navigation along the waterway.• High flows allow fish to spawn in elevated areas prone to declines.• Excess spill at many hydro generating stations.

Competing Interests

In the event of dry conditions:

• Public Health is not initially endangered, water quality. • Navigation can be threatened as lake levels decline• Fish spawn in shallow areas are in danger of being left dry.• Reservoir lake levels drop more than normal.• Hydro generation is diminished as water flow is reduced.

Annual Cycle of Operation - Kawartha Lakes

1 Draw down on the larger lakes commences January 1.

2 Snow surveys are conducted weekly.

3 Mid February decision point, refill or continue draw down.

4 Spring Freshet begins, lakes are refilled with snowmelt and rainfall.

5 Try to maintain minimum flows in the Spring for the walleye spawn.

6 Lake levels must be maintained using water from the reservoirs.

7 After navigation, most smaller lakes are lowered in preparation for

winter.

Kawartha Lakes Summary

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Janu

ary 1

, 200

8

Janu

ary 1

1, 20

08

Janu

ary 2

1, 20

08

Janu

ary 3

1, 20

08

Febr

uary

10, 2

008

Febr

uary

20, 2

008

March 1

, 200

8

March 1

1, 20

08

March 2

1, 20

08

March 3

1, 20

08Apri

l 10,

2008

April 2

0, 20

08

April 3

0, 20

08May

10, 2

008

May 20

, 200

8May

30, 2

008

June

9, 20

08

June

19, 2

008

June

29, 2

008

July

9, 20

08Ju

ly 19

, 200

8Ju

ly 29

, 200

8

Augus

t 8, 2

008

Augus

t 18,

2008

Augus

t 28,

2008

Septem

ber 7

, 200

8

Septem

ber 1

7, 20

08

Septem

ber 2

7, 20

08

Octobe

r 7, 2

008

Octobe

r 17,

2008

Octobe

r 27,

2008

Novem

ber 6

, 200

8

Novem

ber 1

6, 20

08

Novem

ber 2

6, 20

08

Decem

ber 6

, 200

8

Decem

ber 1

6, 20

08

Decem

ber 2

6, 20

08

Per

cent

age

(%)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Flow

(cm

s)

Kawartha % Average % Max Drawdown Otonabee

Data CollectionLevel gauges on the Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton Reservoirs, and the Severn River system

• 100 Manual Level Gauges (weekly/daily readings)• 50 Automatic Level Gauges (daily/hourly readings)• 12 Flow Gauges: rated level gauges, flow meters• 11 Rainfall Accumulation Gauges

Snow Surveys

Snow survey sites are laid out throughout the watershed to better anticipate the magnitude of spring melt water.

Sampling tube is forced into the snow pack to measure depth

Sampling tube is weighed to determine moisture content

Flooding…A Natural Event

Upper Otonabee River: Frazil ice blocking the flow of the river causing flooding downstream of Peterborough.

Dam at Lakefield: dams are wide open to pass high spring flows.

Lock 1 at Trenton: Sudden heavy rains and warm weather cause localized flooding.

Healey Falls Dam: Extremely fast melt coupled with above average snowfall accumulation.

Flooding…A Natural Event

Some Program Challenges

Natural/man made restrictionsthat impede flow

Intense rainfall and snowmelt nearFurnace Falls

Log lifter and manual winches can slow response time

Summary

The Trent-Severn Waterway NHSC:

• Considers the interests and needs of

all stakeholders.

• Manages water levels/flows based on

an annual cycle of operation and

current conditions.

It is important to understand that Mother Nature drives the Water

Management Program on the TSW. We do our best to steer it but

sometimes She has other ideas.

Thank you!

Dave NessWater Control Engineer

(705) [email protected]

Trent-Severn Waterway