Water condition status moves back to normal

UPDATE JAN. 15: Quinte Conservation and the Low Water Response Team (LWRT) have declared the watershed has returned to normal water conditions. Precipitation and stream flow conditions have improved over the last three months. Overall conditions have stabilized due to a return of seasonally normal rain and snowfall amounts experienced throughout the watershed.

UPDATE: DEC. 18:  Quinte Conservation and the Low Water Response Team have reduced the region’s low water condition to Level 1. Watershed conditions stabilized over the month of November and into December, with near normal rainfall and snowfall offsetting the deficient precipitation amounts from August through to the present. Adjacent watershed regions have also seen similar improvements and have likewise reduced their condition status.

Streamflow remains well below normal but is above the summer threshold levels for low water indicators. Groundwater recharge appears to be occurring slowly. Reports from residents about dry or depleted wells have decreased and although water hauling companies are still operating, it is at a reduced frequency.

Ongoing groundwater recharge may be impeded if a hard freeze occurs prior to additional significant rainfall or snowmelt.

Residents asked to continue to reduce water usage as drought continues