Spring Water Level

Marbleyes44 · **Joined:** Wed Apr 06, 2016 7:40 pm **Posts:** 13

WOW I was sent a pic from a friend of mine up on quinte and I can’t believe how low the water is for early spring. I know the water will come up some in April and May but this is way lower than It should be for March. With not much rain so far I think This is going to be a sh*t show again this year. I think the st Lawrence must be screwing with water levels again. Also with little current with very low water the spawning this year I think will suffer.

bigbassin18 · **Joined:** Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:55 pm **Posts:** 431

It 100% is the st Lawrence seaway letting out to much water. We have had a massive melt here around quinte. And the water seems to be still going down. Our rivers and creeks are running very hard into the bay. They need to back up some water and leave it in the lake and bay. Or else we are going to be screwed on some of the secondary boat ramps

DanElliot · **Joined:** Mon Apr 08, 2002 8:59 am **Posts:** 4329

This article from the US Core Engineer corps predicts a 5 inch rise in Lake Ontario in the coming weeks and that all of the other great lakes are well above their season norms.
https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Water-Levels/Water-Level-Forecast/Weekly-Great-Lakes-Water-Levels/

joey · **Joined:** Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:11 pm **Posts:** 120

The raging property owners win again

Riverrat · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2018 7:50 pm **Posts:** 4

Hey Walleye give your head a shake. My property had never flooded in 100 years according to old timers who live in area. In 2019 water reached to within 10 ft of my house.
It has costs over 50m to shore up my property and keep my wife and my sanity.
So unless you have lived the problem you should think before passing judgement.

bigbassin18 · **Joined:** Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:55 pm **Posts:** 431

Riverrat wrote:

Hey Walleye give your head a shake. My property had never flooded in 100 years according to old timers who live in area. In 2019 water reached to within 10 ft of my house.
It has costs over 50m to shore up my property and keep my wife and my sanity.
So unless you have lived the problem you should think before passing judgement.

I’ve done my honest research of water problems and if you do the right research I’m sorry but it is incorrect. Water levels in the bay of quinte are at a all time spring low since 1970’s. The water used to always be high. That’s when property owners own so far now and into water. Because at once the water was high but now with new building regs. And the water being low they actually own where water used to be. I build houses for a living and have built a ton of houses on the water. And I will say most home homeowners on the water do not take the time or presence for high water. They build a home abs complain after. IMO. Unless your house is on a hill before water. It should be a requirement of retaining walls built near shoreline.(yes cost more to do that’s why people don’t) to protect your property and living area. And as far as I know. In the upcoming building codes which are reviewed every year. That in fact. If building on a waterfront property with a low lying property line to water you will be required to secure that the water will not be able to come above and on to your property in case of flooding because of natural causes.

Sorry. But I’m just stating some things. Nothing against people fighting for there things. Because everything cost money. Just stating some interesting facts

muskyhunter · **Joined:** Fri May 17, 2019 8:39 am **Posts:** 56

Big Bassin,
Just wondering I thought as per the conservations you are not allowed to alter your waterfront property would a retaining wall not be altering the shorelines?

bigbassin18 · **Joined:** Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:55 pm **Posts:** 431

muskyhunter wrote:

Big Bassin,
Just wondering I thought as per the conservations you are not allowed to alter your waterfront property would a retaining wall not be altering the shorelines?

Pending on your high water Mark and property pertaining to habitats. Lol. Sounds odd honestly. But I was just doing work in Wellington and a household beside where I’m working just had to basically loose 15’ of there backyard because of having to put in a new retaining wall. They are going to make it more difficult to build near water. Because of the walls. And or the fill you will have to bring in to bring up your land for your house to sit. But in saying that. Just more money in concrete because your footings have to or should be down to undisturbed soil. It’s going to be tough.

I’m not one to scream climate change because it affects us which is does. And if my opinion comes correct our water ways are honestly going to diminish dramatically because of to much housing near our waterways. And complaints after the housing is built because of flooding. And trust me it isn’t Ontario bay of quinte that is going to ruin it. Our major cities east of us. Building a citing on the biggest river is what is going to hurt it in the end. Because they don’t want and can not flood the city

joey · **Joined:** Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:11 pm **Posts:** 120

Whoever is controlling the dams down the St.
Lawrence must be sleeping on the job

pdubya · **Joined:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:33 am **Posts:** 92

After the high water levels of 2017 and 2019 some folks have forgotten what typical water levels of Lake oNtario look like. The current water levels of Lake Ontario are only slightly below average for March. The current water levels equal those of typical November water levels. The years highest water levels occur in late May. There are two reasons for this: 1 spring run off and 2 the IJC will decrease the flow of the St Lawrence once the shipping season starts, so the Lake Ontario level rises quickly in April May. The IJC will also throttle back the Lake Ontario outflow to compensate for the high Ottawa River outflow in April May,
For predictions and historical data go to the usace.army web site and click to monthly water level bulletins
tps://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/G ... -Forecast/

For water flow rate data go to:
https://www.ijc.org/en/loslrb/watershed/flows

Shoreline alteration is not ABSOLUTELY forbidden. Shoreline alteration is permitted for the prevention of erosion provided that you have a permit from your local conservation authority. Shoreline protection is in the mandate of most conservation authorities, For example the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority states: "Our core mandate is to work in partnership with local municipalities, provincial and federal government agencies, environmental organizations and the general public to monitor and protect water, natural habitats, shorelines, and promote sustainable living in our community. "
https://cataraquiconservation.ca/
I gotta say that I'm not happy with how the IJC has managed water levels starting in 2017 but it's a little early to panic about the water being too low.

teppy · **Posted:** Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:25 pm

Lots of good info, I tried to launch my boat from my property a week ago, no go.
So I immediately wrote a condescending email to the IJC and asked them if Homer Simpson was running the damn.

At least I felt better, levels are ridiculous.

definitely affects the spawn of all species, IMO. Last year I seen a ton of walleye off my shoreline spawning, on one night I seen 13 on a quick walk, this year several nights I have only seen 5.

The only thing the IJC can't control is the weather. So basically IMO it is their fault. They can estimate run off from the snow melt.

I personally think this is there way of going the other way, well.... everyone complained it's too high, it's too high. So now we're gonna get low levels.

Todays technology, do you not think they could keep it somewhat consistent??

One last note... If you got $, you can alter the shoreline, it's as simple as that.

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Spring Water Level

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