Ottawa RiverRegulationPlanning BoardCommission de planificationde la régularisationde la rivière des Outaouais

Please take note of the April 13 Press Release in the LATEST NEWS section. Read more

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Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board

The Planning Board was established to ensure integrated management of the principal reservoirs of the Ottawa River basin:

  • to reduce flood and drought impacts along the Ottawa River and its tributaries, all the way down to the Montreal Region
  • while maintaining beneficial water uses in the basin.

To learn more about the Planning Board, see the presentation : Flow Management in the Ottawa River Basin – 2026

Current Conditions Summary

Water levels in metres:

View current conditions

About this data

River Conditions Forecast

Last Update: 2026-04-14 4:04 PM
Next Update: 2026-04-15 4:00 PM

Water levels and flows are increasing rapidly at all locations along the main stem of the Ottawa River due to recent rainfall combined with significant snowmelt from the unregulated portion of the basin. Water levels and flows are expected to continue increasing over the coming week. Minor flood levels may be exceeded in flood prone areas along the Ottawa River between Pembroke and Masson/Cumberland over the next few days. The minor flood level is defined as the level at which parts of some streets, lawns and parks are beginning to flood, with no or few houses/buildings being affected. Please refer to the forecast section of our website for more information about the water levels in your area.

View Four-day Forecasts

Special Feature

Increasing Flood Risk along the Ottawa River

Read the press release >>  April 13, 2026 Press Release

See the “River Conditions Forecasts” message for the latest update on river conditions and details as to what locations may experience flooding over the next few days.

**** Technical note: Due to higher‑than‑normal traffic on the website—especially during the spring flood period—you may experience slower performance or see water levels and flows that are not up to date. If this happens, try clearing your browser cache, refreshing the page, or switching to the French version of the page. ***

Snow Conditions in the Ottawa River Basin – Map now available

Our website provides a map that will help you keep track of the snow cover in the watershed. The map of the snow water equivalent is available on the Current Conditions webpage (click on the “Snow Map” button at the top of the interactive map).

Snow measurements are done on a regular basis at over one hundred (100) sites across the basin. The snow map provides an overview of conditions at the time of the most recent snow measurements. It shows the amount of water held in the snow cover compared to the amount of water it normally holds at this same time of year. This amount of water is called ‘snow water equivalent’. The map covers the entire Ottawa River watershed. At a glance, it is possible to see if there was more or less snow than usual at a given time of the year.

Understanding snow water equivalent is important as it is one of the factors that contribute to shaping the magnitude and duration of a spring freshet. For more information on factors that influence a spring freshet, please see FAQ 1: FAQs – Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board

This map will be updated in early March, and every two weeks thereafter.

Latest News

2026: INCREASING FLOOD RISKS ALONG THE OTTAWA RIVER

Press Release posted on 2026-04-13 by Ottawa River Regulating Committee

The Ottawa River Regulating Committee warns that water levels and flows along the main stem of the Ottawa River are

Read more

Beginning of Hydrologic Forecast for Freshet 2026

Bulletins posted on 2026-04-02 by Ottawa River Regulation Secretariat

The detailed four-day forecast has now begun. The Ottawa River Regulating Committee provides hydrological forecasts to the public at nine

Read more

2026: RISING OTTAWA RIVER WATER LEVELS

Press Release posted on 2026-04-02 by Ottawa River Regulating Committee

The Ottawa River Regulating Committee would like to inform basin residents that levels and flows along the Ottawa River are

Read more

See all articles