2026: End of Daily River Conditions Forecast and 4-day Forecast

Bulletins posted on 2026-05-21 by Ottawa River Regulation Secretariat

The Ottawa River Regulation Secretariat would like to inform residents of the Ottawa River Basin that today, May 21, is the final day of the 4-day forecast for spring freshet 2026.  Accordingly, the ‘Forecasts’ web page will be deactivated on Monday May 25.  Additionally, the ‘River Conditions Forecast’ message, which describes current and forecast river conditions, will now be updated every Tuesday.

The snow in the northern part of the basin has all melted and no significant precipitation is in the forecast.  Although water levels and flows remain above normal at some locations along the main stem of the Ottawa River, they are expected to return to normal range over the coming weeks; therefore, daily forecasting of river conditions is no longer required.  The general trend, for the full length of the river, is for decreasing flows and levels as the spring runoff continues to decline across the watershed. While leaves and vegetation are not yet fully developed in the northernmost part of the basin, significant flow increases from the north to downstream areas are very unlikely over the next month. Principal reservoirs are now being managed to target summer levels.

If conditions change and flood risks increase, the daily forecasting and messaging of river conditions will resume.