Muskoka River Watershed Conditions - Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Current Conditions

• The Bracebridge-Minden-Parry Sound District of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) issued a Flood Warning for all watersheds in the district on Monday April 13, 2026: https://www.lioapplications.lrc.gov.on.ca/webapps/swmc/flood-forecasting-and-warning-program/files/minden-parry-sound-bracebridge.pdf

• MNR is providing daily updates to municipal Community Emergency Management Coordinators within the areas covered by the Flood Warning.

• MNR expects lake water levels to continue to rise and river flows to remain high throughout the week of April 13-17 and into the next week.

• Many areas of the district have already received more precipitation than is typical for the entire month of April, combined with ongoing snowmelt.

• Lake water levels in several areas are approaching or have exceeded the upper limits of their normal operating ranges and are expected to continue rising.

• The 2026 freshet is underway. It is anticipated that the peak freshet water levels and river flows in many areas will not occur for at least a few weeks.

Public Safety

• No ice is safe ice.

• MNR advises the exercise of extreme caution concerning ice conditions.

• Some lakes within the area are still covered in ice. Increased water levels and precipitation may erode the ice and create floating ice hazards that could damage waterfront infrastructure.

• Anyone planning to venture onto the ice should check the ice conditions often, plan ahead, and be prepared for an emergency.

• MNR also advises extreme caution when using forest access roads for outdoor activities as many are seasonally inundated with water, prone to washouts, and may be impassible due to current conditions.
Winter Drawdown (Muskoka River Watershed)

• Utilizing the flexibility within the Muskoka River Water Management Plan (MRWMP), MNR conducted a winter drawdown of water levels on Lake Muskoka to the bottom of the Normal Operating Zone (NOZ) by March 1, 2026.

• The purpose of the winter drawdown is to create limited storage to mitigate against the impacts of a winter thaw and an average to slightly above average spring melt.

• The winter drawdown will not prevent a significant flood from occurring or mitigate impacts of a flood.
Water Management (Muskoka River Watershed)

• Dam operators across the Muskoka River Watershed work collaboratively to manage the system in a safe and responsible manner consistent with the Muskoka River Water Management Plan (MRWMP).

• The watersheds are complex cascading systems: water inputs received upstream must travel down through the watershed before exiting the system and permitting water levels to return to normal levels. This means that water levels and river flows for locations near the bottom of the watersheds can remain elevated for longer periods of time while the additional water works its way through system.

• MNR dams are not designed for flood control. Flood control requires large reservoirs with the ability to store excess water, but existing dams lack the design and capacity to prevent flooding or maintain water levels within a narrow range.

• MNR continues to monitor snowpack, water levels, and weather conditions across the district on a daily basis. Analysis of watershed conditions and forecasted weather will be used to assess the potential for high water or flood conditions.

Resources

• Local flood messages are available online through the Flood Forecasting and Warning Program at https://www.lioapplications.lrc.gov.on.ca/webapps/swmc/flood-forecasting-and-warning-program/

• Information on how to prepare for a flood can be viewed online at: www.ontario.ca/flood

• If you have any questions, please contact the Bracebridge–Minden–Parry Sound District Water Team by email at watermanagement.psdistrict@ontario.ca