The combination of melting snow and heavy overnight rain has the Grand River Conservation Authority warning of the potential for flooding.
While the GRCA does not believe there to be a high risk of significant flooding at this point, they do say that waterways will be running higher than normal and conditions will be monitored closely.
Localized flooding due to ice jams is possible, as river levels are running higher than normal and ice is making its way down the watershed.
According to the GRCA, the Nith River was seen Thursday to be running high, with the potential for peak levels near warning criteria in New Hamburg and Ayr.
The GRCA doesn’t expect waterways to swell much further over the next few days, because temperatures dropping below the freezing mark mean snow will stop melting.
Major dams and reservoirs in the watershed are low, with lots of storage available for excess water.
The major reservoirs at Belwood, Conestogo, Guelph, Luther, Woolwich, Laurel, and Shades are at low winter holding levels and have maximum storage available to manage runoff.
