Flood Control, Monitoring & Warning

Water Control Structures & Erosion Control

The NPCA has overseen the construction of numerous water control structures in the watershed. The structures were constructed co-operatively with the Province of Ontario and local municipalities. These control works were implemented for various water management functions, but primarily to protect life and property from the risk of flood and erosion. Other structures, such as the larger dams and reservoirs, were built to enhance the natural flow regime of creeks and

rivers, while also providing flood control benefits. These larger structures, such as the Binbrook Dam and the Virgil Dams, also afford an ideal venue for the development of conservation areas.

Today, these areas provide excellent recreational benefits to the community, as well as offer suitable natural habitat for numerous aquatic bird species and an abundance of mammals. Fisheries have also proven to be a great benefactor of these reservoirs.

In all, the NPCA manages and operates some 25 different water control structures in the watershed. The vast majority of these are channel rehabilitation works in large urbanized areas, such as the City of St. Catharines and the City of Niagara Falls.

The NPCA establishes most new flood and erosion control works pursuant to the Class EA for Remedial Flood & Erosion control projects published by Conservation Ontario (2002).

Flow Monitoring & Flood Warning

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority monitors stream flow (including dam operations), rainfall and other meteorological information at locations across the watershed. The information is transmitted from each station to the NPCA’s Head Office in Welland, Ontario, in near-real time where it is monitored and analyzed. The data gives us an up to date picture of the conditions within the watershed, and allows us to develop a deeper understanding of the fluxes and behaviour of the systems.

Our near-real time monitoring data is available to the public and accessible on the Stream Flow Monitoring page.

When watershed conditions are such that a risk may be posed to public safety and/or property damage may be likely due to stream conditions and/or flooding, the NPCA  will issue an Advisory or Warning.  Visit the Flood Status page for current conditions and warnings.