Video: Role of Flood Forecasting at the Surface Water Monitoring Centre

Ian Cameron describes the operation and role of the Ministry of Natural Resources Surface Water Monitoring Center in flood forecasting.

Transcript

Speaker: Ian Cameron

"The flood season is from January 1st to December 31st. and we have different causes of flooding all throughout that period. The surface water monitoring centre is responsible for performing watershed condition analysis and determining potential for flood and drought situations in the province. We do a daily hazard identification and risk analysis, where we review stream flow and water level conditions around the province. We look at weather forecasts, we look at weather information such as temperature, precipitation, wind speed and direction and we analyse whether there is potential for flooding. 

The conservation authorities and the MNR districts get this information directly and they evaluate locally what the potential is. The conservation authorities and MNR districts would then determine if the local situation is accurate, because we have the provincial perspective. They would determine if the local situation is right for flooding potential, then they would issue messages to the press and to the municipalities.

The Municipalities have the responsibility of first responders in the event of a flood and the members of the public are to contact the municipalities directly."