As river flows from the June 23 flooding continue to recede throughout the Grand River watershed and recreational activities resume, the Grand River Conservation Authority is urging the public to use extreme caution on waterways and trails over the next few weeks.
Many warning buoys and booms were displaced due to the high river flows. These warning buoys and booms would normally be located in the river, upstream of hazards such as low head dams and obstructions. Inexperienced river users and those who are unaware of the risks associated with these hazards should avoid using the river until all safety warning devices are replaced, the authority states in a press release.
In addition, the rainfall event washed a large amount of debris into rivers throughout the watershed. This poses additional risk to all recreational river users as debris and obstructions may not be evident on the surface of the water.
Anyone who has located warning buoys or booms on their property, or has seen one out of place on the river, is asked to call the GRCA at 519-621-2761 or e-mail grca@grandriver.ca to report the location of the device.
Elora Gorge Tubing
Tubing activities offered at Elora Gorge Park were suspended on June 29 until further notice. High flows through the gorge were expected to persist through the Canada Day weekend making it unsafe for this activity. Tubing infrastructure in the park was also damaged and will need to be repaired before activities can resume.
For updated information on tubing status, call the park directly at 519-846-9742 and press 1.
Trail Damage
A number of trails throughout the watershed were damaged due to the heavy rainfall and high river flows during this event. Trail users are urged to be cautious when using trails near the river while conservation authority and municipal staff assess damages in the coming weeks.
More information on river flows and water safety is available on the GRCA website.
Watershed residents may also subscribe to the authority’s flood messages by e-mail through the site or follow GRCA flood messages on Twitter at grca_flood_msg.
