Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
A Watershed Conditions Statement is in effect from February 14 to February 19. The following watershed conditions statement is based on the seven-day weather forecast issued by Environment Canada on Tuesday, February 14. A period of warm weather is expected for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with freezing temperatures returning on Friday and climbing above zero on the weekend. Five to ten millimeters of rain are also forecasted for Wednesday and Thursday.
A flood watch is in effect for Hamilton, with higher water levels expected in low-lying areas and area watercourses due to rain on Thursday, Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) says. HCA said in a news release the Hamilton area is expected to receive 20 to 26 millimetres of rain. HCA water resources engineer Jonathan Bastien said the main concern is the run-off uncertainty response to the rain.
The unpredictable fluctuations of Manitoba Hydro's finances was a drain on Manitoba's books last year — but now appears to be benefiting the province to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. The government's finance officials are now projecting Hydro's revenues at the end of the fiscal year will jump from the initial $120 million forecast to an estimated $585 million, which it attributes to higher water levels and increased export prices.
