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.
"What we've seen now from the past month of heat is that the high-elevation snow is rapidly depleting," said Jonathan Boyd, a hydrologist with B.C.'s River Forecast Centre. "We're on pace to be the earliest snow-free that the province has recorded. "We've had just a phenomenal melt so far, and where it's a little bit scary is … we're moving into this year in a really precarious position."
The City of Ottawa has issued a warning about scam callers impersonating its water meter replacement program representatives to request setting up appointments. The city’s small water meter replacement program does not call residents to book appointments, the advisory said. The small water meter replacement program is a partnership involving the City of Ottawa and Neptune Technology Group. When Neptune is in a specified community, residents will receive information at home prompting them to book appointments when spots are available.
Nearly a year ago, flood waters inundated swaths of south-western British Columbia. Mudslides destroyed sections of highways and swollen, turbid rivers washed away houses and bridges. Now, the region has the opposite problem: months of drought have begun to take a toll on what was once dubbed Canada’s “wet coast”. And as unpredictable weather events become a hallmark of a changing climate, experts warn that the two events are linked – and that a culture of overconsumption and poor resource management threaten to further amplify the effects of the current crisis.
The Halifax Regional Municipality is warning of a blue-green algae bloom at Penhorn Beach in Dartmouth. The city is warning people not to swim in the lake and to keep pets out as well. Lake users are urged to take the following precautions: Avoid water contact. If contact occurs, wash with tap water as soon as possible. Do not swim or wade (or allow your pets to swim or wade) in the water. Avoid consuming water from the lake. Avoid consuming fish from the lake.
New Brunswick officials are warning about possible flooding this weekend in a community in the province’s northwest. Officials with River Watch said today the Saint John River in Saint-Hilaire, N.B., is expected on Saturday to surpass flood stage, which is the level at which water can cause flooding.
