** Quinte Conservation Level 3 Drought Alert & Lake Levels ————————————————————
** Last week Quinte Conservation announced that declining water levels in the Quinte watershed, (including Skootamatta Lake) had reached Level 3 drought levels. This announcement was widely shared across local Facebook and social media chat groups.
In the Level 3 alert announcement Quinte Conservation reported that draw downs from some lakes have already occurred and may be necessary to sustain downstream aquatic ecosystems and communities. Quinte staff also recommended that rural landowners implement well and related water conservation measures if residents have not already done so.
Upon learning of the level 3 drought designation, SDRA’s Lake Steward immediately reached out to Quinte Conservation to discuss lake level implications for Skootamatta Lake residents and cottagers.
Quinte Conservation’s Water Program manager has assured the SDRA Board that no drought drawdowns have occurred at the Skootamatta Lake Dam this year. Further, in the event of the need for low flow augmentation for the Skootamatta River and Moira River sub watershed, that water will be first drawn from nearby Deerock Lake.
In a traditional Fall, Quinte Conservation conducts the annual pre Winter drawdown on the Tuesday after the Thanksgiving weekend.
The SDRA Board will stay connected with Quinte Conservation and inform members of any lake level changes that may take place.
SDRA members can monitor Quinte Conservation’s (QCs) dam operations and Moira River management themselves by signing up for Quinte Conservation email notifications via the link below:
skootamatta.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0103a6477cbe2d98edb7f70b0&id=bb73cb2e21&e=43e50e9d95
Thank you and Safe Boating. ———————————————————— SDRA Board