After one of the driest summers in recent memory in 2025, communities across the South Nation Watershed, including Prescott-Russell and SDG, experienced a much wetter summer in 2026, with more frequent rainfall across the region.
“Last summer, we were dealing with extremely dry conditions and talking to residents about conserving water, and water availability issues in private groundwater wells. This summer, we’re seeing a remarkable contrast,” said Katherine Watson, Coordinator – Early Warning Systems and Watershed Plans for South Nation Conservation (SNC). “The differences we’re experiencing from one year to the next are a reminder of how quickly watershed conditions can change, and why monitoring our rivers, streams, rainfall, and groundwater is so important.”
The change from 2025 to 2026 has been particularly noticeable, in August 2025, SNC progressed through Level 1 and Level 2 Low Water conditions before declaring a Level 3 Severe Low Water Advisory across its jurisdiction. Some areas received only 17 milimetres of rainfall over a 30-day period, compared with a typical 80 to 90 milimetres. The prolonged dry conditions contributed to very low streamflow, dried-up tributaries, declining groundwater levels, and reports of dry or low-yielding private wells.
While rainfall is welcome following last year’s drought, heavy rainfall can also create challenges for communities, agriculture, waterways, and drainage systems. SNC, which manages 4,480 square kilometres of land in Eastern Ontario, continues to monitor conditions and provide information to municipalities and residents when changing conditions may affect water levels, flooding, erosion, or public safety.
“Rainfall is one piece of a much larger watershed picture,” said Watson. “Our staff look at rainfall, stream flows, water levels, soil conditions, and forecasts together to understand how the watershed is responding. This information helps us prepare for both wet and dry conditions and support communities across Eastern Ontario.”
The shift from drought in 2025 to wetter conditions in 2026 highlights the importance of preparing for greater variability in weather and water conditions. SNC’s monitoring network helps staff and municipal partners understand changing watershed conditions and plan for a resilient watershed.
Residents can stay informed about current watershed conditions, rainfall data, water levels, and flood and low water advisories through SNC’s website (https://nation.on.ca/en/) or SNC’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SouthNationConservation).
