The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) has issued a flood outlook for the Thames River and smaller local waterways.
A combination of rain, snow, and temperatures hovering around the freezing point prompted the conservation authority's notice. The Chatham-Kent area could see between five and 15 millimetres of rain and two centimetres of snow in the next few days.
The LTVCA said that water levels in smaller watercourses like creeks, ditches, and ponds could rise causing localized flooding and standing water. The authority also warns that ice formed on these waterways could break up, which could cause blockages and lead to flooding.
The Thames River will also respond to the wet weather. The LTVCA said that rising water levels in the river could cause ice to lift and detach from the river banks, but a full break up of the river ice is not expected.
"Ice conditions on the river will be unstable and possibly dangerous," a media release advised.
Children, pets, and livestock should be kept away from the water. The combination of slippery banks, unstable ice conditions, and fast-moving cold water can be dangerous. The conservation authority warns that standing water can also be hazardous.
The flood outlook is in effect from Thursday until Sunday, February 2.
