The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) is asking residents to help conserve water after observing unseasonably low river levels this fall.
The ABCA Water Response Team (WRT) says September stream flows for indicator stations at Springbank, Exeter, and Varna range from five to 10 per cent of normal and have yet to show any signs of recovery from a dry summer that had well below average rainfall.
As a result, a Level 2 Low Water Advisory was issued for the entire ABCA watershed area.
The WRT says the decision to move into a Level 2 advisory considers the immediate impacts of a limited surface water supply, and the potential for long-term supply issues.
According to the Conservation Authority, extended dry conditions into autumn and winter can have a significant impact on aquatic life in local watercourses and nearby Lake Huron.
"Flows are essential for the life cycles of fish movement both upstream and downstream," said Christie Brown, ABCA Water Resources Technologist in a release. "Low flow conditions are a barrier to fish migration and reproductive success, which has direct impacts on the population of fish and other aquatic organisms that support the fishery."
The ABCA is asking watershed residents to voluntarily conserve water by up to 20 per cent in an effort to help recharge the groundwater system.
To find water conservation tips, visit the ABCA website.
