The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) has issued a flood outlook for the Magnetawan River, Muskoka River, and Pickerel River watersheds.
They say Environment Canada is forecasting 50 to 70 mm of rain over the next few days with the potential for thunderstorms as well.
Lower-lying areas of known flood-prone areas and shoreline structures like docks, boathouses, and beaches may be impacted.
Boaters are advised to be more cautious than usual when travelling, with MNRF officials noting boat wakes could cause shoreline damage. As well, anyone swimming should be careful and aware of water levels and fast river flows.
Extreme caution is advised when using forest access roads because they’re prone to washouts and may become unusable because of localized flooding.
They explain that water levels and rivers floor are significantly higher than they normally are this time of year.
With each body of water feeding into the next downstream, high water levels in one will affect others. Officials say it will take a number of days for the high water flows to go below normal ranges.
