Floods

Introduction

Flooding is a natural occurrence, with impacts that affect Canadians across the country.

All levels of government play a role in mitigating the risks.

In Canada, the provinces and territories are mandated to manage natural resources within their provincial or territorial boundaries, including surface water (lakes, rivers, streams).

Environment and Climate Change Canada supports provinces and territories by providing:

• surface water quantity data,
• meteorologic and hydrologic prediction products and services, and
• water resources engineering expertise.

This support helps inform decision-making on provincial and territorial water management, flood mitigation, and emergency management activities.

In a flood situation, Environment and Climate Change Canada is responsible for providing weather forecasts, including precipitation warnings, and information on water levels and flows across Canada. Provinces and territories use this information to:

• develop flood forecasts
• operate provincially / territorially owned water control structures
• provide updates on current and expected conditions
• issue warnings and
• coordinate with emergency management authorities on flood preparedness and response

Regional flood resources

Learn about floods and associated risks in your province or territory.

• British Columbia

• Drought, flooding, dikes, and dams - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)

• Alberta

• Alberta Environment and Parks - Alberta River Basins flood alerting, advisories, reporting, and water management(Alberta.ca)

• Saskatchewan

• Flood Watch - Water Security Agency (wsask.ca)
• Advisories - Water Security Agency (wsask.ca)

• Manitoba

• Flood Information | Transportation and Infrastructure | Province of Manitoba (manitoba.ca)

• Ontario

• Surface Water Monitoring Centre | ontario.ca

• Quebec

• Vigilance (gouv.qc.ca) (In french)
• Expertise hydrique et barrages (gouv.qc.ca) (In french)

• New Brunswick

• Flooding in New Brunswick (geonb.hub.arcgis.com)

• Nova Scotia

• Flooding | Climate Change (novascotia.ca)

• Prince Edward Island

• Erosion and flooding | Government of Prince Edward Island (princeedwardisland.ca)

• Newfoundland and Labrador

• Flooding - Environment and Climate Change (gov.nl.ca)

• Yukon

• Flood information | Government of Yukon (yukon.ca)
• Flood Atlas (yukon.ca)

• Northwest Territories

• Floods | Government of Northwest Territories (gov.nt.ca)
• Newsroom

• Nunavut

• Nunavut Emergency Management | Government of Nunavut

Management of transboundary water

The federal government works in partnership with provinces, territories and other jurisdictions to manage transboundary waters that span provincial and territorial boundaries as well as the international border shared with the United States.  Transboundary waters are natural water features (rivers, lakes) and the areas of land that drain into them, known as a watershed, that span provincial, territorial, and international borders. Transboundary waters are often overseen by boards that work in collaboration with various stakeholders within the basin to manage and protect the shared waters in consideration of all interests, including those impacted by flooding. The boards are composed in whole or in part, of members appointed by the federal, provincial, and/or territorial government(s) and are supported by federal government staff and resources for administrative and technical purposes.

Learn more about transboundary water resources and management in your province or territory.

• Domestic Control Boards

• Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board (ottawariver.ca)
• Lake of the Woods Control Board (lwcb.ca)
• Mackenzie River Basin Board (mrbb.ca)
• Prairie Provinces Water Board (ppwb.ca)

• International Boards

• International St. Croix River Watershed Board | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• International Niagara Board of Control | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• International Lake Superior Board of Control | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• International Lake of the Woods Control Board | International Joint Commission
• International Red River Watershed Board | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• International Souris River Board | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• Accredited Officers of the St. Mary and Milk Rivers | International Joint Commission
• International St. Mary and Milk Rivers Study Board | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• International Kootenay Lake Board of Control | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)
• International Columbia River Board of Control | International Joint Commission (ijc.org)

Related links

• Explore the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program
• Stay up to date on the latest weather information with WeatherCAN or visit our weather office
• Find out about water levels and flows at the Water Survey of Canada
• Stay safe during a flood with Flood Ready