As part of the delivery of programs and services related to natural hazards, Conservation Halton develops natural hazard and wetland mapping, policies, and technical guidelines. Through the process of developing these products, we engage with the people who live, work and/or have an interest in our watersheds, including residents, landowners, Indigenous communities, developers and municipal and provincial partners. We provide opportunities for people to offer feedback on our programs and services through public engagement on specific studies or initiatives as well as draft mapping, study findings and policies. Public involvement provides greater certainty and transparency on Conservation Halton programs and services, and we benefit from receiving observations about the watershed from the people who experience these watershed conditions.
Public Notice:
In partnership with the Town of Oakville, Conservation Halton is undertaking a study to update flood hazard modelling and mapping within Kent Gardens, the QEW Corridor, Midtown Oakville Growth Area and adjacent areas. Conservation Halton regularly reviews and updates flood hazard modelling and mapping to fulfill the requirements under the Conservation Authorities Act.
A formal engagement session for this Flood Hazard Mapping study is scheduled for October 24, 2024. An additional engagement session to present the result of the study is anticipated in spring 2025.
Why Flood Hazard Mapping is Important
Flood hazard mapping is an important tool that supports Conservation Halton’s regulatory, planning and flood forecasting and warning programs. This information also supports municipal emergency management planning, flood mitigation and infrastructure design.
Riverine flood hazards include flood plains and spills. A flood plain is an area of land that is flooded with water from a nearby creek or lake during large storms. Spills occur when flood waters leave the valley and flood plain and “spill” into surrounding lands, rejoining the watercourse at a distance downstream or moving into another watershed. Riverine flood hazard mapping uses models to predict where riverine flooding will occur and the extent of riverine flood hazards in a given area. Flood hazard mapping does not create a flooding hazard — it shows where the hazard already exists.
Get Involved
Join us for a virtual public engagement session on October 24, 2024 at 7:00pm to learn more about the study, ask us questions and share your feedback with us.
To register, please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_H520FRD3THypAmgntZaC1A or email floodplainmapping@hrca.on.ca. If you are unable to join us live, a recording will be posted online after the session.
This webpage will be updated as more information on this study becomes available.
To share flooding observations or comments on this study, please complete the form below:
Spill Flood Hazard Policy Review & Update
Under the Conservation Authorities Act and Ontario Regulation 41/24, Conservation Halton (CH) regulates development in spill flood hazards (“spills”). Spills occur when floodwaters leave a watercourse, its valley and floodplain, and continue to flow overland in multiple directions before rejoining the same watercourse downstream or spilling into another watershed. Spills often move through areas where riverine flooding may not be anticipated and can flow in complex patterns. CH has an interim policy for development in spills but is undertaking a review and update of this policy.
In March 2022, CH shared a discussion paper as the initial stage of the spill policy review and update process to provide the public and stakeholders with background information on spills and to engage on the policy approaches that CH could take to deal with development in spills. In November 2022, CH’s Board endorsed the Spills Flood Hazard Policy Directions Report, which includes an overview of the feedback received on the discussion paper and staff’s recommended policy approach/direction for managing risk associated with development in spill flood hazards along with supporting rationale.
Draft Spill Flood Hazard Policies and Technical Companion Document
In September 2024, CH’s Board endorsed proposed draft spill flood hazard policies and a supporting technical companion document for public engagement. The draft policies and technical companion document were created following the directions previously endorsed by the CH Board and are based on a risk-based approach to guide development activities within spill flood hazards. For more information about our policies and the supporting rationale please refer to the staff report (page 38).
A brief presentation summarizing the proposed approach is available here.
Get Involved
We invite you to share your input on the proposed spill flood hazard policies and the supporting technical companion document. Staff will document and assess all input received during the response window. This feedback will help to inform recommendations to the CH Board (expected in late 2024 or early 2025) on the approval of new policies.
Please send your feedback to policy@hrca.on.ca by November 1, 2024 and include “Spill Flood Hazard Policy” in the subject line.