What Does Flow Mean??

A basin's flow regime is driven by the local climate. The behaviour of the water, once on the ground, and its ability to form channels is controlled by the underlying geology and landcover, and more recently landuse. The main factors that influence flow regime are the amount of infiltration to groundwater and evapotranspiration, which in essence determine the amount of runoff and surface water

Surface Water Flow

Within a basin's flow regime, there are four flow stages that have significance to the form of the channel and valley as well as the ecology of the system.
View the full Surface Water Flow article

Provincial Surface Water Monitoring

While core business for the Surface Water Monitoring Centre involves predicting and minimizing the potential impacts of floods and low water, it also assists the province and its partners in many new and emerging water management activities. Water flow in watercourses and water levels in lakes and reservoirs are monitored. In addition, climate data (for example precipitation and temperature) are collected and analysed by the Centre, and are shared with a variety of partners and other water resource managers through the Surface Water Monitoring Centre Extranet.

The purpose of the extranet site is to provide water management data and information to water managers and technicians in Ontario. The information is specific to the provincial flood forecasting and warning system, low water response, and the Canada/Ontario hydrometric stations monitoring partnership. If you are not a 'water manager', but would like to obtain more information about water management in Ontario, you may contact the Centre or your local Conservation authority.

The Great Lakes

On the Great Lakes and other boundary waters, MNR works closely with several agencies (for example: International Joint Commission, Great Lakes Commission, Council of Great Lakes Governors) and other provincial and federal departments on interjurisdictional water issues.