Message to HCLPOA Members with Questions to Quinte Conservation and their Responses…

Thank you for your interest in the “Upper Salmon River Floodplain Mapping” or Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP). The purpose of this initial posting is to inform you of this project by Quinte Conservation, which has a short public consultation period ending June 11th, 2024.  We are working to obtain additional information and will update this site as this information becomes available. See our Questions to Quinte below.

The background information provided by Quinte Conservation Authority

Quinte Conservation Authority (QC) determined that much of the flood plain mapping within the QC watershed is out of date. The revised flood plain mapping will reflect changes in the watershed over the past four decades, using public input, current land use and climate data as well as improved technology. 

QC says they strive to protect people and property from flooding through its flood forecasting and warning program and Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act. Flood plain mapping is an asset for both of these programs, as well as municipal planning and flood emergency measures.

A message from your HCLPOA Board

We fully support the protection of the health of our Water System. And the safety of property owners is of utmost importance. These comments should not imply anything to the contrary. However, Changes to the High-water line and Flood Plain Mapping may affect a property owner’s ability to build a new structure, renovate an existing structure, install septic, grade property or other.

To our knowledge, the vast majority of HCLPOA Members have not been advised of these suggested changes or of the opportunity to provide feedback during the public consultation which ends June 11th, 2024. Specifically, there is no indication that there has been wide dissemination of concise, accurate information that will allow our members to be fully informed of impacts specifically to their property or the Upper Salmon River Watershed .

Here is how you can access the proposed amendment to the floodplain.

– Open the Quinte Conservation Authority website and Click on the tab entitled “Watershed Management” Quinte Conservation… please visit our website

– Click on the “Reports & Studies” Tab

– Open the “Upper Salmon River Floodplain Mapping Study” Tab

– Maps 12 and 14 are the two most applicable maps for our 2 lakes and the river.

– Locate your property on the map. (We are advised smaller detail maps are not available.)

– Review the “Blue Line” applicable to your property as this is the “proposed new high-water mark”. For some properties this is a nominal change, for others it may be quite significant. A comparison to your present survey may assist you.

– It is our understanding that there will be an additional setback from this revised floodplain mapping, but at time of writing this, we have not been informed of the actual distance. And, there appear to be a few locations potentially impacting our roads as well. We are attempting to understand how these will be addressed.

We encourage you to forward any personal feedback or questions to Mike Smith at msmith@quinteconservation.ca. Should you receive any additional information that would benefit other Association members, please relay to geoffmichie@yahoo.com in order that it can be added to this site.

We wrote Quinte Conservation on May 14th to ask a number of questions. On May 24th we received their responses. SEE BELOW

Please watch for further updates.

Your HCLPOA Board.

HCLPOA questions & Quinte Conservation (QC) responses…

HCLPOA – What is the actual date for the closure of the 30-day public consultation period? 

QC – The consultation period closes June 11, 2024. We have added this verbiage to the website so that it is clear to all.

HCLPOA – Could you please provide maps that CLEARLY outline the roads and structures as the current maps do not allow individuals to distinguish these markings? 

QC – Quinte Conservation cannot modify the posted maps. The maps adhere to the Technical Guide – River and Streams: Flood Hazard Limits and have been accepted by Quinte Conservation and Environment Canada as abiding by the guidelines and acceptable for our use. If there are specific concerns about a property, we would be happy to look into the details of those flood lines.

HCLPOA – Are all impacted property owners being provided this information, or only those few individuals who attended the open house in February? 

QC – The information has been provided online and to our email lists which includes the cottage associations and to attendees of the PIC. The cottage association is welcome to notify all property owners if it wishes. Quinte Conservation does not have the contact information or resources to track down each property owner.

HCLPOA – What are Quinte’s plans to share this information in a timely manner, considering that the vast majority of the property owners are seasonal, and many will only return to their properties this long weekend with no knowledge of this proposal? 

QC – Please see the response to item #3. Unfortunately, the project timeline does not align with the water recreation season. We have brought this concern to the attention of the grant funders.

HCLPOA – What written documentation is being provided as to the actual impact the revised flood plain mapping will have on existing and future structures including buildings, roads and lot improvements that will lay within the boundaries of the revised high-water mark once approved? 

QC – The 100-year (1% AEP) flood line will be treated as the regulation flood line per Regulation O. Reg. 41/24 . These areas have and continue to be regulated. The updates provide greater accuracy than what was used previously. It is important to note these are a  If there are specific concerns about a property we would be happy to look into the details of those flood lines.

HCLPOA – Is the thick “blue line” the setback line, or is there an additional setback requirement from this line? The “blue line” is very thick…which side is the actual setback as the “thickness” allows for several feet of subjectiveness. Provision of a mapping legend/key would be greatly appreciated in order for all property owners to understand your map. We are only aware of what the blue line represents as l attended the Open House in February. 

QC – The blue line is defined in the legend on the right-hand side of the map as the 100-year (1% AEP) Regulatory Flood. In order to cover such a large area, the maps were made with a scale of 1:5,000. The line was made so that is legible at that scale. These maps are used as a guideline; the final flood lines are confirmed on site with an elevation survey from either an OLS or Quinte Conservation. If there are specific concerns about a property we would be happy to look into the details of those flood lines. Please note that there are various setbacks depending on the feature – for example, if there is also a wetland/steep slope.  So the flood line is mapped and there is a specific setback from the flood plain for new development activities, but there might be other features on a certain property that affect the developable area.

HCLPOA – Why are the alterations to Big Clear Lake so nominal as the lowering of their water levels is the root cause sudden high water downstream? We know very quickly when the dams are pulled. Why not accommodate higher levels in Big Clear, rather than artificially raising the rest? 

QC – The floodplain mapping accounts for rain and snow + rain events into and out of Big Clear Lake, per the Technical Guide – River and Streams: Flood Hazard Limits the model does not account for dam operations at the peak of these events. The water levels on Big Clear Lake are based on the winter dam setting for the rain on snow event, and on the summer dam setting in the rain event.

HCLPOA – We understand Kennebec Lake puts more water into the Salmon River run but it is a constant flow where removing logs in Arden changes the levels drastically over a short period of time. Is this what Quinte has based this entire remapping on. 

QC – The Big Clear Lake Dam has limited capacity to control flows during a 100-year flood due to the high volume of water and the small dam outlet. The study does not include dam operations.

HCLPOA – What has been done to update the flood control systems i.e. new/improved dams as clearly there has nothing done for decades, much longer than the period of time that this remapping is attempting to compensate for climate change. 

QC – Quinte Conservation is following a 10-year plan to study, repair or replace the dams according to the latest MNRF guidelines. Further, Quinte Conservation has studied the low flow augmentation value of our reservoir dams.  

HCLPOA – How involved is the Township of Central Frontenac in this process as this appear to have potential considerable negative impact on property MPAC valuation and hence the Township tax base?

QC – As a partner with Quinte Conservation, Central Frontenac is given the opportunity to review, ask questions and provide comments at critical project junctures.

HCLPOA – What is the structure of future fines and penalties for non compliance? 

 QC – The penalties and fines have been updated in the Conservation Authorities Act.