Otonabee Conservation Conducting Spring Dam Operations

Otonabee Conservation staff are conducting spring dam operations including placing stop-logs into dams and installing warning buoy-lines upstream of Authority-owned dams.

Hope Dam. Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation.

The hazards around dams can be serious and if ignored, could include serious injury or death. Warning buoy-lines act like ‘floating fences’ that warn paddlers, anglers, and boaters to stay away. They are installed each spring and then removed in the fall before winter freeze-up. This is one of many public safety measures that reduces risks for people who enjoy water-based activities on local reservoirs and waterways.

 In addition, land-based signs warn boaters of a dam ahead, and there are also signs mounted on the dams themselves that warn about the presence of dam inflow and outflow areas.

Dam operations will be undertaken over the next two weeks. The affected dams include:

• Warsaw Dam (Warsaw)

• Lang Mill Dam (Lang)

• Hope Mill Dam (Lang)

• Millbrook Dam (Millbrook)

Otonabee Conservation urges the public to respect the warning booms and signs and to stay away from dams.

The water around dams can look peaceful, but the area upstream and downstream is more dangerous than it appears. Water surges over the stop logs of the dam, creating strong undertows and currents around the dam. The most serious danger is that the water pressure can pin a body below the water for an extended period of time.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.