Farm Lake Water Level Measurement Project

As of April 2020, GORA began  began recording the water level of Farm Lake to ensure that water is flowing out of the lake unimpeded through the creek and culvert. Our goal is to ensure that debris does not impede the flow of the creek, which would result in elevated levels of lake water, an abnormally high water table, and flooding of basements in the spring. Daily measurement of the lake’s water level helps in two ways:

• it allows us to develop a baseline to compare the level of Farm Lake between years;

• it gives us an early warning that the culvert at the creek may be blocked.

Here are the most significant measurements recorded in 2020, 2021, and 2022:

• 2020 Peak = +17.5" above Summer Low* on April 15

  • (this did not result in water infiltration of basements);

• 2020 Low = +2.5" on July 31;

• 2021 Peak = +10" on March 31

  • (this is significantly lower than the 2020 spring peak);

• 2021 Low = +1.5" on September 18;

• 2022 Peak = +13" on April 20, 2022;

• Current level (May 13) = 7"

• 2023 Peak +18.0" (April 22); decreased and peaked again +18.0" (May 2)

* 'Summer Low' is defined as the lowest level seen on Farm Lake over the last half-decade by owners of two of the low-lying properties.

We check the culvert regularly to ensure that the water is flowing freely and we thank the Municipality and the Provincial Ministry of Transport for responding quickly when blockages need to be cleared.

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History of the Issue (2019) - Farm Lake Creek

A primary issue of concern at the 2019 AGM was the debris in the Farm Lake Creek that impeded the flow of the creek resulting in elevated levels of lake water and flooding of basements in the spring of 2019 from an abnormally high water table.