The Ottawa "Double Peak" is Coming: Is Your Site Ready for the Surge?

Описание: In Ottawa, the spring melt isn't just a season—it’s a logistical battle. If you’re building near the Ottawa or Rideau rivers, the next 60 days will determine whether your project stays on schedule or sinks into the mud.

Here is what every contractor in the capital needs to know about the 2026 Freshet:

1. The Physics: 5,000 Cubic Metres per Second
During a heavy melt, the Ottawa River discharge can jump from a lazy $2,000m3/s to a violent $5,000m3/s
The "Double Peak" Trap: Don't be fooled by the first melt in April (the southern runoff).
The second peak in May—driven by the northern Quebec highlands—is often the real site-killer.
Hydrostatic Pressure: As the river rises, the water table follows. That "dry" excavation you dug in February can turn into a swimming pool overnight as groundwater forces its way through the soil.

2. The Construction "Killers"
The Slurry Effect: Ottawa’s Leda clay + snowmelt = a recipe for disaster. Once the frost leaves the ground, your site’s load-bearing capacity vanishes. Watch your outriggers.
Turbidity Failures: High-velocity currents shred silt curtains. If you’re doing in-water work and your sediment control fails during the surge, the Fisheries Act fines will be more expensive than your equipment.
Concrete Cracking: Puring foundations during peak discharge is a gamble. The external water pressure can literally "squeeze" or crack green concrete before it reaches full strength.

3. The Pro-Tip: Watch the Gauge, Not the Sky
The weather in the Glebe doesn't matter as much as the melt in Temiscaming. If the reservoirs up north are full, that water is coming to your job site whether it’s sunny in Ottawa or not.
Bottom Line: If your dewatering pumps aren't serviced and your erosion controls aren't reinforced by mid-March, you’re already behind.

#construction #weather #contech #canada #ottawa