Belleisle Watershed Coalition

Tag: Freshet

  • Freshet Charts – May 21st

    Freshet Charts – May 21st

    Freshet Update – May 21st 2025

    Thanks to Lane Bishop, we’re continuing to keep a close watch on water levels in the Belleisle area as the 2025 freshet progresses.

    🌊 Freshet Update #4 – May 2025 🌊
    Flood season is winding down across the watershed. As of this update, RiverWatch has been discontinued for the season, and while water levels are still slightly above summer lows, they’re expected to gradually recede over the coming weeks.
    This marks the end of active flood monitoring unless something unexpected rolls through. Our next update will arrive in early July with a complete season recap for your reference.
    Stay safe and stay tuned for the full freshet summary coming soon!

    📊 Plot Explanations:

    First plot: For 2025, this is the standard plot of water levels using data at 5-minute intervals from the Oak Point hydrometric station on the Saint John River at the mouth of the Belleisle. See:
    The lines for the other years have the tidal effect removed (the Bay of Fundy tides push the water back a bit up the Saint John River).
     
    Second plot: This plot has the tidal effect removed from the 2025 data as well.
     
    Third plot: Of concern to all of us is not only how high the water levels are right now, but how fast is the water rising? So the left-side scale up the vertical axis shows how fast the water is rising, measured in meters per day (the right-side scale shows feet/day). For the old-timers, 0.3 meters/day is 1 foot/day.
     
    📉 When the line is high, the water is rising very quickly; when it is below the zero line (red horizontal dashed line), the water is receding.
     
    💬 Stay tuned for more updates and feel free to share this with your neighbours and local groups.
  • Freshet Charts – May 2nd – Update

    Freshet Charts – May 2nd – Update

    Freshet Updates for April 4th

    Thanks to Lane Bishop, we’re continuing to keep a close watch on water levels in the Belleisle area as the 2025 freshet progresses.
     
    🌊 May 2nd Freshet Update – Water Levels Nearing Their Peak? 🌊
     
    Here is the third set of freshet plots for 2025, showing a recent rise in water levels. The increase is likely due to heavy rainfall combined with melting snow to the north. According to the 5-day forecast, we may be at or near the peak, with levels expected to decline in the coming days.
     
    A big thank you to Lane for his ongoing support and dedication each spring! 🙌
     
    📊 Plot Explanations:
    First plot: For 2025, this is the standard plot of water levels using data at 5-minute intervals from the Oak Point hydrometric station on the Saint John River at the mouth of the Belleisle. See:
    The lines for the other years have the tidal effect removed (the Bay of Fundy tides push the water back a bit up the Saint John River).
     
    Second plot: This plot has the tidal effect removed from the 2025 data as well.
     
    Third plot: Of concern to all of us is not only how high the water levels are right now, but how fast is the water rising? So the left-side scale up the vertical axis shows how fast the water is rising, measured in meters per day (the right-side scale shows feet/day). For the old-timers, 0.3 meters/day is 1 foot/day.
     
    📉 When the line is high, the water is rising very quickly; when it is below the zero line (red horizontal dashed line), the water is receding.
     
    💬 Stay tuned for more updates and feel free to share this with your neighbours and local groups.
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  • First Freshet Plots for 2025

    First Freshet Plots for 2025

    First Freshet Plots for 2025

    Hi Folks it’s that time of year when we keep an eagle eye on the river. Again this year a big thanks to Lane Bishop who has kindly provided us with his water level plots for the 2025 freshet. As a reminder, here are the definitions for the plots:

    Explanation:
    1. First plot: For 2025, this is the standard plot of water levels using data at 5 minute intervals from the Oak Point hydrometric station on the Saint John River at the mouth of the Belleisle. See https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/real_time_e.html…. The lines for the other years have the tidal effect removed (the Bay of Fundy tides push the water back a bit up the Saint John River).
    2. Second plot: This plot has the tidal effect removed from the 2025 data as well.
    3. Third plot: Of concern to all of us is not only how high the water levels are right now, but how fast is the water rising? So the left-side scale up the vertical axis shows how fast the water is rising, measured in meters per day (the right-side scale shows feet/day). For the old-timers, 0.3 meters/day is 1 foot/day. When the line is high, the water is rising very quickly; when it is below the zero line (red horizontal dashed line), the water is receding.
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    Water Level Plots credit Lane Bishop – 2025 Freshet