UPDATE: London police announced Wednesday evening that the boating ban on the Thames River within London city limits has been lifted.
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There will be no kayaking or canoeing in London for at least the next day or so.
London police announced on Wednesday morning that a boating ban is now in place on the Thames River within London city limits. It was put in place because water levels on the Thames have reached the threshold for a ban.
Recent rainfall and melting snow have raised levels in area creeks and rivers, leading the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority to advise residents to stay away from waterways. While no significant flooding is expected, conservation officials have said low lying, flood-prone areas will be noticeably soggy.
"Banks adjacent to rivers and creeks are very slippery and, when combined with cold, fast-moving water, pose a serious hazard," the UTRCA said in a statement released on Tuesday. "Parents are encouraged to keep their children and pets away from all waterways."
The UTRCA said flood control reservoirs at Fanshawe Conservation Area in London, Pittock Conservation Area in Woodstock, and Wildwood Conservation Area near St. Marys are at seasonal levels and are being operated to reduce any downstream flooding.
