A lands and water technologist with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority says this weekend could be critical for water levels in the watershed.
Davin Heinbuck says they've been moving towards a Level 1 low water advisory almost since this spring and officially declared it in July. However, he says if we don't get a significant amount of rain this weekend, he suspects they'll declare a Level 2 advisory early in August.
Heinbuck says the last Level 2 advisory he can remember was in 2012 or 2013.
Heinbuck points out there have been several occasions this summer where rain was a possibility, but on most of those occasions the rain has gone to the north or south and missed most of the Ausable Bayfield watershed.
Heinbuck says one of the differences between a Level 1 and a Level 2 advisory is that a Level 1 asks for a voluntary reduction of water use of 10% while a level two advisory asks for a 20% reduction.
He adds under a Level 2 advisory the Water Response Team would get together with local major water users to see if they can find ways to manage water consumption if conditions continue to deteriorate.
