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Hi my name is Jason Staniforth, I'm the Area Manager of Core Roads here at Public Works at the
City of Ottawa and I'm here to talk to you about the Rideau River flood control program.
The program started in the late 1800s with the City conducting ice blasting on the Rideau
River near the Sussex Bridge at Rideau Falls. What was happening was that Ottawa was experiencing
some ice damming conditions that were causing flooding to over 900 structures in the Rideau
River flood plain during the spring, when the ice starts melting and the snow starts
melting.
At the beginning of February we see 16 staff from our snow plowing yards redeployed to
the Rideau River flood control program. They start by removing snow from the ice at the
Rideau falls and start working their way back from there in order to prepare for the key
cutting operation which is the next step in the process.
Through the winter season as temperatures start to cool and ice starts to form we see
different thicknesses of ice on the Rideau River with our crews starting in the beginning
of February to cut keys in the ice starting at the forebay from the Rideau River dam working
back up towards Strathcona Park. The keys are used to minimize the impact to fish habitat,
reduce the use of explosives, and to minimize the impact to any underground infrastructure;
gas mains and so on that are underneath the ice.
After the keys are cut in the ice, crews will start with the use of explosives, working
back from the Rideau River falls, theyĆll blast on either end of the keys which sends
a full sheet of ice down through the dam.
Explosives are used until we can reach a point where we can install or place into the water
an amphibex machine. The amphibex machine is used to essentially break up the ice and
its used wherever we can throughout the river in order to alleviate any ice jams.