French River at Chaudiere Dam water level
River gauge, French River, Ontario, Canada
Right now
Low for mid-October
Surface elevation
- Flow
- 2.54 m³/s
History
What this means
At 187.80 m, the French River at Chaudiere Dam is below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 188.86 m, based on 16 years of readings, so the water level is 1.07 m below typical.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 187.79 m and 187.81 m.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 16 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 188.86 m1.07 m below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 187.75 m – 192.01 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (16 years of records)
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 187.79 m – 187.81 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 187.79 m – 187.80 m
Conditions at French River at Chaudiere Dam
Low water means shallow riffles on canoe trips and warmer water for fish.
Flood advisories come from the provincial river forecast centre.
About the French River
The French River is a river in Central Ontario, Canada. It flows 110 kilometres (68 mi) from Lake Nipissing southwest to Georgian Bay. The river largely follows the boundary between the Parry Sound District and the Sudbury District, and in most contexts is considered the dividing line between Northern and Southern Ontario. The French River was designated a Canadian Heritage River in 1986.
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the French River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French River below Portage DamRiver gauge, French River | 89.9 m³/s | Normal | −0.80 m³/s | 0.7 km |
| French River at Wolseley BayRiver gauge, French River | 186.76 m | Normal | +0.01 m | 18 km |
| French River at Horseshoe FallsRiver gauge, French River | 9.88 m³/s | Very low | +1.26 m³/s | 37 km |
| French River at Little French CutRiver gauge, French River | 1.20 m³/s | Very low | +0.38 m³/s | 42 km |
| French River at Dry Pine BayRiver gauge, French River | 1.01 m | Normal | +0.05 m | 45 km |
| French River at Recollet FallsRiver gauge, French River | 94.4 m³/s | Very low | +6.80 m³/s | 46 km |
| French River at Hartley BayRiver gauge, French River | 177.53 m | Low | +0.07 m | 57 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little French River at Okikendawt IslandRiver gauge, Little French River | 18.6 m³/s | Normal | −0.30 m³/s | 4.0 km |
| Dollars Lake below S NarrowsLake, Dollars Lake | 7.61 m | Very low | ±0 | 28 km |
| Veuve River near VernerRiver gauge, Veuve River | 0.45 m | Low | −0.01 m | 33 km |
| Pickerel River above Cantin LakeRiver gauge, Pickerel River | 16.72 m | Low | −0.02 m | 33 km |
| Commanda Creek near CommandaRiver gauge, Commanda Creek | 1.06 m | Low | −0.01 m | 38 km |
| Little Sturgeon River below Booth LakeRiver gauge, Little Sturgeon River | 2.63 m | Normal | −0.03 m | 44 km |
Questions and answers
What is a normal level for the French River at Chaudiere Dam in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 188.86 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 187.75 m and 192.01 m, based on 16 years of records.
Is French River at Chaudiere Dam really 187.80 m deep?
No. 187.80 m is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.
What is the water level of French River at Chaudiere Dam today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 02:35 PM EDT, the surface elevation was 187.80 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is French River at Chaudiere Dam rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of French River at Chaudiere Dam normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 16 years of daily readings for this time of year.
How often is this data updated?
Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada publishes a new reading every hour. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.
Where does this data come from?
The values come directly from Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada, the official operator of this gauge, and are published under the Open Government Licence – Canada. We do not estimate or model live values.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada
- Station code
eccc:02DD017(Agency page)- Coordinates
46.12083, -80.02750(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- FRENCH RIVER DATUM
- Update interval
- every hour
- Licence
- Open Government Licence – Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface elevation | 187.80 m | 2026-10-18 18:35 | Provisional |
| Flow | 2.54 m³/s | 2026-10-18 18:35 | Provisional |
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How to cite
Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada: French River at Chaudiere Dam (eccc:02DD017). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/canada/ontario/french-river-at-chaudiere-dam
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer