Types of Flooding

Flooding can cause property damage and injuries. However, you can help reduce the risk of flooding by understanding the different types of flooding and, depending on the location of your home, by contacting the regulatory authority that oversees your property. Different areas in the town may experience different types of flooding: riverine flooding, lake flooding and urban flooding.

Riverine flooding (or river flooding)

Riverine flooding is when extreme rain or melting snow causes the river to rise and spill over its banks into areas next to it. These areas next to the river that can be underwater for a period of time are called floodplains. Floodplains can be narrow or very wide depending on the shape of the land. If you're not sure if your property is located within or next to a floodplain, or if you're considering construction within or next to a floodplain, you should contact to local regulatory authority.

Properties near the following creeks should contact Conservation Halton at 905-336-1158, ext. 2227 or envserv@hrca.on.ca:

• Sheldon Creek
• Bronte Creek
• Fourteen Mile Creek
• McCraney Creek
• Taplow and Glen Oaks Creeks
• Sixteen Mile Creek
• Shannon Creek
• Munn’s Creek
• Morrison and Wedgewood Creeks
• Joshua’s Creek

Properties near Clearview Creek should contact Credit Valley Conservation at 905-670-1615 or planning@creditvalleyca.ca.

The Town of Oakville is currently carrying out several flood mitigation studies for creeks systems throughout the town. 

See below under 'Learn more' for more information on the various study initiatives.

Partial funding for these flood studies is provided by the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF), Infrastructure Canada.

Lake flooding

Lake flooding is when high water levels in the lake or storms cause the lake to overflow along the shoreline. If you are considering construction on a shoreline property, check with Conservation Halton at 905-336-1158 ext. 2227 or envserv@hrca.on.ca.

Urban flooding

Urban flooding is when rainfall or melting snow is so extreme that drainage systems cannot handle the volume and they overflow. Water may seep through building walls, floors, and back up into buildings through sewer pipes. The town’s stormwater management system helps reduce urban flooding. However, communities developed before 1980 do not have as much stormwater protection and are at a higher risk.

Learn more

• Flooding and emergency preparedness
• Stormwater management
• Flood Prioritization Study, 2008
• Flood Mitigation Opportunities Study for Joshua's Creek
• Flood Mitigation Opportunities Study for Lower Morrison and Lower Wedgewood Creek Systems
• Flood Mitigation Opportunities Study for Fourteen Mile Creek/McCraney Creek Systems
• Flood Mitigation Opportunities Study for Munn’s Creek
• Flood Mitigation Opportunities Study for Sheldon Creek