Water levels expected to remain steady in coming days, EMO says
More rain means more flooding expected in parts of the province this week
With more rain on the way, the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, say water levels are expected to stay near or just above the flood stage.
Water levels are already high in the Fredericton, Maugerville, Jemseg and Grand Lake areas, and Robert Duguay, a spokesperson for the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, said Monday that they'll likely remain steady.
Environment and Climate Change Canada is forecasting 20 to 40 mm of rain before Wednesday morning.
Duguay said up to 35 millimetres of rain is expected in the upper part of the St. John River basin and around 30 millimetres in the lower part of the basin.
"That amount of water will keep water levels steady for the next few days," he said. "We're not expecting a huge increase."
For a comparison, Duguay looked back to the flooding in 2008, when the St. John River level reached 8.4 metres in the Fredericton area. So far, the water level is at about 6.7 metres.
"We're going to stay like this for at least part of the week," he said.
Roads closed
But water has spilled into some roads along the St. John River basin.
Route 690 in Lakeville Corner closed Sunday morning, while the road to the former ferry in Lower Jemseg is also closed.
Highway 105 from Maugerville to Jemseg is partially covered by water at several locations, and Route 105 at Medford between Tobique First Nation and Drummond remains closed to traffic.
John Keddy was forced to turn his red pickup truck around on Monday when he saw the barricade at McGowans Corner.
"Water is a very powerful thing, as everybody knows, and it has a tendency to wash out as it goes, not just go over top, it'll wash out underneath, too," Keddy said. "And I'm not about to put this truck through something like that."
If you see it washed out, you better just hit the high ground," he said.
A news release issued by EMO said drivers should obey signs posted on roads indicating the presence of water or potential washouts.
They should also keep in mind that wildlife are seeking higher ground as their natural territories are covered by water.
"Drivers should be cautious in these areas," he said.
Residents living near waterways are asked to remain vigilant as situations can change quickly.
The New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization said it is on standby to monitor any potential risks for dwellings or infrastructure that could become at risk.