St. John River to remain at 8.2 metres in Fredericton today, says EMO director

The director of the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization says the water level on the St. John River in Fredericton should remain at 8.2 metres over the next 48 hours, barring any major weather event. 

Greg MacCallum says the two-day forecast for the St. John River shows the water level will remain at that height but water levels in low-lying areas in the capital region, like Maugerville and Jemseg, will rise. 

The water level is currently 1.7 metres above the flood level. 

Earlier on Saturday, Fredericton's director of emergency measures Wayne Tallon predicted water levels could reach 8.3 or 8.4 metres sometime on Saturday. 

But MacCallum said it is hard to be exact about the numbers, adding a level of 8.4 metres was not forecast. 

The last time Fredericton saw water levels that high was during a previous major flood in 2008.

Many city streets are closed as a result of the flooding.

Water levels increase

The water level in Maugerville is expected to rise to 6.44 metres today and reach 6.7 by Monday. The flood level in that community is 6 metres. 

In Jemseg, where the flood level is 4.3 metres, water levels are now at 4.55 metres and are forecast to rise to 5.5 metres over the next three days. 

Sheffield and Lakeville Corner can expect water levels to rise to 5.4 metres, according to the forecast. 

The Oromocto Fire Department has said due to the dangerous water conditions, it will not escort residents into the affected areas.

"We will continue to remove residents from their houses. Travel below the Burton bridge is limited to [vehicles] 3/4 tons or larger," it said in a release.

The department says travel in the areas is extremely dangerous and should be limited to essential travel only. 

Ahmed Dassouki, operations director with New Brunswick Transportation and Infrastructure, said there are 50 roads affected by the flooding. One of the worst is Route 105 in the Maugerville and Jemseg area. 

Dassouki and MacCallum warned motorists to heed the barricades and not drive around them. 

With rain in the forecast for the next week, people along the St. John River are watching the water levels closely after it rose overnight. 

• Rising waters put New Brunswick capital on flood alert
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EMO said Friday it expected the river to reach 8.3 metres before the end of the weekend. 

Saturday's forecast calls for showers with a high of 17 C. Sunday's weather is expected to be the same. MacCallum said there is 15 to 20 mm of rain expected. 

Adding to this is large quantities of snow melting in areas further north.

"There is still a lot of snow up there and there is still a lot of water content in that snow," MacCallum said. 

"This melt will continue and that's why you are seeing the levels that we have now and will probably endure another day or two days before we see any significant change." 

Many homes are dealing with flooded basements.

Residents of McMinniman Court in Fredericton have been forced to leave their houses because of the flood. 

Mark Belliveau, the Red Cross's deputy director of disaster management for Atlantic Canada, said 13 residences have been evacuated in the province so far and he expects that number to increase. 

Belliveau said if anyone is displaced due to flooding and doesn't have access to temporary accommodations with family, friends or neighbours, they can call 1-800-863-6582 for help.

He also urged anyone who is going to leave to contact the Red Cross.

The Salvation Army Church on St. Mary's Street in Fredericton is open as a shelter for displaced city residents. People from outside the area can find the shelter at the University of New Brunswick at 20 Bailey Dr. 

Stay alert

EMO warns people to remain on alert over the next 48 hours. 

That includes communities along the Maine border in northwestern New Brunswick that are expected to approach or surpass flood stage Saturday. They include Clair, St. Hilaire, Edmundston and St. Leonard. 

Officials in Edmundston said the river levels, while high, are mostly stable or declining throughout Edmundston — with the exception of the St. John River, which is on the rise, as expected.

Water levels on the Madawaska River remain stable for now but may increase while the water level on Rivière-à-la-Truite has stabilized and is declining.

The water level on the Iroquois River is also down, the municipality said.  

Other areas also on flood watch include Hartland and some southern communities, such as Oak Point and Saint John. The water level at Oak Point is expected to reach 4.8 metres.

Anyone affected by flooding can report damages by calling 1-888-298-8555 or by registering damages online.

Watercourses at risk include: 

• Nashwaak River
• Miramichi River
• Restigouche River
• Middle River (Bathurst)
• Southwest Miramichi (Priceville/Doaktown area)
• Salmon River
• Tetagouche River (North Tetagouche Road)

But Downey said anyone needing immediate help should call 911.

"If they are looking for assistance, they can call their municipalities or the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization. If they want to report flooding, or they're fine and they see something and they think people should know, they can call 1-800-561-4034." 

• Residents keep close watch on ice in Little Southwest Miramichi River

Road closures affected by flooding across N.B. can be found here. 

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