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The threat of spring flooding is always real around the Ottawa area’s large rivers, especially after snowfalls such as those seen this winter, but some who monitor water levels are cautiously optimistic about this spring’s flood risk.
There was no excessive flooding in the area after the record snowfall in the winter of 1970-71, notes Fergus McLaughlin, executive engineer with the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board.
“What we usually hope for, and what we usually get, is a nice warm day with some melt, followed by a colder night, and that has the effect of slowing down the melt,” he said.
However, the region would be lucky to avoid flooding once the current accumulation of snow melts, said Gordon Mountenay, of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, which monitors the water basin north and west of Ottawa.
“Our flows are higher than they would normally be this time of the year. That’s the result of the [earlier] melt that we had in January and just trying to get that water down through the system,” Mountenay said.
Patrick Larson, of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, said his organization does anticipate that there will be some degree of flooding occurring throughout the Rideau watershed in low-lying areas adjacent to the river.
To avoid flooding, most river-watchers are counting on a long, slow thaw with little rain.
Unfortunately, Environment Canada is predicting above-normal temperatures and precipitation.
CBC News