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Britannia Village residents living along the Ottawa River are beginning to get nervous.
With mild temperatures and rain fuelling the recent thaw, flooding is once again a possibility.
Bay Coun. Alex Cullen said there are dozens of century-old and new homes in the flood plain at Britannia, as is one of two city water purification plants.
At some point, if the water rises high enough, Cullen said more than 100 homes could be in danger.
“It’s nervous time in Britannia,” said Cullen.
Although the Ottawa River Regulating Committee, that monitors levels along the Ottawa River watershed, said it’s still too early to tell if significant flooding will take place, it’s something to watch.
“The snow pack is higher than normal,” said Mark Bisson, a regulating engineer with the committee.
But flooding will depend on a combination of sudden warming and rainfall.
Patrick Larson, a senior water resource techncian with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, said his organization is also watching water levels.
“There is potential for some fairly high flows,” said Larson. “There’s more than we are used to seeing and there is that risk.”
The city does take measures to protect Britannia residents who are at risk of flooding by installing temporary flood gates at the end of two streets and makes sand and bags available to residents.
As a result of a city-led study and comments from the public in the area last year, the municipality came up with two scenarios to deal with potential flooding.
First, a berm that already exists could be raised along with providing additional drainage.
A second scenario would include the first, more substantial drainage and the construction of a berm along the south section of Britannia Park.
The first scenario would cost about $390,000 and the second would cost about $80,000 more.
derek.puddicombe@ott.sunpub.com