River Expected to Crest in Fredericton on Thursday
Source: CBC News
Posted: 05/01/08 2:37PM
Filed Under: Canada
The flooded St. John River is expected to crest in Fredericton on Thursday and begin to recede on Friday.
New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization said Thursday afternoon the river level was 8.33 metres.
The river is expected to continue to rise over the remainder of the day, said Andy Morton, deputy director for EMO, at a briefing on Thursday afternoon, but it also appears to be cresting.
The current projections by EMO suggest that the river will be 8.2 metres above sea level on Friday and at 7.7 metres by Saturday.
Officials had projected it would hit 8.6 metres by Thursday morning and possibly exceed the 8.63 metres record set in 1973.
Morton said the dry weather and cool temperatures over the last two days are starting to slow down the flow of the river.
But even as the flood levels recede in Fredericton the waters will continue to rise downriver.
Morton added that he couldn't yet say when they water levels would return to normal levels. Flood level in the city is 6.5 metres.
"We are going to see more roads and streets closed," Morton said.
More than 42 streets in the capital city were underwater on Thursday.
The rising waters have forced the closure of the provincial legislature, city hall, courthouse and all schools in the capital city and many downtown businesses.
A statue of Lord Beaverbrook is standing on a small granite island overlooking a flood-water lake occupying Officers' Square in downtown Fredericton.
A kayaker spoke with Colleen Jones of CBC News on Thursday morning as he made his way down what is usually one of Fredericton's busiest roads during the morning rush hour.
Parking lots along the riverfront in the capital city are covered in water. On some streets, only the tops of parking meters remain visible above the water.
Sandbags are in front of many businesses along Queen Street while water bubbles through manholes in some areas of the downtown.
The ramps to the Westmorland Bridge are under water and closed. The bridge had only two lanes open on Thursday and cars were backed up on the south side of the city to Dundonald Street, as people tried to return to the residential areas on the north side of the river.
Officials are asking that employers allow employees to stay home Thursday and Friday to reduce traffic into the flooded areas.
Police have reported several people are ignoring road barricades that have cropped up around the city. But people should not be entering the downtown area to see the flood and take photographs, Martin said.
NB Power has disconnected more than 449 customers in the Fredericton area.
Residents in Fredericton and Maugerville should be aware that even if their homes are not reached by the flooding, their power may still be disconnected if they are on a line affected by the water, said Heather MacLean, spokeswoman for NB Power.
Many people have been forced to leave their homes in the city and its outlying areas. The rising waters are expected to reach more than 1,300 homes.
Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside has issued a call for any residents living in flood-prone areas to leave their homes.
The Red Cross is providing shelter for displaced families at the University of New Brunswick. About 460 people had registered with the organization as of Thursday morning and more than 200 are staying at the university.
Fredericton police and the fire department have stationed boats on both sides of the St. John River.
Although the marine units are available for emergencies, Martin said, it will still take time for officials to respond to calls.
Emergency officials are trying to avoid sending their staff into the flooded areas because of the amount of debris in the water, Martin said. Residents should also take extreme caution if they are passing through any flooded area by foot, car or boat, he said.
Officials said Maugerville and Jemseg, downriver from Fredericton, will likely see the worst of the flooding. In Maugerville, the water is expected to reach 6.8 metres above sea level by Friday. Its flood stage is six metres. The level in Jemseg will reach 5.8 metres. Its flood stage is 4.3 metres.
While some families are leaving their homes in the low-lying areas outside the city, others are staying put.
The St. John River was already swollen with snowmelt when parts of northern New Brunswick, Maine and southern Quebec received up to 100 millimetres of rain earlier in the week, which is now funnelling into the river basin.
The 673-kilometre river stretches from its headwaters in Maine to the port city of Saint John, draining 55,000 square kilometres of land.
The flood waters are affecting the entire river, and New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization has issued a major flood warning for all people living along the basin.
Roadways throughout the province have been engulfed by the rising waters, including sections of the Trans-Canada Highway and Route 105.
In Maine, a state of emergency was declared on Tuesday night and more than 100 homes were evacuated in the Fort Kent area.
The International Bridge over the St. John River between Fort Kent and Clair, N.B., was closed amid fears the raging waters could drag it down.
New Brunswick Public Safety Minister John Foran and Premier Shawn Graham have said there was not yet a need to call a state of emergency in the province because all levels of government and emergency organizations are working well together.
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