A dog patrolling its nearly-flooded homestead | Mik Horvath/MBC
At approximately 4:18 p.m. today (April 23) the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board (ORRPB) released its latest update on the Ottawa River Basin and local flood status.
According to the forecast river water conditions are stable or slightly declining between Pembroke and Ottawa.
Local resident, Dwight MacMillan, has been living on the river for decades.
MacMillan’s residence is located by the intersection of River Rd. and Thompson Rd., he said he thinks the water is done flowing in his neck of the woods, but mother nature doesn’t just stop.
However, water levels are continuing to gradually rise in Mattawa and the Board said the area could be seeing flooding tomorrow morning.
Accelerated snowmelt is also expected in the Northern parts of the basin which would lead to increased flows downstream.
The ORRPB said it may lead to increasing water levels in Pembroke, but stable or decreasing levels between Fort Coulonge and Ottawa.
Combining the rate of snowmelt and the unpredictability of rainfall, the ORRPB said “a second flood peak remains possible in the coming weeks from Mattawa to the Montreal region,”
“A rapid melt combined with rainfall could lead to water levels higher than those observed between April 19 and April 22 in all locations.”
(Written by Mik Horvath)
