New Brunswick’s emergency measures organization (EMO) says though flooding potential over the St. John River is “mainly steady,” there’s still a possible concern for people in the Jemseg, N.B. area.
READ MORE: New Brunswick emergency officials remind people to stay vigilant about flooding
Robert Duguay with the EMO told Global News that water levels in the community were going to go above flood stage for the rest of the week.
“Water levels in Fredericton-area reached a peak last Friday. Now it’s Jemseg, and what I’m saying is it’s all regions on the way down, up to the Bay of Fundy for the St. John River will see an increase of water levels, of course naturally, and then eventually that will decrease,” Duguay said.
“What we’re seeing here is there’s no other major threat in terms of a lot of precipitation or snow melting or ice, so we think that water levels should stay pretty steady and decrease everywhere.”
He said some of the roads are halfway covered, but as only half of the street is water-filled, the organization feels no major roads will be closed.
Stewart Upton, who has lived along the St. John River, told Global News the uncertain water levels can be a concern, but is used to it.
“They’re high but they can be a lot worse,” he said. “I’ve lived here all my life and we get flooded every three or four years.”
He said, typically, when flooding is possible, he picks up everything that could float away, and then gets to high ground.
With the potential for flooding this week, he said every person in the community deals with it differently.
“Everybody has a different feeling. Some of the old guys, they’re pretty well-prepared, and some of the new people don’t know what to expect, so it’s no fun,” Upton said.
“Once it comes over the road, then it gets interesting, but as long as it stays on that side of the road, it’s not too bad.”
Though rain is expected later this week, and the possibility of rain and snow next weekend, Duguay said he expects water levels to increase along the river, then decrease. He also said there’s no more issues with ice in the upper part of the St. John River basin.
“So at this point, we are watching carefully any rain coming,” he said. “By that time [next weekend], the water levels will decrease enough to be able to take any additional rain that we could get.”
He added the water levels in the Fredericton area reached a peak Friday.
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