According to the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, for the southern part of the St. John River Basin, the worst of the flooding is yet to come. But some who saw their homes swallowed by the river last year are feeling better prepared this time around.
“We’re spending no time waiting,” said Lisa Sanderson.
“Last year we were just trying to stay ahead of the flood. It had never reached our house before and then this year it might stay away, but I guess learning from last year we’re not going to wait and see what happens, we’re going to be prepared to protect the house.”
As of Monday morning, the province’s river watch program listed water levels at Saint John/Quispamsis as 4.3 metres. It’s expected that waters will continue rising up to 5.2 metres by Friday, a full metre over flood stage for the area.
READ MORE: NB EMO says water levels along parts of St. John River to peak Tuesday
Although the water is set to continue rising throughout the week, Sanderson says that she feels like she has much more time to prepare this time around.
“We were doing this in hip waders last year. Absolutely we’re more prepared,” she said, gesturing to the sandbag wall beginning to take shape around the above-ground pool and basement of her home.
“We’re preparing for the worst and hoping that it won’t come up quite as high as they’re predicting.”
Sanderson says she had planned to add a more permanent retaining structure sometime this June and hadn’t expected to see this amount of flooding immediately following last year.
But the threat of more flooding, combined with memories of last year, has taken its toll.
“Certainly the last month or so it’s been very stressful, and this week has been very stressful as well,” she said.
“The government has not yet come through with our claim from last year, so we’re just trying to do what we can to keep water out, do our due diligence and hope for the best with a bit of relief.”
WATCH: Fredericton remains underwater as St. John River continues to rise
Helping Sanderson prepare are students from Harbour View High School where she is a student.
Grade 12 student Clara Kelly says its time to realize that this level of flooding is becoming the new normal.
“I mean, it’s a little bit devastating because a lot of people are going to lose their house,” she said.
“It’s like everyone’s saying that this is not a fluke anymore and we have to do something to change it, because there’s so many people who are being affected by it and the only way to stop it is to do something about it.”
The City of Saint John had one sandbag distribution centre operating at 406 Bay Street that will be joined on Tuesday by another at the Municipal Operations Building off Boars Head Road, near the blue bins. Both will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
READ MORE: Fredericton, Maugerville and Jemseg reach flood stage on Sunday
Right now, EMO expects waters to surpass the 5.2-metre mark, but doesn’t expect them to reach the historic levels seen last year.
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