Ministry issues flood warning for Bancroft district with heavy rainfall forecast

A flood warning has been issued for all of the Bancroft district.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) issued the warning early Tuesday afternoon, advising residents to prepare for possible flooding, especially in areas near the Gull River, which flows through the village of Minden.

Residents who have a historic susceptibility to flooding are advised to take appropriate steps to protect their property, such as ensuring sump pumps are functioning and securing items that may float away as water levels rise, the MNRF said.

“There is a strong likelihood that typical flood-prone areas on the Gull River will experience flooding,” the ministry added.

“The peak of this event on the Gull system is unlikely to be realized until early next week.”

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The MNRF says an additional 15 to 20 mm of rainfall is forecast for the next five days. Snow remains in the upper reaches of the area’s northern watersheds, and water levels and flows are rising rapidly through most bodies of water.

“Most lakes on the Gull River and Burnt River systems are full or approaching full levels, and storage capacity for additional melt and precipitation is limited,” the MNRF said.

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“The flows on Gull River and Burnt remain above average. Flows on the Burnt River have peaked and are declining, however, the Gull River through the village of Minden continues to rise and is expected to do so over the coming days.”

Rising water levels have also prompted the closure of a number of roads due to nuisance flooding, including:

• McKnight Drive
• Anson Street (open to local traffic only)
• Hospitality Road (open to local traffic), which has barricades 1.8 km east of Rice Road and at Hartle Lane
• Spring Valley Road
• Ritchie Falls Road (open to local traffic only)
• Rail Trail
• Mark Twain Road
• Salerno Lake Road Bridge
• Snowmobile Bridge in downtown Minden on the Gull River
• Milburn Road, which is closed from two km east of Country Road 1 to 0.5 km west of the Irondale waste disposal site

Water levels in the south, including the Burnt River in the City of Kawartha Lakes, are beginning to recede, the MNRF reported.

WATCH (April 18, 2019): Minden prepares for possible flooding

1:45 Minden prepares for possible flooding