Some areas southeast of Fredericton to remain at flood stage for at least several more day.
As of Sunday, water levels in the St. John River were mostly starting to drop, but some communities in southern New Brunswick will likely remain above flood stage for a few more days.
After several days of flooding, water levels in the river have dropped below flood stage in Fredericton this weekend.
To the north of Fredericton, only Saint-Hilaire and part of Haut-Madawaska remain under a flood advisory, which means water levels are only two metres below flood stage.
Southeast of Fredericton, the river is still above flood levels in Gagetown, Jemseg and Sheffield-Lakeville corner.
Geoffrey Downey of the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization said those areas are likely to remain above flood stage for at least a few more days. He said water levels could even rise slightly, but overall they are expected to stabilize and drop later in the week.
Downey said water levels in and around Saint John can be harder to predict because of the tides, but right now water levels there are forecast to remain below flood stage.
"I certainly wouldn't say we're in the clear at this point," said Downey. "I'd say the circumstances are very favourable to …an easier spring than some we've seen certainly in the recent past."
Despite more favourable conditions, Downey said people shouldn't underestimate the river in the coming days.
"The river is certainly still moving very quickly," he said. "It's very cold. There's all kinds of debris in it. So while you know, you might not expect water in your basement, people still need to be aware of the river."
Downey also warned people to be aware of highways near the water, where wildlife habitats could be flooded, pushing animals closer to the roads.
Source:https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/floodwaters-receding-in-parts-of-n-b-1.6819898
