Saint John River water levels on the rise after heavy weekend rain

Water levels are on the rise in the Saint John River in New Brunswick.

Heavy rains over the past weekend have put a number of communities along the Saint John River in a flood advisory or watch stage, with one rural town expected to enter flood stages this week.

“The rain event over this past weekend has resulted in two things,” says communications officer with New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization (EMO), Geoffrey Downey in an email sent to CTV.

“First, heavy rain and warm temperatures melted virtually all the remaining snowpack. Second, there was enough rain that we will see an increase in water levels along the Saint John River in the coming days.”

The Village of Gagetown is currently in a “flood warning” as water levels creep closer to backyards and roadways.

Officials with New Brunswick River Watch says the water reaches this level in Gagetown most years and is not expected to cause any significant problems for area residents.

Three communities, including Fredericton and Woodstock, are currently at the “flood watch” level. A flood watch is determined when conditions are favorable for minor disruptions to normal activities according to New Brunswick River Watch.

The high waters in Fredericton have forced the city to close Salamanca Trail between Morell Park and the Princess Margaret Bridge, as well as the Millennium Trail connecting Carleton Park and Giant Tiger.

A total of 12 communities, including Saint Joh and Hartland, are in a “flood advisory” meaning water levels are two metres below the flood stage.

“Water levels are expected to peak Wednesday and are forecasted to gradually decline over the weekend,” says Downey.

“The rain forecast for the weekend is not expected to be problematic and next week we expect a continued gradual downward trend to water levels along the Saint John River.”

Downey says earlier in the River Water season a number of ice jams were seen along the Saint John River. The most significant jams took place near Connors, Perth-Andover, Tobique, and Woodstock. While some people were forced to evacuate their homes, the ice jams caused only minor disruptions according to Downey.

“Once the ice jams either degraded or moved downstream, the river was relatively calm for most of April, with only minor increases in water levels throughout the province,” he says.

Up to date on the water levels in the Saint John River can be found here.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.