Wasaga Beach residents on watch as Nottawasaga River swells

CTV Barrie: Flood warnings in Wasaga Beach Roger Klein is in Wasaga Beach where the quick melt has prompted a warning for residents to watch for flooding.

Wasaga Beach now is in the crosshairs as floodwaters run downstream through the Nottawasaga River system.

The quick melt over the last two days has prompted more flood warnings in the town.

The Nottawasga River has been rising over the past couple of days and it's at a point now that some flooding is expected to happen.

The water moving through the lower reaches of the river appear placid but the currents are growing stronger as the water level rises. The water is now at the top of the bank along Knox Road East in Wasaga Beach and resident Brian Shuffell has started to prepare for a flood.

“We got the basement cleared out, two extra sump pumps, a generator, a can of gas, stocked up on supplies like beer and food,” he says.

Earlier this spring ice jams were the primary concern, but now the river flow is at capacity and significant rainfall is expected over the next couple of days prompting the conservation authority to upgrade a flood watch to a warning.

Parents are advised to keep children away from river banks.

Wasaga Beach Fire Chief Mike McWilliam says property owners in flood-prone areas should not underestimate the river.

“Some of our residents who live in these areas can be nonchalant about this but they need to be reminded that there is still snow melting and there is some rain coming so they need to take it seriously,” he says.

Dan Whyte and his friends took to the river on jet skis to see what was happening upstream. He says the Minesing swamp is full and there is plenty of snow near his home near Creemore.

“I have never seen it like this in 20 so I think there is a lot of water to come out of the hills still,” he says.

It takes time for water to flow through the Nottawasaga River system from its source near Orangeville all the way down to Georgian Bay, so the flood warning will remain in effect for several days.