West Carleton, Cumberland residents being advised to monitor Ottawa River levels

Sandbag pickup area in Ottawa's west end. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)

With an increasing flood risk along the Ottawa River, residents are being advised to closely monitor water levels and sandbags are being made available as a precaution.

City of Ottawa officials say the current water level peak is expected to come later this week – Friday in West Carleton and Britannia, and on Saturday in Cumberland.

The city adds that water levels have not increased as quickly as initially forecasted and that projections indicate levels approaching those observed in previous years, close to the first peak period in 2023, though precautions are being taken.

“Flows and water levels on the main stem of the Ottawa River continue to rise due to increased runoff from ongoing rainfall combined with snowmelt from the mountainous areas of the basin,” according to the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board’s river conditions forecast.

With the Ottawa River touching the top of Helmut Walter’s retaining wall, he wants to be ready.

“A cautionary thing, really,” he told CTV News Ottawa.

The Constance Bay resident is picking up sandbags just in case.

 “It’s just to fill in after the washout,” he says. “Been through it, so I know what to expect.”

A sandbag-filling machine was made available through the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre, according to the city.

“As we got the forecast from our Ottawa River Regulatory Planning Board partners. We noticed that there was a dramatic rise forecast over a very short period of time,” said Jim Lethbridge, manager with public works, emergency planning and response at the City of Ottawa

“So, at that point, we’re always encouraging residents to be aware of the flooding that is going on in their area and to monitor water levels.”

West Carleton-March Coun. Clarke Kelly says he is glad to see the city taking precautionary measures.

“Because if something does happen and we get a major weather event, then we could be looking at a much more severe issue,” he said.

The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board says minor flood levels have been reached in Pembroke, Lake Coulonge and Britannia, and should be reached in Mattawa and Chats Lake on Thursday.

Levels may reach or exceed the major flood level from Lake Coulonge to Lake Deschenes depending on the rapidity of snowmelt and precipitation amount received, the planning board says.

From Gatineau down to the Montreal Region, levels are expected to exceed minor flood levels but should remain below major flood levels.