The City of Gatineau is preparing for its fourth significant flood in under ten years, cautioning that water levels are on the rise and may reach levels seen during the 2023 flood by Sunday. Latest updates from the city indicate an increase of 11 to 14 centimeters in the Ottawa River’s water levels and 7 to 8 centimeters in the Gatineau River. Projections suggest that around 33 roads and 119 buildings could be impacted by flooding.
Environment Canada has issued yellow-level rainfall warnings for western Quebec, forecasting between 15 and 25 millimeters of rain by Sunday morning. The weather agency emphasized that heavy rain, combined with saturated ground, could lead to a rapid rise in water levels.
Special weather statements are also in effect for eastern Ontario, with expected rainfall ranging between 10 to 20 millimeters on Saturday and Sunday. The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board mentioned that major flood levels in specific areas may be surpassed in the coming days, depending on weather conditions. Water levels are predicted to stabilize or slightly decrease over the following two weeks.
Tom Al, an earth and environmental science professor at the University of Ottawa, highlighted that the frozen ground in various parts of the Ottawa River catchment area is impeding its ability to absorb recent rainfall, contributing to the rising water levels. Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette of Gatineau, who initially anticipated minimal flooding this year, stated that the situation has evolved in the past days.
Efforts to mitigate the impact of the flood include distributing sandbags, with approximately 2,000 provided to residents on Friday morning. Additional sandbag pick-up locations have been established, such as the Saint-Jean-De Brébeuf community center, bringing the total to four distribution points. Monitoring of at-risk roads and sectors is ongoing, while Traversiers Bourbonnais announced a temporary suspension of ferry services to facilitate the installation of a dock on the river.