flood watch

The latest River Watch five-day forecast for the Lower Saint John River from New Brunswick’s Department of Environment and Local Government looks better than days prior.

Fredericton and surrounding areas were expected to reach flood stage on April 21, but according to NBEMO spokesperson Paul Bradley and the five-day forecast, only Gagetown did.

“Gagetown definitely reached flood stage this morning. It’s going to go up a bit more tomorrow and then level out and go down slowly,” he said.

“At least for the next few days, the weather is favourable, so that’s a good thing. We are going to see levels peak if they have not already, and then they’re going to start to recede,” said Bradley. “As long as the weather stays the way it’s predicted to stay, water levels should start to go down.”

He reminds that some snow in northern areas of the province has yet to melt, as well as the potential for an incoming rainstorm.

“There isn’t a lot of room right now, so that could obviously lead to some concerns, but for today, things are looking pretty good,” he said.

Bradley says all the areas below the province’s capital could reach as high as flood warning levels. Areas above Fredericton, although water levels are still high, are trending downwards.

For more information about the Flood Watch, visit the Lower Saint John River watch website.