Water levels begin to stabilize on Ottawa River in national capital region

Water from the Ottawa River surrounds a property in Constance Bay on Tuesday, April 21. (Austin Lee/CTV News Ottawa)

Water levels have started to stabilize along the Ottawa River through the national capital region, with flood waters expected to begin to recede this week.

Dozens of properties and roads along the Ottawa River in Ottawa and Gatineau have been submerged in water due to heavy rainfall in April and the spring melt.

A flood warning remains in effect along the Ottawa River from Pembroke to Hawkesbury.

According to the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board, water levels increased one centimetre on Wednesday at Britannia and five centimetres along the Ottawa River at Hull.

The planning board says water levels should be stable at Britannia over the next three days, while water levels will begin to recede at Hull by five centimetres on Thursday and another five centimetres on Friday.

“Water levels and flows are stabilizing between Lake Coulonge and Lake Deschenes as spring runoff from the central unregulated portion of the basin is slowly starting to decrease and northern reservoirs continue to retain runoff from those regions,” the planning board said.

“Between Gatineau-Hull and Carillon, water levels and flows are expected to start stabilizing later (Tuesday).”

The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board said the rate of decline in water levels between Britannia and Carillion will depend on the weather, but water levels could rise again later this spring between Pembroke and Britannia.

“Risk of further increase in levels in late April and early May is higher from Mattawa to Lake Coulonge given the high snowpack remaining in the northern part of the basin,” the board said.

Gatineau

Approximately 260 properties are at risk of flooding along the Ottawa River in Gatineau. Firefighters had been visiting residents in the area to urge them to prepare for possible flooding.

TVA Gatineau reported on Tuesday that some residents had voluntarily evacuated their homes due to rising water levels.

Several streets in Gatineau, Hull and Aylmer have been submerged by flooding.

Ottawa River boating

The City of Ottawa is asking boaters to stay off the Ottawa River in the flooding zone.

“Boating close to shore may cause wakes which contribute to additional damage to homes and flood barriers,” the city said on its website.

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