A flood warning remains in effect for the North Bay area as water levels on Lake Nipissing continue to rise as another 20 mm of rain is forecast over the next five days. A rain/snow mix is predicted all week while temperatures remain below normal.
See: Water levels and stream flows rise sharply! Flood warning continues
"Lake Nipissing water levels are also increasing rapidly. There is the potential to reach the Maximum ‘Non-Damage’ Water Level of 196.22 on the lake by the middle of this week. There is also the possibility that water levels on the lake will exceed that mark later in the week, says an MNRF news release."
Meanwhile, Bracebridge continues to experience historically high flood elevations and is encouraging residents to take precautionary measures to ensure their safety.
It's so bad the community has called in the army.
In an effort to continue to manage the ongoing flooding emergency the Town reached out to the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre for support and as a result, 60 soldiers from the Canadian Armed Forces Reservists along with four 10-ton trucks have arrived and are on their way to Bracebridge to assist with sandbags, equipment, and resources to support evacuation efforts and first responders, as required," says the Town on its website.
Town Officials are reminding all members of the public that it is illegal to surpass roadways marked as closed. As the integrity of the road cannot be guaranteed and may pose a hazard.
Huntsville has also called a state of emergency along with Muskoka Lakes and Minden.
Lake levels and river flows are expected to remain high while the most recent rain and snow melts into the watershed. Huntsville and Port Sydney area lakes and rivers appear to have stabilized; however, residents will not see levels start to recede until this water works its way out of the river system over the next week.
Emergency Services are currently securing large floating items from the river and lake systems and will notify residents at a later date when it is safe to retrieve them.
Residents are advised that properties in flooded areas using well water should assume the water is not safe to drink.
