Water levels are rising in Mattawa, and some residents are considering getting out the sandbags. Sources say the water has risen rapidly, “two feet today,” one person posted to social media. The Mattawa Island Conservation Area closed yesterday, and people are warned to stay away from the area and avoid the riverbanks.
BayToday phoned Town Hall, and Mayor Raymond Bélanger and senior staff were unavailable for comment as they were meeting to discuss the flooding. However, Monday the town posted to its Town of Mattawa Facebook page that “Mattawa is closely monitoring the water situation and the rising levels of the Mattawa River and Ottawa River.”
“Staff is prepared in the event of a flood situation for quick assembly and will jump into action when required.”
The rising water conjures terrible memories of 2019 when Mattawa was hit hard by flooding. The town called a state of emergency at that time.
See: Breach of Sand Berm leading to more flooding problems in Mattawa (UPDATE)
“We’re a little bit below one metre of the 2019 flood levels,” explained Chitra Gowda, the CEO of the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA). “However, we’re already seeing flood impacts in the town of Mattawa.”
Currently, the levels are below the 2019 flood, “but the levels of flooding have already started impacting homes and properties.”
“We are constantly monitoring it,” Gowda said. Staff are watching levels along the river, at the Otto Holden Dam, and the Hurdman Dam further upstream.
The Conservation Authority also monitors levels running in from the Témiscaming area.
Monday, Greg Duquette posted a photo on Mattawa’s Open Forum Facebook page, of some cut logs floating in the water. “Turcotte Park losing their firewood,” he captioned the photo.
Gowda explained that all of the information the NBMCA receives is sent along to the municipal staff and emergency chiefs. Information is also posted on its website and Facebook page.
The Town of Mattawa also suggested residents review a pamphlet on emergency preparedness from the Government of Canada Get Prepared website.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
