Fredericton, Jemseg brace for flooding Thursday

People in Fredericton and Jemseg are bracing for flooding, expected to hit by Thursday.

Maugerville and Sheffield-Lakeville Corner are also expected to flood by Friday.

Some low-lying areas in Fredericton have already started to flood.

Water is lapping over a waterfront walking trail and the parking lot behind the Crowne Plaza-Lord Beaverbrook hotel is quickly filling with water.

The ice jam that was in the northwestern village of Perth-Andover is now just above the Beechwood dam, which has increased water levels along the St. John River, said Wayne Tallon, Fredericton's director of public safety.

"We hadn't anticipated the river to rise to the levels that they are now," and Tuesday's heavy rainfall will have an impact on water levels over the next few days, he said.

Environment Canada says more rain is in the forecast for Thursday morning, prompting the Department of Public Safety's River Watch to issue a public alert.

"Water levels in steams and rivers will continue to rise in response to the rainfall and snowmelt which has occurred across the province," the advisory states.

"As long as ice remains in river systems, there is always the potential for ice jams and localized flooding, as ice continues to break up and move downstream."

Fredericton and Jemseg both reached the warning stage on Wednesday and are forecast to exceed the flood stage on Thursday, at 6.7 metres and 4.5 metres respectively, according to the advisory.

We just get a little panicky thinking the water could come over the roadway. And it could because with this rain, it does.- Joyce Cochrane, Fredericton resident

Maugerville and Sheffield-Lakeville Corner both reached the watch stage on Wednesday and are expected to exceed the flood stage on Friday, it states.

Joyce Cochrane, of Fredericton, is on edge. Her bakery, Joyce's Home Baking, is located right next to the river.

"We just get a little panicky thinking the water could come over the roadway. And it could because with this rain, it does, even though we didn't have the snow up river, the rain is a big havoc to us in the spring," she said.

John Jewett is also worried. He rebuilt his greenhouse farther from the river so it wouldn't flood. But the water could still keep him from getting his crops in the field.

"If the crops aren't in the ground, you don't have anything to sell," he said.

A state of local emergency remains in effects for the areas of Perth-Andover at risk of flooding.

Saint John and Quispamsis are forecast to reach the flood warning stage on Thursday.

Grand Lake and Oak Point are expected to reach the warning stage on Friday.