Rideau River overflowing in Old Ottawa South
'People come down and look at it — it's kind of a spring ritual'
Some residents are filling sandbags in Old Ottawa South as the Rideau River overflows amid continuing rain.
About 36 millimetres of rain fell Thursday, setting a rainfall record for April 6.
By Friday morning water levels along the river were about a metre above ground level near Rideau River Drive and Belmont Avenue.
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority expects water levels to peak through Friday afternoon, Friday evening and Saturday morning, then start receding early next week, according to Bryden Denyes, a roads and services manager for the city.
'It's a spectacle'
Resident Boyd McBride said the water is still a few houses away from his home, but that his family might start preparing for the possibility of flooding just in case.
"I'm always anxious when it starts to creep up Belmont Avenue, because we have had flooding right up to our house. I anticipate we may end up filling some sandbags tonight and blocking off our driveway, which slopes down into the basement," he said.
"This year it's higher than it's been for a number of years."
Zoltan Tompa said he isn't worried because he has a new home, but he's concerned for neighbours with older homes and basements.
"This is about a one-in-seven-year flood. The last time we saw it this high was I think back in 2008, and then we had another flood in 2013 or 2014, which was a little bit lower than this," Tompa said.
"Most people don't feel too nervous. It's a spectacle. People come down and look at it — it's kind of a spring ritual."
