Peak forecasts on Ottawa River still rising

Water levels continued rising along the Ottawa River today, and this weekend's expected peaks are creeping higher as well.

The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board released its latest numbers Thursday afternoon, and they suggest the rain in Thursday and Friday's forecast will continue to raise levels. 

At some points along the watershed, as much as 50 millimetres could fall, said planning board engineer Michael Sarich — and that means lots of extra water in the river.  

"The precipitation currently looks to be meeting what is forecast, so we are certainly expecting on the upper reaches of the Ottawa [River] to have historic water levels reached." 

Northern reservoirs on the river held back water earlier this season, but those reservoirs are now full. 

Sarich said levels in Pembroke, Ont., and other northern sections of the river would be particularly high in the next few days. 

That city is currently under a state of emergency.

By the numbers

The board said at 5 p.m. Thursday the water level in Pembroke was at 113.5 metres above sea level. The board believes the river will peak there Saturday at a height of 113.75 metres, breaking the record set in 1960.

Lac Coulonge is at 108.96 metres, up six centimetres from Wednesday, and is now predicted to rise to 109.35 metres on Saturday, a second peak for that section of the river.

Arnprior, Ont., is at 76.03 metres, but levels there are forecasted to climb another 22 centimetres, bringing it within six centimetres of the peak it hit last week.

Britannia in west Ottawa is at 60.42 metres and is set to hit 60.7 metres by Sunday, which will be the same height reached during last week's record highs and well above 2017 levels.

The Hull Marina in Gatineau is at 44.65 metres, but could climb 45 centimetres due to the rain by Monday.

Thurso, Que., is at 43.16 metres, but is now predicted to climb to 43.65 metres by Monday, nearly reaching previous levels. 

And Hawkesbury, Ont., is at 42.31 metres, but is forecast to climb to 42.7 metres by Monday.

The next update is expected at 5 p.m. on Friday.

All forecasts are approximate and subject to change based on the weather and other factors.

All records are based on data from the planning board, which goes back as far as the 1930s in some areas.