April 26 9:00 a.m.
The Township of Madawaska Valley advises that Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has issued a Flood Warning for Renfrew County due to significant rainfall forecasted in the next 48 hours. The Kamaniskeg Lake water system is expected to rise and flood levels are currently forecasted to reach or exceed the historic levels seen in 2017. Updates from the Ministry continue to be monitored by the CEMC and CEMC alternate and updates will be relayed as provided.
Sand and sandbags for prevention and protection of primary buildings (ie. houses & cottages) are available. Please contact the Township office at 613-756-2747 to register for sandbags, or alternatively, the Operations Manager at 613-633-6164 or the Operations Supervisor at 613-639-5313. If required sand can be delivered to additional central locations for sandbagging.
SAND LOCATIONS:
- Barry’s Bay- Public Works Garage Yard 1- 49 Arena Rd
- Combermere-Fire Hall/Combermere Community Ctr-1095 Farmer Rd
- Contact the Operations Manager 613-633-6164 for sand to be delivered at your location if required.
ROAD CLOSURE UPDATES
Chippawa Road As scheduled earlier this week the Township of Madawaska Valley is conducting an emergency culvert replacement and road closure on Chippawa Road on Friday, April 26, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This repair will occur on Chippawa Road approximately 150 metres off of Hwy. 62 in the vicinity of Parcher Lake and Levé Lake. Residents of Chippawa Road, Wigry Road, Tamarack Road and Parcher Road should take note.
Wilno Road North Alternative detours include Wilno North to Paugh Lake West to B-Bay and Scenic is open via Simpson Pit Rd in KHR.
Peplinski Homestead Road closed from Paugh Lake Rd to Etmanskie Rd; was repaired now washout pending water receding-closed
Finch Rd. Remains closed
Dam Lake at Martin Recoskie Road. Water over road at intersection signage road closed to local traffic
Crooked Slide Park. Far end is failing.
Chippawa Road. Emergency culvert replacement today 9:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. (details above)
Paugh Lake at Wilno North/Trebinski Rd to Basin Depot Rd.Remains closed. County Bridge near Basin Depot 21 inch of water over road and washout throughout the road.
Rumleskie Rd. repaired April 26, 2019.
Grunwald Rd. Water over road caution signs in place
Mullin Road- repaired by Hastings Highlands April 25, 2019
Other Smaller washout issues are being organized/ prioritized and repaired
Call the Township office at 613-756-2747 or the Operations Manager at 613-633-6164 to report any flooding on roads not listed above.
The Township has published on its website numerous links to useful resources to residents. Click HERE to visit madawaskavalley.ca
I wish someone could talk some sense into OPG, who operate the dams along the Madawaska River and it’s lake system. Approximately 90% of the snowpack is now gone, and we aren’t expected to have a wet spring (average rainfall levels are predicted for this year) beyond this week, yet they are allowing high water flow through the dams, while Bark Lake, the first in the chain and the biggest, is still sitting very low. (I know this for a fact as I live on this lake and my dock is still completely out of the water.)
The entire reason for dropping the level of Bark Lake so much in the winter is to mitigate potential flood damage and better control the flow of water during spring melt and rain. I don’t understand why they haven’t brought the lake up to at least close to capacity before increasing the flow through the dams.
Allowing the Madawaska to flow at flood levels causes extensive shoreline erosion/destruction, and thousands of dollars in damage to private properties downstream of these dams. If they kept the flow through the dams at ‘normal’ (or slightly higher) levels until the lake level increases, we could avoid much of these issues. Bark Lake is one of the largest lakes in the area and it takes a LOT of water to fill it up. This was the same mistake they made last year, and then struggled to bring the lake level up for the rest of the season, and never did get to it’s usual level. OPG needs to be more responsible in their operation of these dams and the stewardship of our waterways.
The Current is doing a WONDERFUL job in keeping the ratepayers up to date on the road conditions in the Township!! Kudos!!!