Chris Lowrey
PONTIAC May 9, 2018
With many communities in the Pontiac still recovering from last year’s floods, it appears the region isn’t out of the woods yet.
The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board has warned that the river level will increase by 30 cm by May 9.
As of May 7, the Ottawa river in the Quyon region was at 59.60 metres above sea level. The Municipality of Pontiac’s high-alert level is 59.55.
As a result, sandbags are being deployed to residents in the areas with the highest need. This includes residents on Bélisle, Bergeron, Bord-de-l’eau, Dion, Frasier, Ruisseau, Saphire and Vieille-Pompe.
According to Municipality of Pontiac Acting Assistant Director General, Dominic Labrie, this year’s flooding will be similar to the high water mark of the April floods last year.

The river level reached a height of 59.91 metres above sea level. The high water mark in May was all the way up to 60.44 metres.
“We think we’ll reach the April peak from last year,” Labrie said.
The municipality said that if the river surpasses the 60 metre mark, distribution will be expanded to other regions in the municipality.
Over the weekend, the municipality sent out more than 2,000 sand bags.
Meanwhile, further north on Hwy. 148 in Mansfield – another area hard hit by last year’s floods – preparations are also being made.
“Right now we’re managing,” said Mansfield et Pontefract Director General Eric Rochon.
Rochon said the municipality is keeping a close eye on the river levels. The only tool available to the municipality is the river flow page at www.ottawariver.ca.
“We watch that like a religion,” he said.
He said that the river appears to be rising at a slower pace than initially predicted.
But Rochon said the main concern for the municipality isn’t the Ottawa River but the Coulonge River.
“The Coulonge River went up almost as high as last year,” Rochon said.
He added that the Coulonge River was scheduled to rise eight inches on May, 7.
However, despite the predictions from the Ministry of Public Security (MSP), Rochon said he’s not 100 per cent convinced the river will go up that much in such a short period.
“It’s not our first rodeo,” Rochon said. “We see floods every year – not big floods every year – but we see it coming every year.”
Rochon said the municipality is in dire need of volunteers to help fill sand bags. Anyone who is interested in lending their neighbours a helping hand can call the municipality at 819-683-2944 to add their name to the volunteer list.