Flood Details - 1996-01-25 - 1996-01-30

General: Mild weather and heavy rain caused ice to run and jam at many locations in New Brunswick. In almost all cases, the flooding caused little or no damage. Flooding along the Nashwaak and main Southwest Miramichi rivers caused road closures. Reports indicated there were minor ice movements and jams along the main Southwest Miramichi River for two weeks prior to January 25. Saint John River Basin: On the Saint John River, ten kilometre long ice jams were reported at Connors and St. Hilaire, and a six kilometre long ice jam was located at Morrell. Another jam lodged at Hartland, then moved to Woodstock and grew to eight kilometres in length. A four kilometre long jam formed near the mouth of the Meduxnekeag River. Ice jams also occurred near Saint Jacques on Rivière a la Truite, at New Denmark on the Salmon River, and Cloverdale at the confluence of the North and South Branch Becaguimec Stream. Numerous small ice jams occurred on the Tobique River. An ice jam at Nashwaak Bridge closed Route #107, washing out the shoulders and flooding the bridge. Southwest Miramichi River: On January 26, ice jams at Hayesville and Priceville caused flooding of local roads. The road between Porter Cove and Priceville flooded, but was not closed. The ice jam near Hayesville lodged by an island on January 25. The jam caused flooding and closure of a section of the Bloomfield Ridge Road, isolating about a dozen homes in the Hayesville area. Some of the ice floes were reported to be about 4.6 metres in diameter and 0.9 metres thick. On January 26 the water level dropped about 1.2 metres, to at least 0.6 metres below the road level, and the road was re-opened. Water levels subsequently rose, and the road was flooded briefly again on January 28. Middle River: Two ice jams formed on Middle River near Bathurst.

The flooding by Hayesville was much less severe than in April 1994.

The New Brunswick Department of Transportation estimated costs of $85 700 for flood related damages to roads and bridges at Hayesville, Nashwaak, and Hoyt.