Flood Details - 1950-04-20 - 1950-04-24

Saint John River Basin: Heavy rain fell during the period from April 20 to April 21. Four inches [approx.100 mm] of rain fell over the Oromocto River Basin and two inches [approx. 50 mm] of rain were recorded at both Fredericton and Saint John. The rain was caused by a low pressure area which moved in from the Great Lakes region. Heavy ice runs occurred, with ice cakes reported to be two feet [0.6 m] thick. Ice jams occurred on the Keswick River, in the McKinley Flats area and at Long's Creek. Considerable low-lying land was flooded along the Keswick, Oromocto and Nerepis rivers. Railway traffic was at a standstill in the lower part of the Saint John River Basin with washouts reported at Zealand, Taymouth, Marysville, Penniac, Durham, Welsford and Fredericton Junction. Several highway bridges were washed out including two across the Tobique River, one at Plaster Rock, and the other at Arthurette, one across the Oromocto River at Hoyt, two in Marysville and one on Back Creek at Blissville. Bridges were also damaged at Florenceville and Bailey. Telephone and power services were disrupted in the Plaster Rock area as well as in the community of Hoyt. A few houses were flooded along the Oromocto River. Restigouche River Basin: In the Restigouche River Basin, the floodwaters crippled rail traffic and quantities of pulpwood were lost on the river and its tributaries. Many communities were severely hit and the property damage was reported to be extensive along the Restigouche and Matapedia rivers. Ice jams occurred at the Matapedia Bridge and on the main river between Broadlands, Quebec, and Tide Head, New Brunswick. From Runnymede to Matapedia, several barns were destroyed on the New Brunswick side of the river. At Babcock's Crossing, several families were forced to evacuate their homes. At Matapedia, the basement of the Restigouche Hotel and several other buildings were flooded. A garage near the hotel was inundated causing some damage to the cars and a truck. Adam's Store reported water over the main floor and the stock was moved to a higher level. The C.N.R.'s, Gaspé Sub-Division was under water between Matapedia and Sillarsville, Quebec. Between Matapedia and Flatlands several barns were destroyed. The lower Restigouche Salmon Club and others were extensively damaged and several homes in the area were also inundated. At Wyers Brook, ice damage occurred on the flats, and a house and barn were carried down river. Miramichi River Basin: Residents of Lyttleton and Halcomb, along the Little Southwest Miramichi River, were isolated for several days. Electric power to the villages was disrupted when the Somers Bridge at Lyttleton was destroyed. The ice and the floodwaters, particularly along the Little Southwest Miramichi River, damaged some sporting camps. Boats, lumber and wharves were either damaged or lost on both banks of the river in the Newcastle area. The Chatham to Richibucto highway was washed out in several sections. Southeastern New Brunswick: High tides and the spring freshet were reported to have blocked the Moncton to Amherst highway, four miles [about 6.4 km] west of Dorchester. The road was inundated to a depth of one foot over a distance of one quarter mile. Southwestern New Brunswick: The rail line between Musquash and Lepreau was inundated. A major washout also occurred on the C.P.R. line between St. Andrews and McAdam as a result of high flows on the Digdeguash River. A work train and a crew of 100 workmen were dispatched to affect repairs. Magaguadavic River Basin: The C.P.R. was inundated near St. George and the pulp mill was forced to suspend their operations due to the high water. Homes were evacuated at Second Falls and Bonny River, as some of the houses were flooded to a depth of three feet [0.9 m]. On Lake Utopia, summer cottages were inundated. The water reached the windows of some cottages. St. Croix River Basin: Flooding in the St. Croix River Basin was accompanied by high tides. This resulted in the water behind the aboiteau being unable to run off. At Milltown, the International Bridge was damaged and considered unsafe for vehicular traffic. Several homes in Milltown, New Brunswick had to be evacuated. Considerable amounts of lumber and logs were reported to be lost.

Heavy rains coinciding with spring breakup while the frost was still in the ground. Some ice jams occurred (Figure 23).

Saint John River Basin: At the Dominion Experimental Station, Fredericton, a rainfall of 3.11 inches [79.0 mm] was recorded. At Fredericton, the river reached an elevation of 22.1 feet [6.74 m], which was estimated 20.8 feet [6.34 m] above the summer low. The Nashwaak River was reported to have reached its highest level in 27 years. On the Oromocto River, the flood was reported to be the highest in memory. The maximum daily mean discharge at Pokiok was 223 000 cubic feet per second [6 315 m3/s]. Restigouche River Basin: At Flatlands, a resident suggested that this was the "worst breakup" along the Restigouche and Matapedia rivers in over 50 years. Floodwaters were reported to have reached the second storey windows of the buildings at the Restigouche Fishing Club, near Matapedia, Quebec.

Bridges, rail lines and roads sustained the greatest damage. Newspaper reports assessed the damage at one million dollars or more in New Brunswick. Probably one-half of the overall damage was in the Saint John River Basin. Estimates to rebuild bridges that had been destroyed was in the order of $150 000. In the Restigouche District, the C.N.R. had 300 to 400 men employed in repairing the rail lines.