Flood Details - 1953-03-26 - 1953-04-03

Several major and minor washouts occurred throughout the Province, especially on the secondary roads where culverts were too small to handle the excess flow. In Restigouche County, both Routes 11 and 17 were flooded in several places making them impassable to traffic. Difficulties were also experienced in Madawaska and Victoria counties when several brooks overflowed numerous highways and branch roads. Route 2 was washed out at Bristol and Victoria Corner. Floodwaters also inundated a one-quarter mile stretch of the highway near Plaster Rock. Lower Saint John River Basin: Fredericton Area: At Fredericton, an ice jam occurred at the Dominion Experimental Station. Several buildings along the waterfront had reported flooded basements and the ice caused some damage. A few cars had been caught in the rising waters. Nashwaak River Basin: In the Nashwaak River Valley, ice jams occurred above Stanley, near Durham Bridge, above the Penniac Bridge and below Marysville. The railway bridge at Cross Creek Station was threatened. When the ice jam at Stanley broke, the sudden rise in water inundated roads; power and telephone lines were broken; houses were flooded and barns were swept off their foundations. Two homes at Taymouth were isolated as well as two at Nashwaak Village. A similar situation occurred at Taymouth during the spring of 1950. At MacLean's Flats, the C.N.R. line was under water for a distance of about two miles [approx. 3.2km]. Work crews used dynamite in an attempt to relieve some of the ice jam pressure below the flooded section. Miramichi River Basin: The flooding halted all rail service between Fredericton and Newcastle and McGivney to Edmundston because of several washouts. A one mile [1.6km] section of rail bed was washed out near Doaktown (probably McNamee). Upstream of Boiestown, the northern approach to the Norrad Bridge was washed out. The Porter Cove bridge at Ludlow was destroyed on March 31. The main highway bridge at Doaktown was submerged as floodwaters rose to a height three feet [0.9m] above the deck of the bridge. Some small washouts occurred along Route 8 between Doaktown and Newcastle as well as on another gravel road in Northumberland County. Route 8 was impassable for a few days in the Renous-Quarryville area as a result of the ice runs and jams on the Southwest Miramichi and Renous rivers. Piles of ice were deposited along both shores as the jam moved downstream, lodging at Millerton. The ice carried away three quarters of the boom belonging to the Southwest Boom Company. The burner at the Esson mill was carried away as well. There were concerns that the ice could damage the Cleland mill if it moved further downstream to Lower Derby. On about April 2, reports from the Red Bank area indicated the ice had not yet run out of the Northwest and Little Southwest Miramichi rivers, and water, two to four feet [0.6m to 1.2m] in depth, was running over top of the ice. Further downstream, ice heavily damaged the Fraser Companies' boat house at Northwest Bridge. In Newcastle, many cellars were flooded to depths of a few inches to several feet. At Chatham, brooks and storm drains were unable to handle the overflow and many flooded basements occurred as a result. Southeastern New Brunswick: In Albert County, Route #14 was reported as impassable from Mechanic Settlement to the Fundy National Park. Southwestern New Brunswick: The Digdeguash River was reported to have overflowed its banks at Rolling Dam. At Bocabec, a section of highway was inundated. St Croix River Basin: At St. Stephen, the Hamilton Flats were inundated and some basement flooding occurred. Magaguadavic River Basin: The Magaguadavic River, was reported "to be in a spring freshet". Sections of the highway and rail lines along the river between St. George and Bonny River were inundated. Farmers were forced to move some cattle to higher ground. In St. George, the curling rink was surrounded by water. A section of Manor Road was inundated and some residences were isolated.

Spring breakup caused by mild temperatures and heavy rains. Some ice jams occurred.

Fredericton Area: The ice jam below Fredericton, at the Dominion Experimental Farm caused the river to reach a height of 20.6 feet [6.28m] before breaking. Miramichi River Basin: The deck of the main highway bridge at Doaktown was submerged to a depth of three feet [0.9m]. In Chatham, floodwaters on Wellington Street were reported to be approximately three feet deep [0.9m].

No estimates of the flood damage were given in the newspapers. However, many of the mills throughout the Miramichi, including the Fraser¿s and Esson¿s mills, reported losses.