Government of New Brunswick
Perth-Andover
Simonds
Maugerville
Oromocto
Sheffield
Oak Point, Kings Co.
Burton
Fredericton
Grand Lake Road
Jemseg
Hartland
Woodstock
Quispamsis
Clair
Edmundston
Florenceville-Bristol
Heavy rain
Freshet
Snowmelt
Mild Weather
Snowfall
$23,288,000.00

Affected Areas

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This was the worst spring flooding in 35 years along the entire St. John River. The high runoff resulted in flooding in the northwest parts of the province, and all along the Saint John River to southern New Brunswick. The flood event was as big as 1973 in some places. 60 people and 140 farm animals had to be rescued from rising waters. Rising water levels flooded communities along the St. John River as a result of melting snow and rain. Rising waters threatened to swamp bridges and forced closures of dozens of flooded roads. The communities of Maugerville, Jemseg, Clair, and Barkers Point saw the worst of the flooding. In the Maugerville area, the rising water engulfed farmhouses and covered roads. About 50 streets were completely or partially closed in Fredericton. Sections of secondary roads throughout western New Brunswick were blocked to through traffic. Across the province, 1,000 people were evacuated from their homes and at least 2,000 people were affected by flooding along the St. John River and its tributaries.
Record breaking snowfalls in winter - some 50 percent above normal, a late spring thaw and heavy rain combined with warm weather caused water levels to rise rapidly along the St. John River and its tributaries.
Northern areas of the province had very high runoff from heavy rainfall and snowmelt from a record winter snow pack - 50 percent above normal. Streams in the northwest had the highest runoff rates at 400% of normal. Flow in the Saint John River reached 360,0000 cubic feet per second on 1st May, more than 20 times the normal flow. The high runoff resulted in flooding in the northwest parts of the province, and all along the Saint John River to southern New Brunswick. On 2nd May, according to River Watch the water levels were: Edmundston 143.1 m, flood stage is 139 m. Perth Andover 78.29 m, flood stage is 77.2 m. Simonds 49.64 m, flood stage is 48.5 m. Hartland 47.91 m, flood stage is 45.7 m. Woodstock 41.83 m, flood stage is 41.4 m. Fredericton 8.36 m, flood stage is 6.5 m. Maugerville 6.92 m, flood stage is 6 m. Jemseg 6.11 m, flood stage is 4.3 m. Grand Lake 6.24 m, flood stage is 5 m. Sheffield-Lakeville Corner 6.45 m, flood stage is 5.1 m. Oak Point 5.36 m, flood stage is 4.7 m. Quispamsis-Saint John 5.2 m, flood stage is 4.2 m.
Flood damages exceeded $23 million with damages to roads, railways, homes, farms, and small businesses in communities along the St. John River. 631 properties were affected and some homes were beyond repair. The most heavily damaged areas were in north-western New Brunswick and in the Fredericton and Oromocto areas, where a number of homes and businesses were condemned.