Government of New Brunswick
Nictau
Juniper
Upsalquitch
Campbellton
Madawaska
Edmundston
Woodstock
Hartland
Pokiok
Wapske
Bristol
Arthurette
Aroostook
Gagetown
Fredericton
Baker Brook
Sheffield
Maugerville
Lincoln
Rowena
Plaster Rock
Heavy rain
$1,000,000.00

Affected Areas


General: Water covered railway lines throughout most of the Province, mainly the lines belonging to the C.P.R. Saint John River Basin: The flood was responsible for considerable agricultural damage in Madawaska County and Aroostook County, Maine. Damage of a limited nature was reported between Edmundston and Connors. Several barns were carried away and a portion of the front street in Fort Kent, Maine, was inundated. The Fraser's Mill at Baker Brook was partially destroyed. The flood was particularly high on the Tobique and Becaguimec rivers. On the Tobique, the Nictau Lake dam broke. Several houses were caught in the onslaught of water and carried away. At Plaster Rock, Fraser's Mill was submerged, several railway sidings were under water and the railway station was surrounded by water. At Wapske, the railway tracks were inundated for a distance of one-quarter mile [approx. 400 m], which resulted in a washout. Logs, which had broken away from a boom at Plaster Rock were reported to have damaged the Arthurette Bridge. A mill dam at Rowena was destroyed. Bridges were taken out on the Becaguimec, on the Little Shikatehawk near Bristol, along Coldstream, a tributary of the Becaguimec River, and at Hartland. Highway and railway damage was reported to be extensive between Hartland and Woodstock. Sawmills were destroyed on the Becaguimec River. Strawberry crops and gardens were lost in the Woodstock area. The flood conditions on the Meduxnekeag River forced the mills and power plant to close down their operations. A small washout occurred at Ross Siding along the Nashwaak River. Farms and roads at Maugerville, Sheffield and Lincoln were inundated. One of the worst inundations of roads was near Bailey, Sunbury County. Some cattle were drowned at Gagetown. Restigouche River Basin: The Restigouche and Upsalquitch rivers flooded miles of highway and isolated some communities. At Campbellton, storm sewers were overloaded in some sections of the town. Inconvenience and loss of some stock resulted from the flooded basements. Miramichi River Basin: The only occurrence of flooding reported from the Miramichi River Basin was at Juniper. A chief game warden was trapped by floodwaters.
Heavy rainfall continued for nearly six days in northern New Brunswick. Logs released from broken booms and dams increased the damage somewhat.
Saint John River Basin: It was reported as being the highest flood of any type on the Tobique River for 25 years. The Tobique River was reported "to have risen 16 feet at Plaster Rock". On the main stem of the Saint John River, the level rose about 10 feet [3.0 m] from June 18 to June 24 at Fredericton. It was reported to have peaked at 19 feet [5.8 m]above summer level. At Indiantown, levels remained at or near the peak level until June 29. The maximum daily mean discharge at the Pokiok gauging station was 220 000 cfs [6 230 m3/s]. Newspaper reports indicated this to be the highest summer flood in memory. It has not since been exceeded during the summer, at Pokiok.
The damage was confined almost entirely to the northern portion of the Province. Lumber was swept from booms and bridges and houses were swept away by the force of the current. Along the lower reach of the river, crops of hay and other produce were destroyed. Newspapers reported damage totalling $1 000 000 (most of the damage within New Brunswick was in the Saint John River Basin). This included losses to bridges, highways, railways, crops and agricultural lands. The New Brunswick Minister of Public Works estimated losses of $150 000 to $200 000 to the provincial highway system, and, in another account, $75 000 damage to provincial bridges. The Hayden Lumber Company at Woodstock lost logs valued at $4 000.