It’s not time to pack up and head to high ground yet. Mattagami Region Conservation Authority general manager David Vallier says messages he’s released the last several days are a precaution.
One is a flood watch for the Mattagami River. The water level is up noticeably. Vallier says a lot depends on the weather, noting that we’ve been having warm days and cool nights, and not as much precipitation as expected.
“This is almost a copycat of 2019,” he points out, “when we had a lot of snow and again, a lot of snow doesn’t necessarily mean there’s going to be flooding.”
There’s also a statement in place for the entire watershed to behave safely around water courses; and a flood outlook for Porcupine Lake, which tends to rise faster than most water bodies around here.
Vallier reiterates that everything depends on the weather.
“The five-to-seven-day forecast looks nice,” he says. “Some warmer weather with cooler nights and not a lot of precipitation in the forecast.”
MRCA checks the water every day. Vallier says you can keep track on the conservation authority’s website.