OPP: 'No evacuation required' as Port Bruce flood waters recede

OPP sounded the alarm on Tuesdayas steady rain and melting snow swell streams and rivers throughout southwestern Ontario.

• PHOTOS | Flood closes roads in Port Bruce

'A footof water' Tuesday morning

In a social media post this morning, OPP Sgt. Dave Rektorreported from the corner of Imperial Road and LindleyStreet in Port Bruce, a community on Lake Erie about 20 kilometres east of Port Stanley.

"An hour ago, this street was dry," he says in a video post. "Nowit's under a footof water."

The OPP warning came as unseasonably mild temperatures and steady rain began to swellrivers and streams.

Environment Canada had issued a rainfall warning for London and Strathroy.Total rainfall amounts through to Wednesday will be in the 50 to 75 mm range.

Meanwhile, mild temperatures (it was 14 C in London at midday Tuesday) prompted a massive snow melt.

Flood watch across region

TheUpper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) reported this morning thatrivers and streams were rising quickly across the upper Thames watershed, as a result of overnight rain and melting snow.A cold front will arrive Wednesday, bringing an end to the rain.

The UTRCAsaid this mix of rain and melting snow causedfloodingin the following areas:

City of London:

• Waubuno Creek: Travelled Road, River Road.
• North Thames River: Windermere and Adelaide Streets; Gibbons Park (Victoria Avenue); Harris Park.
• Pottersburg Creek: Oxford Street (Veterans Memorial Parkway).
• Thames River: Wellington and Front Streets.
• Western University: Elgin Hall and Talbot parking lots; Tennis Centre.

Outside London

• City of Woodstock:Thames River at Highway 2; Cedar Creek atSouthsidePark
• Thames Centre:Village of Putnam south of Highway 401; Reynolds Creek - Golden Pond Trailer Park
• EastZorra:Tavistock:BraemarTrailer Park
• Zorra: Ponderosa Trailer Park
• Middlesex Centre:Former Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School site; River Road.
• Perth South:Prospect Hill Campground.
• West Perth:Motherwell area.
• City of Stratford:Dolan Drive; Avon Cemetery; Stratford Golf and Country Club.
• Town of St. Marys:Thomas Street between Park and Queen Streets; Parkview Drive; St. Marys Golf & Country Club.

Both the OPP and the UTRCAsaid children and pets should stay away from all watercourses.

"Stream banks are very slippery, the water is fast-moving, cold and dangerous, and any remaining ice cover is unstable and thin. Do not go on frozenfloodcontrol reservoirs," the UTRCA said.

Snow surveys underway

The Conservation Authority performs regular snow surveys to track the water content in the snow cover.

Last week, the average snow pack water equivalent across the watershed was estimated at 40 mm, with some stations reporting as high as 75 mm in the north, and some as low as 30 mm in the south.

With the double-digit temperatures persisting into Wednesday, this snow pack has melted or is currently melting. As the ground is largely frozen, this water is running off into smaller watercourses and eventually into the Thames River.

UTRCA reservoirs at Fanshawe (London), Wildwood (St. Marys) and Pittock (Woodstock) are being operated to reduce the downstream effects offlooding. Conditions are being monitored and updates will be issued as the event progresses.