Flood alert issued as rising water threatens Acadie River

Residents living near the Acadie River, near Carignan on Montreals South Shore, are on high alert as the river's water levels get dangerously high due in part of overnight rains.

• Quebec faces spring floods
• Flood fears lead to close monitoring of Quebec's rivers
• Hydro Mto's regions to watch

An ice jam and rising water levels there, combined with the warmer temperatures and more rainfall expected today, could cause the river to overflow today, says Hydro Mteo, a non-governmental agency that watches the provinces water levels.

The Carignan area has already seen some flooding this spring.

Early this morning Hydro Mto also called high flood warnings for the Yamaska, Noire, Chteauguay, De La Tortue and Des Anglais rivers.

The Chteauguay River in Huntingdon and the Yamaska in St-Hyacinthe are on particularly high alert as they have exceeded their maximum water levels.

Water levels in the Laurentians, Outaouais, Lanaudire, Quebec City and the Mauricie may breach the shores as the snow continues to melt today and this week.

Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning today for the Montreal and Laval regions. The same weather system is expected to move up the St. Lawrence Valley towards theGaspover the course of the day.

Some Quebec regions have experienced significant flooding in the past. In 1996, flooding in the Saguenay killed 10 people and resulted in over $1 billion in damages. The flooding there was the largest overland deluge in Canada in the 20th century.

In2011, flooding in the Richelieu Valleycaused extensive damage.

Quebec rivers to watch

Hydro Mto is watching the following rivers for possible flooding today:

• Chaudire River (and tributaries)
• Rivire des Prairies
• Mille les River
• Nicolet River (and tributaries)
• St-Franois River (and tributaries)
• Yamaska River
• Noire River
• Chteauguay River
• Des Anglais River
• Acadie River
• Richelieu River
• Des Hurons River
• Aux Brochets River
• De La Tortue River