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City of Ottawa officials aren’t expecting a repeat of the devastating spring floods that swamped outlying communities along the Ottawa River last year, but they have assembled a task force, just in case.
Councillors who represent the hardest hit areas during the spring 2017 floods say they hope the city has learned a lesson from last year’s shortcomings.
“Last year, despite repeated requests from the community and my office, it took the city administration several days to respond to the fact that there was, in fact, significant flooding in Cumberland, so I hope they’re more open to the understanding that when flooding happens, they need to react,” Cumberland Coun. Stephen Blais said Monday at city hall after a staff briefing on flood preparedness.
Blais said operations staff in his community were engaged but the emergency management office didn’t act until the flood danger was over. He said at one point his assistant was co-ordinating volunteers and sandbag filling.
“I’m hopeful they are more prepared, and I’m hopeful that the emergency management office will be more open to hearing the concerns of the community when they meet the community,” Blais said.
A flood-mitigation task force created in February involves staff from emergency management, public health, planning, communications and public works and environmental services. The task force is working with three local conservation authorities and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Related
West Carleton-March Coun. Eli El-Chantiry said residents in his riverside communities, such as Constance Bay and Fitzroy Harbour, are worried about flooding this spring.
“Are people nervous this time more than before? Yes. I, myself, I’m nervous as well,” El-Chantiry said.
El-Chantiry said he wants to know the city is ready to respond, and that includes having the proper educational materials.
“I want to make sure we cover all our bases. I met with staff more than once and I was a little bit disappointed because we’re still talking about the flood as if it’s happening in the urban area,” El-Chantiry said, pointing to city materials that tell people to direct water to sewers. “We have to modify this because most of the flooding that happens is in the rural area. There’s no sewers and water (supply). There’s a septic bed and private wells.”
El-Chantiry said he wants the city to deliver showers and hand-washing stations on quick notice if flood waters contaminate wells again. He also said he doesn’t want city bureaucracy to slow down volunteer efforts in the tight-knit communities.
The Ottawa River Regulation Planning board blamed the 2017 spring river flooding on the unusually heavy rainfall mixed with the snow melt. The water levels exceeded records that were more than 40 years old.
At the city briefing Monday, officials said they don’t expect serious flooding along the Ottawa River this spring.
Pierre Poirier, manager of security and emergency management, said warm weather has reduced the snow pack. The last time the snow pack was this low was in 2000, when there was a lower-than-normal peak level of the Ottawa River in May, Poirier said.
The water is at normal levels today.
“In short, it would take another major rain event for significant flooding to occur this spring,” Poirier said. “Of course, we can’t predict the weather, but history tells us that current conditions plus normal precipitation will result in a relatively peaceful spring runoff in 2018.”
The city reviewed its 2017 flood response. Poirier said the biggest opportunities for improvement related to communication and managing volunteers.
The flood response in 2017 cost the city government about $2.6 million. The cost of new measures for 2018 are absorbed in the existing city budget, Poirier said.
City staff have received training on filling and deploying sandbags. There are about 100,000 sandbags ready to go if necessary. The city has vehicles that can be converted into sandbag-filling stations.
Laila Gibbons, the director of parks, forestry and stormwater services, said the city has improved flood-prevention infrastructure in the Britannia area.
The city is holding three community meetings on its flood mitigation planning:
The City of Gatineau’s council is scheduled to receive a similar update on that city’s flood preparation during a council meeting on March 28.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
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Councillors who represent the hardest hit areas during the spring 2017 floods say they hope the city has learned a lesson from last year’s shortcomings.
“Last year, despite repeated requests from the community and my office, it took the city administration several days to respond to the fact that there was, in fact, significant flooding in Cumberland, so I hope they’re more open to the understanding that when flooding happens, they need to react,” Cumberland Coun. Stephen Blais said Monday at city hall after a staff briefing on flood preparedness.
Blais said operations staff in his community were engaged but the emergency management office didn’t act until the flood danger was over. He said at one point his assistant was co-ordinating volunteers and sandbag filling.
“I’m hopeful they are more prepared, and I’m hopeful that the emergency management office will be more open to hearing the concerns of the community when they meet the community,” Blais said.
A flood-mitigation task force created in February involves staff from emergency management, public health, planning, communications and public works and environmental services. The task force is working with three local conservation authorities and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Related
West Carleton-March Coun. Eli El-Chantiry said residents in his riverside communities, such as Constance Bay and Fitzroy Harbour, are worried about flooding this spring.
“Are people nervous this time more than before? Yes. I, myself, I’m nervous as well,” El-Chantiry said.
El-Chantiry said he wants to know the city is ready to respond, and that includes having the proper educational materials.
“I want to make sure we cover all our bases. I met with staff more than once and I was a little bit disappointed because we’re still talking about the flood as if it’s happening in the urban area,” El-Chantiry said, pointing to city materials that tell people to direct water to sewers. “We have to modify this because most of the flooding that happens is in the rural area. There’s no sewers and water (supply). There’s a septic bed and private wells.”
El-Chantiry said he wants the city to deliver showers and hand-washing stations on quick notice if flood waters contaminate wells again. He also said he doesn’t want city bureaucracy to slow down volunteer efforts in the tight-knit communities.
The Ottawa River Regulation Planning board blamed the 2017 spring river flooding on the unusually heavy rainfall mixed with the snow melt. The water levels exceeded records that were more than 40 years old.
At the city briefing Monday, officials said they don’t expect serious flooding along the Ottawa River this spring.
Pierre Poirier, manager of security and emergency management, said warm weather has reduced the snow pack. The last time the snow pack was this low was in 2000, when there was a lower-than-normal peak level of the Ottawa River in May, Poirier said.
The water is at normal levels today.
“In short, it would take another major rain event for significant flooding to occur this spring,” Poirier said. “Of course, we can’t predict the weather, but history tells us that current conditions plus normal precipitation will result in a relatively peaceful spring runoff in 2018.”
The city reviewed its 2017 flood response. Poirier said the biggest opportunities for improvement related to communication and managing volunteers.
The flood response in 2017 cost the city government about $2.6 million. The cost of new measures for 2018 are absorbed in the existing city budget, Poirier said.
City staff have received training on filling and deploying sandbags. There are about 100,000 sandbags ready to go if necessary. The city has vehicles that can be converted into sandbag-filling stations.
Laila Gibbons, the director of parks, forestry and stormwater services, said the city has improved flood-prevention infrastructure in the Britannia area.
The city is holding three community meetings on its flood mitigation planning:
- Tuesday, R.J. Kennedy Arena, 1115 Dunning Rd., 6:30 p.m.
- April 3, Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, 102 Greenview Ave., 6:30 p.m.
- April 4, Constance and Buckham’s Bay Community Centre, 262 Len Purcell Dr., 6:30 p.m.
The City of Gatineau’s council is scheduled to receive a similar update on that city’s flood preparation during a council meeting on March 28.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
