Residents near Ottawa River urged to stock up on supplies: flood risk
THE LATEST:
Environment Canada has a rainfall warning for most of the region.
The Ottawa River board says water levels could increase gradually.
Gatineau is telling residents to brace for the possibility of a second flood.
The Pembroke area could see a new 2026 peak this week.
The City of Gatineau is encouraging residents near the Ottawa River to stock up on supplies and sandbags over concerns about another surge of floodwaters in the days to come.
Its advice comes as Environment Canada is forecasting a large amount of rain to fall on most of eastern Ontario and western Quebec starting late Wednesday.
(The Weather Network)
The city's Tuesday flood update cited information from the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board warning of a gradual rise in water levels in some areas starting either Wednesday or Thursday.
"The possibility of a second peak within Gatineau cannot be dismissed," the city said.
(The Weather Network)
In its own update Tuesday, the board said water levels and flows on the Ottawa River could increase gradually over the next few days because of rain and snow melting further north.
How much it could rise by Friday ranges from five centimetres around Fort-Coulonge to 10 centimetres in Pembroke and about 20 centimetres in Hull and Thurso.
All local stations except for Pembroke are expected to stay below the season's previous peak this workweek.
Gatineau, Que., firefighters work near one of their boats in an area near the Ottawa River on April 21, 2026. (Jason MacLellan/CBC)
RELATED: Tips to stay safe during a flash flood as peak season draws near
Also on Tuesday, Environment Canada issued a yellow rainfall warning for central and eastern parts of the region, flagging the potential for about 30 to 40 millimetres of rain beginning late Wednesday, the agency predicted.
It covers communities from Maniwaki south through Ottawa-Gatineau and down to Kingston. It should miss Pembroke, Bancroft and Belleville.
In anticipation of rising water levels, the Gatineau said trash collection on roads affected by flooding will be temporarily suspended.
What you need to know
In Ottawa, there were 15 locations as of Monday morning where residents could pick up sand and sandbags.
Someone stands on the Chaudière Bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau as water churns underneath on April 22. (Felix Desroches/CBC)
The city keeps an updated list of road and pathway closures and an interactive map.
The City of Gatineau also has an interactive road closure map that lays out sandbag stations and waste drop-off locations in the hardest-hit areas.
There is sandbag-loading equipment at parc du Lac-Beauchamp.
Several dozen roads have been affected by flooding, some of which are only accessible by boat. City officials have suggested some roads could soon be reopened to local traffic.
A flood relief centre is open at the Centre sportif de Gatineau at 850 boul. de la Gappe from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and there are showers available at the Lucien-Houle and Paul-Pelletier pools.
The Ecolos ferry between Clarence-Rockland, Ont., and Thurso, Que., remains closed and there are restrictions on the Bourbonnais ferry between Gatineau's Masson-Angers area and Cumberland in east Ottawa.
People living in communities outside Ottawa-Gatineau can check their municipality's website for the latest on flooding in their area.
Aside from the Ottawa River, the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority has downgraded its flood warning to a flood watch for Dalhousie Lake and flood-prone areas of the Mississippi River.
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This article was originally published for CBC News.