kickingfrog Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 http://www.nugget.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1513073 Lake Nipissing filling too fast WATER LEVELS: Culverts failing, roads collapsing Posted By DAVE DALE, THE NUGGET Updated 7 hours ago Lake Nipissing is rising by the minute as spring runoff cascades through the watersheds, with swollen rivers breaching culverts and washing out roads along the way. More than 100 metres of Highway 64 collapsed Sunday afternoon when a culvert failed south of Crystal Falls. The shortcut between West Nipissing and Highway 11 at Marten River isn't expected to reopen until sometime Wednesday, with traffic detouring through Verner and North Bay. The huge volume of water in the area has one expert predicting shoreline property owners are almost guaranteed" to be hit hard when the ice breaks up later this month. Things are rolling," said Phil Hall, an Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources lands and water specialist at the North Bay region office. Two days of constant rain and snow Friday and Saturday doubled the amount of water cascading through primary Lake Nipissing tributaries, including the Sturgeon River, which provides 60% of the inflow. Lake Nipissing is already 62 centimetres higher than the long-term average at this time of year, Hall said. And there's still more than 50 cm of hard-packed and saturated snow in the bush in the highlands feeding the Sturgeon River watershed. That's going to cause some problems," Hall said, noting a weekly conference call between dam operators and watershed stakeholders, as well as provincial and federal agencies, is scheduled this morning. The Sturgeon-Nipissing-French-Wanapitei Water Management Group, which pools water level readings to formulate a strategy to protect residents and property, includes municipal and First Nation community representatives. Hall said the winter drawdown was supposed to provide capacity in Lake Nipissing to handle the spring runoff. We did have a cushion . . . it's not going to be enough," he said, adding the lake is two feet above the level it should be and it's coming up quicker (than the outlets can handle)." Lake Nipissing empties into the French River, but Hall said the river is so high below the dams it's already threatening shoreline properties. Any new precipitation or a mild spell without sub-zero nights could speed up the flooding process, Hall said. The ground is saturated . . . nothing is going to suck it up." Chisholm Township had to repair Alderdale Road Sunday when a culvert failed and North Bay closed Four Mile Lake Road while it was covered with water until public works staff thawed a culvert clogged with ice. The problem is the same throughout the region, Hall said, with Talon Lake about 80 cm higher than the summer operating range and the dams are open as far as they can go. Managers of the Ottawa River issued a caution Monday afternoon about similar problems and warned shoreline residents to expect flooding if any more rain hits their area. Hall said the trouble on Lake Nipissing will begin in a couple of weeks when the ice breaks up and a big wind pushes it across the lake, taking out the docks, boat houses and breakwalls within reach. When the wind starts, somebody is going to get it," he said, referring to lowland residential areas such as Jocko Point on the northeast shore. Fortunately, Hall said, the forecast for this week and weekend isn't as bad as it could be with the temperature dipping below zero at night and only rising to about 5 C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 I could be in trouble at my place. If the water keeps coming up like that and I can't get across due to ice, my boat could get trapped inside the boathouse. Also my stuff under the cottage could get soaked and .......geez I gotta get there somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 Interesting article, thanks! Joey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted April 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 I could be in trouble at my place. If the water keeps coming up like that and I can't get across due to ice, my boat could get trapped inside the boathouse. Also my stuff under the cottage could get soaked and .......geez I gotta get there somehow. If you've got $250,000 lying around you could buy that amphibious vehicle that was posted last night. http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=30657 Hope everything works out Bernie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerritt Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 B.... I have my fingers crossed for you.. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 Thanks guys. It was going real good until the pouring rain on Friday and this foot of snow on the weekend. There was open water starting and I was looking forward to heading out in a week or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerritt Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 (edited) Hovercraft Bernie.... Hovercraft... surely you boys can get a "loaner" given the business. Better yet... use one of the cedar strips as an icebreaker!... hell they are strong enough G Edited April 7, 2009 by Gerritt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muskieman Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 More than 100 metres of Highway 64 collapsed Sunday afternoon when a culvert failed south of Crystal Falls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northhunter Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 Wow. I was on the west arm 2-3 weeks ago. Wasn't much snow in the bush (enough, but not a lot), and the water appeared extremely low. The furthest cribs for our docks (where the water sits at about 4' in the spring) weren't even seeing ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 Hovercraft Bernie.... Hovercraft... surely you boys can get a "loaner" given the business. Better yet... use one of the cedar strips as an icebreaker!... hell they are strong enough G A friend of mine was looking at an airboat. He has a place on an island too. Only it is his principal residence. Wonder if he bought it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfish1965 Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Maybe Wayne can parachute you in....hovercraft seems the only way unless you get lucky and find an opening before the flood hits. None of the Bombardier guys in North Bay have one?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Will just have to wait it out. Fish Bay was opening last week. With any luck the incoming water will help melt the ice. Also the sun is supposed to come out this weekend and the temperature rise. May be cutting it close. Time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Well Bernie... supposed to be sunny Friday. If you can get the OPP to look the other way.. I'll land on the highway.. pick you up and can drop you off. Can't pick you back up... but you understand!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Actually it would be fine by me Wayne! But some others may not be too happy! Thanks for the offer though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Urban Fisherman Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Wow that sucks man! Best of luck to everyone with cottages and houses in the affected areas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishboy Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 More than 100 metres of Highway 64 collapsed Sunday afternoon when a culvert failed south of Crystal Falls. scary looking photo-wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douG Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 We had a similar thing in North York only a little while ago. This one happened in August. http://www.flickr.com/photos/loneprimate/sets/1791892/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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