Spring flooding risk: Montreal moves into 'alert mode' as water levels rise

The Montreal Island agglomeration is on high alert for flooding due to the spring thaw.

On Sunday, water levels crossed the minor flooding threshold at the Carillon Generating Station on the Ottawa River, the City of Montreal said in a release.

It expects water levels to rise over the next 48 hours.

Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning, with 15 to 25 mm of rain in the forecast beginning Monday night.

The city says several boroughs and agglomerated cities, particularly around Lake of Two Mountains, Lac Saint-Louis and the Riviere des Prairies, could be at risk of flooding, depending on weather conditions.

In response, the metropolis is moving to the ‘alert mode’ of its Special Flood Response Plan (SFP) and says it’s ready to deploy resources as needed.

The low pressure system that will give significant rainfall amounts over Southern Quebec tomorrow may also give high winds over some areas of the Hudson Bay. Wind gusts of 80 to 90 km/h are expected over Sanikiluaq and Umiujaq!#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/sNTT1sQ6Fu

— ECCC Weather Quebec (@ECCCWeatherQC) April 16, 2023

People living in at-risk areas are urged to be prepared to respond quickly, said Alain Vaillancourt, head of public security on the executive committee of the City of Montreal.

“We know how stressful this time of year is for many Montrealers living along the Rivière des Prairies, and we will be there to support them. Our teams are ready to deploy the human, material and financial resources necessary to deal with any flooding that may occur,” he said in a statement.

More information on the flooding situation, including updated water levels, can be found on the city’s website.