By Lauren Gibson
As spring brings warmer temperatures to Ottawa, rising water levels have residents on edge, fearing the potential seasonal flooding.
Spring equinox began March 20 at 5:01 a.m., marking the astronomical shift to longer days and rising temperatures. While many in Ottawa embrace the change, the transition also brings the risk of flooding as melting snow in Dows Lake, the Rideau Canal and the Ottawa River combined with the annual seasonal rainfall, putting pressure on Ottawa’s waterways.
“It seems like we’re taking precautions, but of course, with climate change being the major cause of major flooding, it’s something that most of humanity is not super prepared for.” said Lulu Partridge, a local Ottawan walking her dog along Dows Lake.
The City of Ottawa has precautions set in place in case of flooding, as seen in previous years. “The City maintains drainage systems to reduce potential flooding conditions.” as stated in the City of Ottawa website.
However, some residents remain skeptical of the precautions set in place.
“The drain system here is not made for heavy water flow, so as soon as the ice melts and there’s two days of rain, the corner of Gladstone and Preston is completely flooded,” said Maddy Rolfe, a member at Yogatown Studio on Preston St. “If you don’t have boots, your feet are getting soaked. So that part always sucks,” Rolfe continued.
Rolfe referred to other infrastructure issues around the city to add to her skepticism.
“The fact that the roads are the way they are, with all the potholes not even filled in, I feel like they’ve got a lot to deal with, and so I don’t have full confidence that it’s prioritized,” she said.
Rolfe noticed how businesses in the area are already suffering from spring weather flooding and was concerned about how it not only affects local businesses but the community overall considering traffic.
“I know there was a business down the road that had a big flood in their basement, and it was a mess getting that fixed. The traffic along Preston Street for three weeks was down to one lane. So if more stuff like that happens, even if it’s not us being flooded, it does impact,” Rolfe added.
Given Ottawa’s history of severe flooding, residents’ concerns are not biased. According to the City of Ottawa, record flooding occurred throughout the 80s, 90s, and mid-2000s in Ottawa and the surrounding area.
In recent years, the Central Experimental Farm across Dows Lake has experienced the wrath of property damage and road closures.
“There were multiple occasions where I couldn’t really go out much,” said Partridge with concern. “It impacts movement for sure.”
In mid-March, about half a dozen homes on Kingston Avenue in the Carlington neighbourhood experienced flooding. Some residents reported two feet of water in their basements. Power and gas pumps had to be shut off by local fire crews.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), which manages the Central Experimental Farm, believes the flooding was caused by the rapid snow melt seen that weekend.
“Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has thoroughly assessed the site and determined that the excessive water accumulation is likely due to the recent flash thaw and rainfall. The ground remains frozen, preventing proper water absorption, which has led to pooling and flooding,” the group said in a statement. “After consulting with Public Services and Procurement Canada and the contractor currently working on a nearby drainage system replacement, we have confirmed that the ongoing construction activities have not contributed to nor exacerbated the flooding. Once the project is completed, we are optimistic that situations like this in the future would be limited and a rarer occurrence.”
Ottawa is a very active city, and when the temperature is pleasant, it’s hard to prevent Ottawans from going outside and going on a run or biking along the city pathways.
“I commute by biking, so I have to figure out which bike routes aren’t flooded,” said Rolfe.
As Ottawa embraces the first day of spring, the pertinence of climate change and its measurable effect continues to be a pressing issue for Ottawans, considering the memory of devastating floods in the back of many residents’ minds.
“I definitely try to take my dog out a bit more. And I think I can see her mood is [positively] increased,” said Patridge.