Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
Water levels are beginning to rise in parts of New Brunswick, with two communities already under a water-level advisory and another one set to move to a watch by weekend, according to the province's River Watch website. An water-level advisory is two metres below flood stage, and a water-level watch is one metre below, according to the site.
A flood warning was issued for Carmacks, Yukon, Tuesday as the Yukon River continues to rise near the community. "Low lying areas are currently flooding," reads a news release from the Yukon government's Emergency Measures Organization (EMO). The river level rose by 21 cm in the last 24 hours, according to EMO. Part of the rise is because of rain. The weather forecast calls for more rain on Wednesday and then some clearing.
A flood warning was issued for Teslin Lake early Monday afternoon by the Yukon government's Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) as low-lying areas around the lake are flooding. "I've seen flooding before, but not [water] this high," said Kayne Geddes, a contractor who lives in Teslin. "Everybody's worried, they don't know what to expect." Geddes estimates there are about 100 people in the village who are helping protect low-lying areas by filling and placing sandbags.
A flood warning was issued for the community of Ross River as the water level in the Pelly River rose 20 centimetres in the last two days. In a news release Monday afternoon, the Yukon's Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) said the water level is still rising although the rate at which it is rising has started to slow. "Low lying areas adjacent to the river are currently flooding," the release states.
As winter nears an end, the New Brunswick government is advising residents who live near flood-prone areas to have emergency preparations ready. "While we are weeks away from overland flooding being a potential threat, the weather over the next two days is a reminder preparedness is a year-round necessity," said Greg MacCallum, director of the Emergency Measures Organization.
