Badger mayor keeping close eye on water levels amid flood concerns
Town launched river watch protocol last week
Residents of Badger have their eyes on the water as levels fluctuate on the Exploits River, which has already led to the evacuation of some families in the community.
The town activated its river watch protocol on Feb. 11 and is continuing to monitor water heights daily alongside the province's Water Resource Management Division, according to Mayor Dennis Butt.
"The latest projection that we got from Water Resources within the province is that water levels have decreased, but they're still at concerning levels," Butt told CBC News Wednesday.
"A few nights ago, they rose to the point where they were overflowing the banks.… They were up flowing up streets. Forced [us] to evacuate four families in the greatest risk areas."
Those families remain evacuated as of Wednesday, he said.
Butt said banks on the Exploits River can range between four and seven feet high in some areas, and there are remaining concerns that water could flow over those banks. There are also concerns that a backup of sea ice could contribute to more flooding.
He said that water levels haven't decreased to a point where he can be comfortable.
"There's a lot of unpredictability with regards to the ice, the weather, the cold temperatures [and] mild temperature fluctuations and that. You know, the river is going to have a mind of its own," he said.
WATCH | Water flooded into Badger 22 years ago and its residents haven't forgotten:
Fears of flooding are bringing back bad memories in Badger, he said. The implementation of the river watch came almost 22 years to the day of a generational flood in Badger, which forced over 1,000 residents to evacuate their homes on Feb. 15, 2003.
"It's definitely in the back of everyone's mind," Butt, who lived in the community at the time, said.
"The river backing up, that isn't new. Like this is a yearly occurrence for us, but to the extent of this year and us having to involve the fire department, to have them on standby … that's unique."
Butt said some residents are moving their property to safer areas of the community. He's also been speaking with Premier Andrew Furey's office, he said, and has been told the town has government's full support should something happen.
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With files from Carolyn Stokes