Spring flooding prompts Minden Hills, Ont. to declare state of emergency – Peterborough

Heavy rainfall over the past week, along with melting snow, has caused water levels to rise on the Gull River, which flows through the heart of the town of Minden. The declaration was made Tuesday afternoon.

Many streets in the downtown area are already flooded and residents are sandbagging homes to prevent damage. Flooding is a regular occurrence during wet springs in the cottage country region. Spring floods in 2013 and 2019 caused significant damage to many homes in Minden.

“Residents in areas that are susceptible to flooding should take necessary precautions to protect property and continue to monitor developing conditions,” the township stated.

Township Mayor Bob Carter says meetings began in February with the Ministry of Natural Resoruces and Parks Canada to monitor snowmelt and water levels to prepare.

“Everything is always dependent is always dependent on the weather and over the last weekend the weather changed in a negative way for us,” he told Global News on Wednesday.

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He says the township declared the state of emergency in order to access provincial supports much quicker.

“We’re not really in that much of an emergency right at this minute, you know you have to do it,” he said. “It’s just part of the process. It gives us power to be able to react quickly.”

One road in the region is closed due to a washout. Bobcaygeon Road, located two kilometres north of Minden, has been cutoff since Monday. A number of roads have limited access for local traffic due to ponding conditions.

More rain is expected over the next 10 days, prompting further concerns for more flooding.

“When there’s this much water, there’s very little that can be done,” he said. “Obviously, we prepare by making sure that in the future, buildings are built in such a way that they wouldn’t have a basement, as an example. And there’s a few other things that we are looking at as we continue to develop the whole area. But again, you have to manage this, as opposed to prevent it.”

Sandbags are available at the Minden Curling Club parking lot. Residents can also fill their own sandbags.

“Residents are encouraged to think of their neighbours, don’t forget about those around you that may have difficulty with this task,” the township said.

Homeowners are also asked to ensure their sump pumps are working properly and all residents are advised to use caution near bodies of water.

Carter is also encouraging non-residents to avoid the area and for residents to monitor the township’s website and social media channels for updates on the flooding situation.

— with files from Marc Woodhouse

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