Most people weren’t happy to wake up to another blanket of snow Tuesday morning – especially given it being the last day of the first half of April.
Cam Linwood doesn’t fit into that group.
As a spokesperson for the Grand River Conservation Authority, Linwood was glad for the snow.
That’s because he knew it would put a damper on the flood threat across the watershed.
“This is certainly a blessing in disguise,” he tells CTV News.
“I know people don’t like the snow, but it’s helping us moderate things, helping slow things down and tighten things up.”
By midday Tuesday, the Grand River was flowing past the Park Hill Dam in Cambridge at 600 cubic metres per second.
“We don’t want to see much more water come through here, because we start flooding Highway 24 downstream,” says Linwood.
It’s the highest river level yet this year, but Linwood says it’s about as high as it will get unless the situation changes significantly.
Upstream, the Shand Dam at Belwood Lake is at capacity – but dams at Guelph Lake and Conestogo Lake are at their normal operating levels, meaning flood fears are decreasing in the northern part of the watershed.
A flood warning does remain in effect for some areas along the Grand, Conestogo and Speed rivers.
The Grand River widens south of Cambridge, which officials believe will mean rapid flows from Cambridge won’t cause significant flooding in Brantford and points further downstream.
Gilkison Street in Brantford remains closed, as do Six Nations 4th Line and Bateman Line.
Peak flows are expected through the day Wednesday in Cayuga and Dunnville before the crest empties into Lake Erie.
Although water lapped up to the level of Water Street in south-end Cambridge early Tuesday, prompting a temporary closure of Highway 24, Linwood says waters are rushing only one-third as rapidly as they did in 1974 – the year of the most significant flood in GRCA history.
