Barry’s Bay — As of noon on Tuesday, five roads in Madawaska Valley Township remained closed due to flooding and Community Emergency Management Co-orinator and Fire Chief, Corwin Quade was hopeful the worst was over.

“We’ve got minor flooding at the moment and three houses have water in them,” he said. “Other than  for sure we’re holding the status quo. It’s close to 2017 numbers, but we haven’t lost control and we can still handle it on our own.”

Mr. Quade said there was no reason for anyone to panic, adding township officials have done welfare checks on people in the rural areas where flooding was possible and are also doing water level checks four times a day.

The causeway connecting Mask Island to the village of Barry’s Bay is still about eight inches below 2017 levels and the water is just below the pavement. Mr. Quade said the only flooding this year in the township was due to high volumes of water in several creeks.

Several roads including Paugh Lake North, Wilno Road North, Paugh Lake at Trebinskie Road, Finch Road leading to the south  end of Diamond Lake

Chippawa Road, which had been closed for a few days last week, was reopened Friday afternoon after township work crews replaced a large culvert.

“Other than that we haven’t had anything too severe,” Mr. Quade said.

MV Township began experiencing flooding problems on Easter weekend, but as of early this week it appeared the worst was over.

“We are watching down by Hydes Bay (near Combermere) and that whole area,” he said. “It hasn’t changed much in the last two days but depending on the rain. Down in the lower area the York River is so high the water is pushing back into Kamaniskeg Lake and that’s what is causing our lower end flooding right now.”

The historic Crooked Slide Park at Combermere remained under water this week, but Mr. Quade said the boardwalks and log chute were holding up.

“There is quite a flood going through there right now and there will be work to be done when this is over.”

Mr. Quade said unless something serious happens in the next few days, there won’t be any reason for the township to declare a state of emergency.