Given the current spring thaw as well as the risk of severe flooding forecasted in the coming days, the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) would like to remind residents to make use of the Municipal511 online mapping tool.
This bilingual tool is available online, free of charge, at www.Municipal511.ca, and will be updated regularly by the UCPR and the eight municipalities. It allows the various Public Works departments to report, in real time, any temporary closures of municipal roads due to weather conditions.
“Although we have already observed some closures in Prescott and Russell due to the spring freshet these last couple of weeks, the current weather forecasts indicate that significant amounts of precipitation are forecasted over the next few days,” stated UCPR Warden Robert Kirby. “Furthermore, the thickness of the snow in certain areas is up to twice its normal depth for this time of year, which significantly contributes to the risk of flooding. We therefore want to remind people to take note of the current road conditions and not to take unnecessary risks when travelling through areas affected by possible flooding.”
Municipal511 allows residents to view existing road closures as well as any locations where flooding could create problematic driving conditions. A detailed, interactive legend with multiple icons provides users with the nature of the various closures. Municipal511 can also be used to report detours related to construction sites or special events.
The UCPR and local municipalities will continue to monitor the situation closely. Updates related to road closures will be posted on Municipal511.ca as well as on social media networks. For more information related to flooding risks, residents are also encouraged to visit the websites of the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board (http://ottawariver.ca/forecast.php) and the South Nation Conservation (https://www.nation.on.ca).
