The Essex Region Conservation Authority isn't concerned about flooding, so long as the temperature doesn't spike too high this week.
"At one point in time, the forecasts were indicating double-digit temperatures," says Director of Watershed Management Tim Byrne. "Thankfully, it's now back down to single-digit temperatures above freezing. That should slow down the rate of melt."
Byrne says freezing temperatures in January and February meant the snow and ice just accumulated instead of periodically melting off. He says children and pets should stay away from waterways, including ditches and drains because it's difficult to say how deep the water may be underneath a layer of ice.
However, Byrne doesn't anticipate flooding. "It's more nuisance level standing water than flooding," he says. "When people hear the term flooding, it's normally associated with water entering homes or entering structures."
