Pembroke declares state of emergency as waters approach new record

The Ottawa Valley hub of Pembroke, Ont., is seeing its second-highest water levels ever recorded, ones the city has now said it can't handle on its own.

A state of emergency has been declaredto make sure the citycan access more resources if needed.

The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board's latest update at 2 p.m. Wednesday said the waterwas at 113.53 metres above sea level, 15 centimetres above the peak set in late April and 163.6centimetres above its May average, using data that goes back to 1950.

Its latest forecast suggests the water could peak in the next day or two as high as 113.75 metres.Anything more than the 113.67 metres seen in 1960 would set anew record.

The area could get 20 to 40 millimetres of rain by Friday.

A senior engineer with the planning board said Wednesday that reservoirs further north in the river basin can't hold back more water and will have to release whatever precipitation and melt they get.

River parks closed

The cityclosed Riverside Park and its marina Wednesday because of the floods.

Waterfront Park remains closed.

Riverside Drive on the west end of Riverside Park was also closed to everyone but local traffic and emergency vehicles.

Several other nearbymunicipalities have declared a state of emergency, includingPetawawa, RenfrewCounty and Ottawa.

The Ontario governmenthas opened up disaster relief money to people along the Ottawa Riverfrom west of Deep River to L'Orignal. Residentscan apply until the beginning of September to get money to help repair damaged property.