Water levels continue to recede along Ottawa River

The City of Ottawa is asking volunteers helping with flood control to take a break during this warm, dry weekend as floodwaters continue to drop.

Since last week, residents in the Ottawa-Gatineau area have been battling destructive floods that damagedhomes and businesses across the region.

• Ottawa River finally peaks in capital region

• Under water, again

After weeks of rising waters, the Ottawa River finally peaked Thursday, andthe Ottawa River Regulation and Planning Board said levelshave begun to decline in many areas.

As of early Saturday morning, the City of Gatineaureportedthat water levels in fivehydrometric stations have receded by about 10 centimetresin the last 24 hours and 20 centimetres in the past 48 hours.

Further decline possible

Despite receding waters, theRideau Valley Conservation Authorityis maintaining its flood warning.

The agency noted that levels are expected to decline over the next two to three weeks, but further flooding is possible if significant rainfall occurs.

The agency also stated Friday thatwater levels have already receded inConstance Bay, Britanniaand Cumberland, as well as inClarence-Rocklandand Alfred and Plantagenet, on the Ontario side of the river.

The agency also statedthat from Mattawa, Ont., to Lac Coulonge, levels are expected to begin rising again over the next few days due to snow melt from reservoirs in the Abitibi-Timiskamingregion of Quebec.

Residents are asked tokeep their sandbags in place for least the next two weeks.

Some Quyon residentsreturn home

Many residents forced to leave theirvillage of Quyon, Que., were finally able to return home Saturday.

More than 100 residents had been living away from the village afterconcerns that a nearby dike could fail.

• Mandatory evacuations ordered in Pontiac

After ensuring the dike was instable condition, the Municipality of Pontiac lifted the evacuation order for several streets in the village.

The dike will be regularly monitored by the Canadian Armed Forces and the public works department, the municipality said.

Emergency measures lifted

Some of the emergency measures put in place to deal with the major flooding are being lifted.

• Flood support centres to close, call for volunteers scaled back

The City of Ottawa is asking volunteers to take a break this weekend after several days of sandbagging and emergency response.

The city saidvolunteers will be neededagain soon to help flood victims deal with the flood'saftermath.