Flooding

As spring arrives, so does the potential threat of flooding in our neighborhoods. The key to safeguarding your home and property lies in proactive preparation — taking steps now can help prevent or minimize the damage when the waters begin to rise. By staying informed and ready, you can protect what matters most.

How can I prepare for flooding?

River Watch 2025: Are you Prepared? (PDF)
Have an emergency plan for you and your family (use the Government of Canada’s guide).
Keep a 72-hour emergency kit at home.
Follow the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization’s River Watch for tips, public advisories and forecasts.
Check your insurance coverage. Call your insurance company to find out what is covered by the policies you have you have and what extra coverage is available for purchase.
Protect your documents. Keep all insurance policies and other important documents as well as a list and photos or videos of your valuable items in a safe place. Consider storing back-up copies of pictures and important documents in a separate secure location or electronically.
Securely fasten or brace hot water tanks and oil tanks to prevent them from floating and breaking off your water feed line or spilling oil.
Locate and clear the area around your water meter.
Locate and clear the area around your sewer clean out.
If you own a sump pump, invest in a power generator to ensure it continues to operate if the power goes out.

Here are some tips to reduce flooding risk (PDF) that you can follow to make your home flood ready in the event of extreme rainfall.

What should you do if your basement has flooded? Here are some guidelines (PDF) that could help you.

What should I do if I have to leave my house for an extended period during a flood or when there's a high risk of flooding?

Turn off your basement furnace and outside gas or oil supply valve. If time permits, ask your oil supplier to drain your tank to prevent a spill.
For assistance locating and shutting off your natural gas valve, contact Enbridge Gas.
Turn off all power at the main electrical panel. If the area around the fuse box or circuit breaker panel is wet, leave it alone and call NB Power for assistance.

What should I do during a flood?

Keep your radio on to find out what areas are affected, as well as what roads are safe.
Follow the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization’s River Watch and the City of Fredericton’s Twitter and Facebook feeds for public advisories.
Avoid walking, biking, driving or boating through flooded areas. You can’t see hidden hazards and waves created by your vehicle can further damage nearby homes.
If you are given notice to evacuate by local authorities, follow instructions.
If you have to leave your home, let friends and relatives know where you will be.
Be careful pumping out flooded basements. It could cause the collapse of the basement walls.
Water flowing through sewer pipes may be forced through manholes onto the street. Parking lots can flood quickly.

For more detailed information, see the Government of Canada’s Flood Readiness Guide.

Some original information sourced from the City of Calgary.

Flood Map - Flood Prone Areas

Historical:

1973 - 8.6 m | Flood Map 1973 (PDF)
1977 - 7.0 m
1979 - 7.9 m
1984 - 7.0 m
2005 - 7.8 m
2008 - 8.36 m | Flood Map 2008 (PDF) | Flood Map (1973 vs 2008) (PDF)
2014 - 7.4 m
2018 - 8.31 m
2019 - 8.31 m
Flood History Database (GNB)