Help Is On The Way

The City is bringing in outside resources to help clean up the flooded Atlantic Avenue Water Treatment Plant. 9 pumps are coming in from Toronto, Sudbury and Winnipeg today and are being placed in the sewer system and at the plant. General Manager Darrell Matson says they won't know what caused the plant to flood until it's cleaned up. Meanwhile, the City is setting up a reception centre at the Neebing Arena for those people whose homes are flooded. Some homes with water in the basement are having their Natural Gas and Electricity shut off as a safety precaution. The Centre will provide a place for those people to sleep until it's safe to return to their homes. Meanwhile, the City has closed the Canada Games Complex, Churchill and Volunteer Pools, the 55 Plus Centre and the West Thunder Recreation Centre.

State of Emergency Update

Water Levels Continue Rising

The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority says many area waterways continue to rise especially in the city and in Oliver Paipoonge .  The Neebing River is rising at a rate of 15 centimetres and hour.  Corbett Creek is also rising considerably.   More rain is expected overnight.   15 millimetres is possible.  

OPP Cruiser Hits Crevasse

OPP say the driver of this cruiser is not seriously injured.  He was driving the vehicle along Oliver Road near Boutler Road when the incident occurred

Health Unit Tells Well Users To Boil

The Health Unit is recommending well users boil their water.  If your home or business is affected by the flooding and high water levels you need to bring well water to a rolling boil for a full minute before using.  The Health Unit is also telling people to be careful and throw out food that was not kept cold or frozen during this morning's power outage.

MTO Updates Road Closures

There are several roads closed in the Thunder Bay area today.  The Ministry of Transportation says full or partial washouts are being reported on Highway 11/17 near Hume Road, west of Vibert Road, east of Twin City Crossroad, and the Harbour Expressway Intersection near Highway 11/17 and Highway 61.  It could be several days before a section of Highway 11/17 East is open.  The section that is giving the Ministry of Transportation trouble is west of Vibert Road where water is rushing over the roadway at the SuperCor culvert.
For east/west traffic, Highway 102 is operating normally at this point.  Other road closures include: Portage Creek Road at the first bridge,  Laukaa Lane at Auto Road, and Silver Springs Road.  Arthur Street to Twin City Cross Roads is closed due to extensive damage to the roadway.  Thunder Bay Police are telling motorists and anyone who is travelling west out of the City they will have to take Highway 102 to Dawson Road as an alternative route.

Conmee Township Boil Water Advisory

A State of Emergency is in effect for Conmee Township. Mayor Kevin Holland says they're taking a wait and see approach. Holland is asking people within the township to stay home. The Mayor is also asking residents to boil their water since pollutants may have seeped into area wells.  Meanwhile, Oliver-Paipoonge has also declared a state of emergency.

O.P.G. Says Kam Dam Is Stable

Ontario Power Generation is reporting the Kam River Dam is in stable condition despite the recent heavy rainfall. Spokesperson Ted Gruetzner says they'll be managing water flows but not fully opening the dam. Gruetzner says if any more rain comes down they may have to re-evaluate the situation.

Thunder Bay Under State Of Emergency

The City of Thunder Bay is under state of emergency. City Spokesperson Darryl Matson says the Atlantic Avenue Water Sewage Treatment Plant is flooded. Workers are trying to pump out the water, just to try and get a look at the damage and assess the situation from there. All city residents are not to use any extra water. That means: flushing toilets, washing clothes, running baths, taking showers. Those activities would put extra and undue pressure on the city's water system.

City-Wide Flooding

There has been extensive flooding in the South Ward, this includes Northwood, the Intercity Area, parts of Westfort and James St. City Police are saying numerous basements in the Northwood Area have water in them, Northwood Mall is flooded with inches of water in the stores. The railway underpass on South James St is closed due to flooding. Most ditches in the Intercity area are overflowing and covering parts of the roads. There are numerous vehicles have stalled out on the roadways. Residents of Thunder Bay are urged to use caution.

School Closures Announced For Monday

The Lakehead Public School Board are announcing school closures this morning. Crestview, McKenzie, Five Mile, Gorham & Ware, Valley Central, Kakabeka Falls, Whitefish Valley and Thunder Bay Christian schools Are all closed. Norwesterview school will remain open but with no school bus transportation.

Hydro Reporting No Major Power Outages

Thunder Bay Hydro is reporting no major power outages at this time. Power was knocked out thanks to an overnight thunder storm which socked itself in over night. Power was out briefly at 12:45 a.m. in areas such as County Park, Castlegreen and the Dawson Road Area.

Flood Watch Remains In Effect

The Lakehead Region Conservation Area is still maintaining a "Flood Watch" for this region. Waterways eased yesterday slightly but the rain overnight is wreaking havoc on area tributaries.Waterways such as the Neebing, McIntyre and Current River, along with McVicor Creek are all higher than usual and are expected to increase throughout the day with the overnight rain. Chairman Bill Bartley of the L.R.C.A. says caution is the word of the day if you are around a water way. The Kaministiquia River is flowing at an especially high rate and the Falls at Kakabeka are flowing at a rate not seen in years.

Townships Declare States Of Emergency

The Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge has declared a state of emergency. Most main roads have had multiple wash outs due the rain and flooding. They include; Hwy 11-17, Oliver Rd, Twin City Crossroads, Fraser Rd, Boulter Rd, Poleline Rd, Veley Lane, Maki Rd, Mud Lake Rd. Reeve Lucy Kluisterhuis has not yet had a chance to inspect the damage personally but says there were multiple reports of flooded basements, roads and culverts in the township. Highway 590 at 102 is closed this morning as Conmee Township has also declared a state of emergency. They are urging people to remain indoors because of the poor road conditions.