Paisley is one of the potential "trouble spots" of Friday for Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority staff and Bruce County Transportation and Environmental Services.
There's a huge ice jam on the Teeswater River, upstream from one of the Paisley bridges. The river level is very close to the top of the bridge, and the ice will have nowhere to go when it comes down. That increases the risk of flooding in one section of Paisley.
Arran Elderslie Deputy Mayor Mark Davis says the best case scenario is a slow melt with no rain.
"As mean as mother nature can be she can be forgiving too and hopefully it just slowly melts away and everything goes good," says Davis.
The river has gone down about 3 ft since Thursday but a number of people and businesses have still been advised they may have to evacuate. Bruce County and Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority officials have been on the scene 24/7 since Wednesday. So the situation remains a waiting game.
Paisley's bridge over the Teeswater River, Friday, Feb. 23rd. (Kirk Scott photo)
SVCA staff also monitored the McGowan Falls Dam in Durham as high flows brought flood debris which collected at the dam and had to be removed.
In Chesley, businesses on 1st Ave. continue to operate as usual despite the bridge closure.
A flood warning remains in place for the Middle Maitland River from the Boyle Drain, through Ethel and Brussels, and the Lower Maitland River from Wingham downstream to the mouth of the river in Goderich. There are currently no ice jams reported.
It's expected levels and flows will remain high for at least the next 24 hours.
The flood warning for the Grey Sauble watersheds has been lifted. A flood watch remains in effect for the Sydenham River, the Beaver River, and the Sauble River.
Most gauges are showing flows below average, with the exception of those near the mouth of the Sydenham River, the Beaver River, and the Sauble River, which are on the way down.
And the Ausable and Bayfield River flows will remain high through the weekend. Rivers are currently running free of ice. While most of the flooding was contained in the undeveloped floodplain areas, numerous road closures and some damage to properties were reported.
In general, flows across the ABCA watershed were the highest since the back-to-back flooding events in December 2008 and February 2009.
(BlackburnNews.com photo)