Flooding hits New Hamburg during winter thaw and heavy rains

A Sysco truck had to be pulled out of flood waters behind the Sobey’s parking lot in New Hamburg after weekend flooding. Contributed photo

By Lee Griffi

New Hamburg is no stranger to flooding, and while the last few days have been challenging, it doesn’t come close to some of the more extreme incidents over the years.

The initial flood watch for the entire Grand River watershed was issued on the afternoon of March 5. Conditions escalated with forecasts that river levels in New Hamburg would reach Flood Warning Zone 1 on March 7 and possibly Zone 2 on March 8. On March 9, the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) confirmed flood warning messages for New Hamburg and other communities remained in effect.

The warning remained in effect until noon on March 11, the same time as the Gazette goes to press, unless conditions changed sooner.

“I want to thank our staff who are actively monitoring conditions and managing road closures to keep residents safe,” said Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen. “I also appreciate the cooperation of residents as crews continue their work during this early spring melting.”

Wilmot has seen several major flood events over the years, including in February 2018 when floodwaters from the Nith River spilled over its banks and flooded large parts of the community.

Streets and businesses were inundated with water, the New Hamburg Community Centre baseball fields and racetrack were washed out, there was severe flooding around the Huron Street bridge and nearby commercial areas, and 16 roads were closed across Wilmot.

Local studies and surveys later described 2018 as the worst recent flood experienced by many households, with repeated basement flooding and property damage reported.

A major rainfall event also struck the area in January of 2020, flooding parts of downtown New Hamburg and homes and businesses along the river. Residents reported it was the second-highest river level they had seen in 30 years.

Ward 4 Coun. Steven Martin said the flooding has been problematic this time around, thanks to a heavy snow melt.

“New Hamburg is at risk since a number of housing developments have been built in the floodplain. Different methods have been used over the years to try to mitigate the impact of flooding. I am waiting to hear if any houses have been affected.”

He added the Mike Schout Wetlands were developed to mitigate at least some flooding in downtown New Hamburg.

“I am waiting to hear if there would be a reason to believe that it has helped. On Sunday, the water level was high in the wetlands, so my assumption is that it has had some benefit. For people living in areas affected by flooding, it is a major concern, and so I am hoping that we can continue to work on mitigating the effects.

“I think that we have to be cognisant of how our conservation authorities are changing across the province since the provincial government is making some changes. I hope these changes will continue to push for the relevance of our conservation authorities in the protection of and promotion of our important waterways.” 

Fellow Ward 4 Coun. Lillianne Dunstall said without major flood-control infrastructure on the Nith River, these events will continue to occur.

“Larger cities in the watershed benefit from flood control dams on the Grand River system, such as Shand Dam and Conestogo Dam. The Nith River does not have similar infrastructure. Building a dam today would likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars and would also raise other considerations, including environmental impacts and the need to flood large areas of land upstream to create a reservoir.”

Salonen was previously a member of the GRCA board but currently does not sit on it. Wilmot does not have any official involvement, but a number of Region of Waterloo councillors are representatives.

“Board appointments to the GRCA from our area are made through the Region of Waterloo, not area municipalities. While I’m not currently on the board, I have full confidence in my regional colleagues who represent our community at that table,” said Salonen.

She added she asked to step off the board for some time because the meeting schedule conflicted with another recurring commitment.

“I don’t recall the exact date, but once Coun. Matt Rodrigues joined council, and another member was available to serve in that role, the transition was made.”

Both Martin and Dunstall thought Salonen was still a board member. Regardless of that, Dunstall said larger urban centres have more representatives and greater influence in GRCA voting decisions.

“At the same time, communities along the Nith River, including New Hamburg, experience flooding more frequently than many of those larger urban centres that benefit from existing flood-control infrastructure,” she said. “The needs and realities of smaller communities facing regular flooding must continue to be part of the conversation.”

Dunstall added she has heard from many residents and business owners who have been impacted.

“Flooding affects homes, livelihoods and businesses across the community, particularly those located in the downtown core near the river.”

She explained downtown New Hamburg is an important part of the community, both economically and culturally, and repeated flooding places real strain on those businesses and the people who rely on them.

“It is also important that we support the businesses affected by the flooding. Several local businesses have already been hit hard. I encourage residents, once they are back up and running, to stop by and support them.”

Dunstall said while flooding cannot be eliminated, the township must continue working with the GRCA and other partners to identify practical mitigation measures that could help reduce the impact on residents and businesses in the future.

The Ontario government confirmed this week plans to reduce the number of conservation authorities from 36 to nine regional groups. The plan comes after consultations on how conservation authorities can help get shovels in the ground faster on homes and other local infrastructure projects while strengthening their vital role in managing watersheds and protecting communities from floods and natural hazards. 

The province says the regional approach will reduce administrative duplication, redirect resources to frontline conservation and modernize permitting. Pending approved amendments to the Conservation Authorities Act, the transition is expected to be completed early next year.