High and getting higher is the way many conservation authorities are describing a number of our local river systems.
And as the water rises, so do worries about flooding.
In Grand Valley, sump pumps have been running non-stop since Friday removing water from backyards and basements.
“We have three pumps going down here,” says Grand River-area resident Samantha Culp. Her basement was flooded with six inches of water and there is still plenty to be pumped out.
“It's pretty muddy down there,” she says. “The pumps have been running for the past couple of days doing the best they can and keeping up.”
The Grand River continues to flow quickly and at capacity, spilling over the banks in some areas. Parks look like small lakes while some roads remain closed.
Flooding has started southeast of Grand Valley in the village of Inglewood. Last night’s rain and the snow melt have swelled the Credit River. And it is now overflowing its banks. Parks and some roads in low-lying areas have been washed out.
In Hockley Valley, the Nottawasaga River has swelled to levels people there haven’t seen before.
“It's unbelievable,” says Hockley resident Kevin Davidson. “With the snowfall and rain we've had this year, this is the highest I've seen this river in over a decade.”
The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority says this is the highest the river has been in the Hockley area in 50 years.
“In the last three days the river has been up about three feet,” says Robert Atchison, who lives right on the river bank.
For the first time ever he's bracing for flooding.
“We never had a flooding but this year could be bad,” he says. “We've been here 25 years and never seen the water like this before. We may have to move our trailer. It’s getting so high it’s terrible.”
The conservation authority says the water in Hockley will make its way downstream through to towns like Wasaga Beach, where the water is already high and a flood warning in place, by the end of the week.
In Grand Valley, the town has asked a disaster relief team with the Red Cross to assess the damage. A flood warning remains in effect, and with today’s rain there is still an unsettling feeling.
“Our furnace and water heater is down there so if the pumps stop working we're in trouble,” says Culp.
Conservation authorities are warning the water levels will continue to rise and remain high over the next several days. If you live in a flood-prone area you're being urged to take every precaution to protect your property if you haven't already.
