Catfish Creek floods its banks in Aylmer parks

Catfish Creek overflowed its banks and flooded the usual areas of nearby parkland in Aylmer, including Kinsmen Park shown here, and Optimist Park on Friday morning, April 1. Catfish Creek Conservation Authority (CCCA) officials earlier the same morning issued a “Flood Outlook” watershed conditions statement, the first of a series of statements leading up to an official flood warning for the entire watershed. The Flood Outlook statement advised that the amount of rain that fell in the prior few days resulted in “significant runoff” and caused minor flooding in low-lying, flood-prone areas adjacent to Catfish Creek and its tributaries. “The public is encouraged to exercise caution near open bodies of water, and to keep children and pets away from all waterways during adverse flow conditions,” CCCA Water Management Technician Peter Dragunas said. “Residents are advised to remove property from low-lying areas adjacent to streams, creeks, ditches or other open bodies of water.” The Flood Outlook statement would remain in effect until Monday, April 4 at 8 a.m. and would be “adjusted accordingly.”