WILLIAM DALE
Published in the Pontiac Journal on April 22, 2026.
MRC PONTIAC – The 2026 spring freshet escalated into a critical emergency for the central Pontiac over the weekend. As of Sunday evening, April 19, the Municipality of Fort-Coulonge declared a state of emergency, while neighbouring Mansfield-et-Pontefract issued mandatory evacuation orders for approximately 70 to 100 residents in the most vulnerable sectors.
While authorities initially hoped water levels would remain below major thresholds, the Ottawa River surged rapidly. According to data from the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board and municipal notices, Lac Coulonge was expected to peak at 108.60 m on April 20. This is 45 cm higher than the 2025 peak, though it remains just below the 108.75 m record set during the 2023 flood.
The Rivière Coulonge also showed extreme activity, with a flow rate of 630 m³/s measured at Pont Blanc — nearly 10 times the seasonal average. Forecasts suggested this flow could reach 685 m³/s.
In Mansfield, the situation reached a breaking point Sunday as water levels rose at a rate of roughly one centimetre per hour. Mayor Sandra Armstrong confirmed that the Félix-Gabriel-Marchand Bridge was closed to all traffic.
Radio-Canada reported that rising water levels near Jim Lake caused several road collapses. Municipal crews are working to repair infrastructure in the area. Several key routes in the municipality became impassable, including Chemin Thomas-Lefebvre, where sections were submerged under 25 cm of water; Chemin de la Chute, which was flooded beyond the Terry Fox Bridge; Chemin des Rapides, which was fully submerged at the bottom of the hill; and Chemin de la Passe, which was flooded before civic number 122.
The state of emergency in Fort-Coulonge was adopted by council Sunday evening (April 19). The measure allows the municipality to bypass standard approval delays for emergency spending and mobilization.
To protect the village, crews constructed a sand dike along the Ottawa River and began blocking sewer inlets to prevent backflow. Mayor Pierre Cyr urged residents to limit tap water use. High turbidity is placing strain on the filtration plant, and reducing indoor water consumption is critical to minimizing the risk of river water entering the municipal system.
Julien Gagnon, director of public safety for the MRC Pontiac, is coordinating resources across the 14 affected municipalities.
The Municipality of Mansfield has established support lines for residents. Those needing relocation assistance are advised to contact the municipal office at 819-683-2944 or the mayor at 819-744-1660. Isolated residents requiring rescue are asked to contact the fire chief at 613- 401-7925. Sand and bags are available at the quarry at 32 chemin du Lac de la Truite. Residents are reminded to call 911 in emergencies.
Water levels were expected to begin stabilizing April 20 as a cold front moved into the region. However, Warden Jane Toller warned that the risk of further increases remained elevated along the Mattawa to Lac- Coulonge corridor due to significant snowpack in the northern part of the basin.
Photo: Floodwaters under the Blanc Bridge in Mansfield (GF)
