Iron Bridge In State Of Panic, May 1, 1979

Iron Bridge in state of panic'

BY ROB BOSTELAAR

Of The Star

IRON BRIDGE - A "state of panic" ("has descended on this village as warnings were issued that flooding from the Mississagi River could reach its highest level yet later today.

Water from the swollen river — which has flooded 30 houses and left 60 homeless — had dropped by a foot this morning.

But a flood advisory was issued Monday when Ontario Hydro was forced to open a holding dam north of here at Rocky Island Lake. Some residents were expecting a rise of as much as 18 inches, which would threaten a so-far-untouched sub-division of 40 homes west of the river.

"They're going crazy around here," reported businessman W.C. Eaket. "It's a real state of panic."

Natural resources manager Don Hagar said hydro Monday had reduced water flow through the Red Rock dam, the last barrier before Iron Bridge, to 31,000 feet per second from the weekend's 35,000.

However the new surge from Rocky Island, opened because of a build-up of pressure, could mean that Red Rock would have to be opened to 37,000 cfs, its highest level yet.

"They seemed to think they would be able to handle the spillage," Mr. Haggar said. "They were going to check the reservoir by helicopter at noon today and let me know how it looks."

Residents of Warnock subdivision west of the river were placing sandbags at low points on the bank and at a storm sewer outlet.