Deer Lake Power needs to open its spill gates over the weekend and that has the mayor warning residents to be on high alert over the risk of flooding.

Starting Friday, the Kruger-owned Deer Lake Power will be opening spill gates at the main dam to release water from the Grand Lake Reservoir. At the same time, a week of rain and melting snow has fillled the reservoir.

“We are not in a good position,” Mayor Dean Ball told CBC Radio’s Newfoundland Morning on Thursday.

While he doesn’t want people to panic, he said water levels are continuing to rise and people need to be prepared.

“We got to remain vigilant here all over the next several days.”

Ball said it’s looking likely three spill gates will need to be opened Friday, adding more gates could be opened, which will increase the town’s vulnerability.

Ball said he hasn’t seen the water this high in 20 years and rising water levels will negatively impact some residential properties, including the possibility flooding.

“We have …  less than 30 centimetres left to go before it’s coming over the top of the dam.”

The town is asking residents to stay away from shorelines and river banks, said Ball, adding the water will also be moving faster along with debris.

The town is sending out a statement sometime Thursday on the situation.

“The priority for us right now is…safety,” Ball said, particularly for people living along the river and Grand Lake where water levels will be rising.

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