Experts are warning people to prepare now for possible floods in the Ottawa area as spring finally arrives.
At Ritchie Feed & Seed, there's been a run on sand and the burlap bags, according to Neil Ritchie.
The city of Gatineau bought 700 sandbags last week.
"They're probably stocking up. They know they're going to have flooding in areas. They're thinking ahead," he said.
Conservation officials say as the snowpack from recent storms melts, residents in the Rideau Valley can expect "above average peak flows and water levels" on "all streams" in the area.
People near Lanark know all too well what can happen if the melt happens too fast. The Clyde River swelled and led to massive flooding in the region in 1998.
"What we don't want to see is three to four days of rain," said Ritchie.
This year, it's not just waterfront property owners being told to think about flood prevention.
Experts are advising homeowners to unblock ice buildups and clear as much snow as possible away from the foundation, basement doors and windows.
Observers say daytime temperatures just above freezing with subzero temperatures at night, may help prevent major flooding in the region as snow disappears.
"We didn't get any ground frost which means water that will melt in the fields will go down rather than across the top, so that's a plus side," Ritchie said.
Some are already taking preventative steps. Insurance companies are suggesting you do the same.
Insurers bracing for a deluge of claims say taking flood prevention steps now can help save homeowners headaches and added costs.
"Most people have a no-claims discount which could be taken away in the event of a claim. And you never get your property back to the way you were comfortable with. So preventing a claim just makes everyone a lot happier in the end," David Denyer of Palladium Insurance told CTV.
