Businesses and residents along the Thames River in Chatham should prepare for some flooding this weekend.
The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) issued a Flood Warning Thursday afternoon, advising local residents that basements along King Street in downtown Chatham are expected to be flooded as high water levels move down from the London area.
Conservation authority officials said there is already some flooding along the Thames River from Delaware down to Thamesville.
The warning issued Thursday said "flooding is expected to be unusually high for this time of the year and will be more similar to a spring flooding event."
It also noted that at this point, the flooding is not expected to impact the community of Thamesville.
The LTVCA is expecting to start using the 6th Street Dam Friday.
In an update issued late Friday morning, the LTVCA said flooding of streets in the city is no longer expected, but flooding is still expected in basements along King Street. The release said "that type of flooding would not be expected to occur until late Saturday or Sunday."
They are advising community members in the affected areas to take advantage and prepare early for flooding.
People should also take extra caution around fast-moving waterways, avoiding the river, ditches, and streams.
