Many New Brunswick residents are on flood watch as heavy rains pound the province.

River Watch says water levels in rivers, streams and tributaries are expected to rise in the coming days as a result of heavy rain and warm, ice-melting temperatures.

Water levels are expected to peak Wednesday and Thursday.

Durham Bridge resident Wendell Ross says the Nashwaak River looks OK for now, but history has proven that things can change quickly.

“It could be right up here on the lawn in the morning if we get enough rain and it was warm enough, because it did before,” says Ross. “In 2010, through the night, it must have went up 10 feet.”

Officials say there's also the possibility of ice jams leading to flooding, particularly along portions of the Nashwaak, Kennebecasis and Southwest Miramichi rivers.

“It’s not necessarily just the levels. If we get an ice jam somewhere, levels can rise rapidly,” warns Paul Bradley of New Brunswick’s Emergency Measures Organization.

“It’s very hard to predict, very unpredictable.”

Bradley says officials will keep a close eye on rivers and streams for the next 48 hours.

“Certainly, we are a little concerned about the Nashwaak River and Kennebecasis River,” he says.

“We are expected we’ll be approaching flood stage at some point tomorrow.”

With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore and The Canadian Press