N.S. government closes aboiteau at Windsor causeway, state of emergency declared

The Nova Scotia government is closing the aboiteau at the Windsor causeway to protect nearby residents in the event of a fire and as a precaution to refill Lake Pisiquid.

A state of emergency was declared for the area Thursday night in response to the dry conditions causing wildfires across the province.

"This aboiteau has caused Lake Pisiquid to completely dry up, posing a significant risk during this wildfire season," said Emergency Management Minister John Lohr in a news release. "At a time when wildfires across the province continue to spread out of control, we need to take every precaution to prevent further fires, protect communities and maximize the water supply resource available for our ongoing response."

The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans issued an order in March 2021, which required the provincial government to open the gates of an aboiteau.

According to the province, this caused Lake Pisiquid to drain.

The state of emergency overrides the federal order and instructs the operators of the sleway connected to Lake Pisiquid to close the gates to maximize the water supply available in the event of wildfires.