Flooding in Almaguin 2026: Sandbag Locations, Township Phone Numbers, and How to Stay Safe
Spring flooding in the Almaguin Highlands has reached serious levels this April. Roads are closed, municipalities are overwhelmed, and the MNR has issued a Flood Warning across the entire region. If you’re a property owner — year-round or seasonal — and you’re trying to figure out what to do, who to call, and where to get sandbags, this post has everything you need.
Flooding has caused widespread disruption across Almaguin, with several municipalities declaring significant weather events as rising water, snowmelt, and rainfall continue to impact the region. Muskoka Radio Armour Township road crews have described themselves as overwhelmed, with washouts and sinkholes appearing across the road network. The MNR has issued a Flood Warning covering the entire Bracebridge-Minden-Parry Sound District — including the Magnetawan River watershed — in effect until Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Muskoka411
We put this together because we know how confusing it can be to figure out who to call, what’s available, and what to actually do when water is rising fast. Hopefully this helps.
Where to Get Sandbags in Almaguin — Township by Township
Every municipality in the Almaguin Highlands handles sandbag distribution differently, and supplies are limited and moving fast. The best thing you can do right now is call your local public works department directly before making any trip out.
If you’re not 100% sure which township your property falls under — and honestly, a lot of people aren’t, especially on seasonal and cottage properties — just send us a message. We’re happy to look it up for you so you’re not driving around on flooded Almaguin roads trying to figure it out.
Here are the public works contact numbers for every Almaguin Highlands township:
Township of Armour — 705-382-3332 (Sandbags confirmed at Katrine Community Centre — call to verify current availability)
Township of Strong — 705-384-5819 (Sandbag station confirmed at the Strong Township Public Works Yard — call ahead)
Township of Ryerson — 705-382-3232
Township of Perry (Emsdale / Novar) — 705-636-5941
Municipality of Magnetawan — 705-387-3947
Township of McMurrich/Monteith (Sprucedale) — 705-685-7901
Township of Machar (South River area) — 705-386-7741 (Roads department direct line: 705-386-2837)
Town of Kearney — 705-636-7752
Township of Joly — 705-384-5428
All Almaguin municipal offices are generally open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For after-hours road emergencies in Strong Township specifically, you can leave a message at 705-840-0360.
What to Do With Sandbags Once You Have Them
Sandbags can be placed around lower-level doors and windows to help prevent water from entering your home, or around propane tanks and other vulnerable infrastructure. If you’re not sure where to place them first, prioritize any entry points at or below ground level, and any mechanical equipment — furnaces, water heaters, electrical panels — that sits low in a basement or crawl space.
If municipal supplies run out, private contractors and landscaping suppliers in the area may be able to source additional sand and bags. Call your township office first — they’ll often know who has stock locally.
Flooded Roads in Almaguin: Please Stay Home
This one is important, and we’re saying it as people who know these roads. If you come across a road that’s covered in water, please turn around. What you can’t see is what can hurt you — the road beneath the surface may be completely washed out. The water hides it perfectly. You have no way of knowing whether there’s solid ground underneath or a drop-off that will swallow your car. It’s not worth the risk. Stay home, let the crews do their work, and avoid an accident or totalling your vehicle on a road that looks passable but isn’t.
Want to See the Floods Safely? Head to the Burk’s Falls River Walk
If you’re curious about the sheer scale of what’s happening — and honestly, it is something to witness — the River Walk in Burk’s Falls is the place to go. It’s a safe, accessible spot right in the village where you can watch the water roaring past and get a real sense of the power of an Almaguin spring flood. Stay on the path, keep kids and dogs close, and respect the barriers. But if you want to see nature doing its thing up close, this is your spot.
Follow Your Almaguin Township on Facebook for Real-Time Updates
Conditions across the Almaguin Highlands are changing hour by hour. Each township is posting real-time road closures, sandbag updates, and emergency notices on their Facebook pages — this is the fastest way to know what’s happening in your specific area right now.
A Note From Emma & Tom
Both Emma and Tom have been through Almaguin floods before — including 2019, which tested this community in ways none of us have forgotten. These events pass. But they’re also a real reminder of what it means to own property in the Almaguin Highlands. Seasonal road access, watershed location, how a property sits on its lot, proximity to rivers and low-lying areas — these are all things we talk through with every buyer we work with, because in Almaguin, they matter year-round, not just in spring.
If you have questions about your property, what flooding might mean from a valuation standpoint, or you just want to talk through what you’re seeing out there — we’re always happy to chat. No pressure, no agenda.
Stay safe, Almaguin. We’re thinking of everyone out there right now.