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FREDERICTON - The worst of the flooding is over in much of New Brunswick and officials say water levels are receding along the entire length of the St. John River - but danger lurks in the murky mess left behind.

Enlarge Photo

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

A fire truck heads past the Centennial Building, which houses the premier's office, in Fredericton on Thursday, May 1, 2008.

"The situation has not gone away," said Andy Morton, deputy director of the province's Emergency Measures Organization. "Homes, roads and properties are flooded, and will remain flooded for the next several days - so the danger levels are still there."

Morton noted that roads covered by a thin sheen of water could be hiding sink holes; moose and deer seeking refuge from soggy forests are still wandering on the highways, and health officials are warning that private wells could be contaminated by the flood waters.

Though the weather is expected to be warm and dry for the next few days, officials are keeping an eye on the long-range forecast, which is calling for rain at the end of the week.

Meanwhile, the high tides on the Bay of Fundy, where the swollen St. John drains, are expected to keep water levels above the flood stage in the Saint John area.

When the tide rises on the bay, the elevated level acts like a damn, preventing the St. John from emptying.

The phenomenon, which also creates the so-called reversing falls at Saint John, has been blamed for making the flooding worse along the length of the 670-kilometre-long river.

Nancy Moar, a spokeswoman for the City of Saint John, said levels had decreased slightly, but officials were anticipating a particularly high tide at midnight Monday night.

"We really don't know what to expect, so we're just continuing to monitor," Moar said in an interview.

Meanwhile, more than 90 homeowners in Saint John have registered with evacuation officials in recent days, although there's no precise figure on how many have actually fled.

Across the province, 832 people registered with the Red Cross to say they had evacuated their homes or planned to do so, but officials estimate the actual number is closer to 1,000 because some people would have left their homes without registering.

The Red Cross found accommodations for 283 evacuees.

With the river in retreat, efforts to get people back into their homes has begun.

Benoit Laroche, the provincial fire marshal, said inspectors have begun a blitz of homes in the northwest, where river levels are returning to normal.

"Seventy-seven houses have been done," he said Monday. "Inspections are taking longer than expected due to severe structural damage."

Some communities in the northwest suffered a virtual flash flood after receiving 100 millimetres of rain last week.

Laroche said homeowners whose power lines were physically disconnected must have their home inspected by either provincial staff or licensed electrical contractors before NB Power will reconnect them.

On Sunday, the provincial government announced details of a program for disaster relief assistance. By noon Monday, 325 people had applied.

The program covers essentials, and has a deductible of $1,000 for homeowners, and $5,000 for farms and small businesses.

The municipal water supplies in Saint John and Fredericton were declared safe Monday.

But Health Department officials are telling residents with a well in flood-affected areas to boil their water until they've had the well tested.

"Your personal water supply could be compromised, particularly if you see water around your well head," said Dr. Eilish Cleary, deputy chief medical officer for New Brunswick.

"In those circumstances, even if you don't know that the water has been impacted, it's important to treat it as if it has been."

Boil orders remain in effect for seven communities in northwestern New Brunswick.