in march 1902, fifteen ice jams in the saint john river basin resulted in some of the worst floods on that river in the 20th century with two deaths, and extensive damage to bridges, roads, railways and lumber mills. damage estimates across new brunswick were (1998)(1902). the saint john river has a long history of flooding from 1696. major reported flood events took place in 1887, 1902, 1923, 1936, 1970, 1973, 1976, 1979, and 1987.