Water overtook park space in the capital city's downtown on Thursday. (Melissa Friedman/CBC)Though waters are expected to begin to recede in Fredericton by Friday morning, residents downriver are being urged to stay vigilant.

New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization said Thursday the St. John River had reached 8.33 metres in the capital city and was expected to recede to 8.2 metres above sea level on Friday and 7.7 metres by Saturday.

Officials had projected the river would hit 8.6 metres by Thursday morning and possibly exceed the 8.63 metres record set in 1973. But dry weather and cool night temperatures have started to slow the fast-moving waters and level off the river, said Andy Morton, deputy director of EMO, at a press briefing.

Flood level in Fredericton is 6.5 metres above sea level.

But even as the flood levels recede in Fredericton, the waters will continue to rise downriver, said Premier Shawn Graham at the briefing.

The St. John River plays an important role in the lives of many New Brunswickers, Graham said, but the surging waters are also a reminder that it is a force of nature.

"Many New Brunswickers are experiencing a difficult period," he said. "But life will return to normal once the flood subsides."

Ensuring safety must remain the top priority, Graham said. But after the water levels have receded, the government will be announcing a disaster assistance program, he said, which will include a contribution from the federal government.

It will be weeks before river levels return to normal, Morton said.

Closures in Fredericton

More than 42 streets in the capital city were underwater on Thursday.

The rising waters have forced the closure of the provincial legislature, city hall, courthouse and all schools in the capital city and many downtown businesses.

An onlooker relaxes in downtown Fredericton while observing the rising waters. (Melissa Friedman/CBC)Parking lots along the riverfront in the capital city are covered in water. On some streets, only the tops of parking meters remain visible above the water.

Sandbags were piled in front of many businesses in the downtown while water bubbled up through manholes. The city said its water and sewer systems were equipped to handle all of the extra water.

Many people gathered in the downtown along the riverbanks to capture pictures of the flooded city. Police reported several were ignoring road barricades and entering flooded areas, despite emergency officials urging residents to stay away for their own safety.

NB Power disconnected more than 449 customers in the Fredericton and Maugerville areas and warned residents to be prepared to go without power for several days.

People still going to shelters

The water of the St. John River had almost reached the top of many parking meters along streets in Fredericton's downtown. (Melissa Friedman/CBC)Many people have been forced to leave their homes in the city and its outlying areas. The flood waters are expected to reach more than 1,300 homes.

The Red Cross is providing shelter for displaced families at the University of New Brunswick. More than 500 people had registered with the organization.

Sixteen emergency marine units were on the water to help families forced to abandon their flooded-out homes.

Maugerville and Jemseg, downriver from Fredericton, are now expected to be hit by the flooding. In Maugerville, the water is expected to reach 6.8 metres above sea level by Friday. Its flood stage is six metres. The level in Jemseg will reach 5.9 metres. Its flood stage is 4.3 metres.

Saint John was also reporting Thursday evening that waters were beginning to cover roads in the port city at the mouth of the river.

Rain adds to snowmelt

Many pleasure boaters took to the St. John River in the Fredericton area on Thursday despite officials' warnings to stay out of the water. (Melissa Friedman/CBC) In the northern part of the province, Madawaska Country was also expecting to see water levels begin to level off on Friday, after river levels rose quickly and caught many residents unprepared.

More than 100 millimetres of rain had fallen in northern New Brunswick, Maine and southern Quebec earlier in the week before funneling into the St. John River.

The 673-kilometre river stretches from its headwaters in Maine to the port city of Saint John, draining 55,000 square kilometres of land.

Roadways throughout the province are still engulfed by the waters, including exits off the Trans-Canada Highway and Route 105.

In Maine, a state of emergency was declared on Tuesday night and more than 100 homes were evacuated in the Fort Kent area.

The International Bridge over the St. John River between Fort Kent and Clair, N.B., was closed amid fears the raging waters could drag it down.

Graham said there is no need to declare a state of emergency in the province because all levels of government and emergency organizations are working well together.