CALGARY- An alert has been issued by Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource, warning parts of the province to brace for “significant runoff.”
Temperatures are expected to rise to slightly above normal over the next few days, which will cause rapid snowmelt. Officials warn this could lead to localized overland flooding as water makes its way into streams.
Central Alberta will be affected most, especially south of Calgary as well as Cypress Hills and the Red Deer area.
The City of Calgary says there are about 48,000 catch basins in the city, and crews have been working diligently to thaw them and ensure they’re draining properly. They are preparing to bring in extra crews if there are a number of priority calls as a result of flooding.
Priority calls include:
- Property building damage (e.g. water entering houses, garages or business) and safety (e.g. water pooling on high speed roadways);
- Location (e.g. areas in front of playground zones, school zones, hospital zones, bus zones and handicap access;
- Flooded roadways including intersections.
Officials add Calgarians don’t need to be concerned about the rivers rising—for now.
“This is really just an indication from Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development that the melt has begun,” explains Frank Frigo from city water services. “This is melt in the plains, this is not the kind of melt that would be of concern to raising water levels in the Bow or the Elbow river by any amount.”
Anyone who notices a problem is asked to call 311.
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