EDMONTON – In an attempt to avoid flood disasters like the one that hit southern Alberta last summer, Alberta’s Forecasting Centre has changed the way it monitors water levels.
The Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development says it’s taking steps to enhance its flood forecasting system to improve communication with municipalities and improve its flood forecasting model.
Among the initiatives is a new automatic rainfall intensity alarm system in the Eastern Slopes area, which the province says will be put in place to alert staff and municipal emergency managers about a rapid increase in water levels.
“Flood forecasting is a science. We are working to put the best systems and tools in place to ensure Albertans are getting the right information about conditions at the right time,” says Robin Campbell, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development.
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On Tuesday, the province showed off its river flood forecasting operation, but they warn it’s difficult to predict what’s in store for this year.
The big concern at the moment is overland flooding. There has been a record amount of snowfall in many areas in the plains.
“Right now we’re estimating that the spring runoff is going to be much above average, so it will be noticeable. Some years you don’t notice it at all. This year people, if they’re driving around the country side, will notice active melt happening,” says Colleen Walford, River Flow Forecaster.
The snow pack in the mountains is slightly above average this year, but rainfall is the major variable. Forecasters can only predict precipitation a few days in advance.
The risk is not high at the moment but officials are monitoring the situation very closely.
Forecaster say they are going to be speaking with many of their colleagues around the world to get a better understanding of how they do their jobs and how Alberta might be able to improve flood forecasting.
With files from Fletcher Kent