Springtime is never a good season for dirt roads, and Lethbridge County has been hit hard by the big melt, with plenty of closures.
“There are a few spots that still have to be drained and have to be dealt with,” Lethbridge County Reeve Lorne Hickey said. “The other day we had one where the water was about 14 to 15 inches deep in their yard.”
To prevent major flooding, crews are working to clear drain ditches.
No structures have been damaged, but water pooling remains an issue.
“We have experienced quite a bit of overland flooding,” Hickey said. “Some places where the ditches were full of snow and ice, the water is sitting against the edges of the road and the roads are starting to soften up.”
However, Lethbridge County is in great condition compared to the Municipal District of Taber.
A local state of emergency remains in effect for the entire MD, but no evacuation orders or advisories are in place.
Work continues to divert water away from fields and structures, with landowners still being asked not to conduct unnecessary pumping or excavation.
In the town of Taber, alleyways have deteriorated to the point where they can’t withstand heavy equipment.
Beginning Monday, all three collection carts will only be picked up on front curbs.
Town officials say repairing the damage already done in the alleys is going to come with a pretty hefty price tag.