According to a special weather statement released early Sunday morning by Environment Canada, up to 100 mm of rain may fall by Wednesday, especially on the foothills and eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Current forecasts place the largest amount of rainfall near Kananaski. Kyle Brittain, head of the Alberta office for the Weather Network, said that while this week’s prolonged rainfall could put the county above the typical monthly average for June, he did not expect it to cause severe flooding. This is due to the fact that the historically dry conditions throughout the southern part of the province have led to lower than average aquifers, Britain said, leaving essential space on the ground to absorb moisture. “[The] “Great drought in southern Alberta, which actually gives us a pretty good protection against the big floods right now.” Overall, this will serve to continue drought relief in much of Alberta – especially in the southwest. Rivers from the Rocky Mountains and small river and land floods will be possible in places. pic.twitter.com/IyXvCl6KhG – @ KyleTWN For Alberta farmers who fear another drought like last year could be repeated, Britain said the heavy rains would bring some confirmation. “It looks like it’s going to be a multi-million dollar rainfall for agricultural producers in southern Alberta. So it could really change things for our growing season.” The conditions that led to heavy flooding in rural areas in 2013 were caused by both higher rainfall (over 300 mm in rural areas) and simultaneous thunderstorms nearby, Britain said. “If we have another big storm after that, then we need to start addressing flood concerns.” For now, Britain has said it expects some swollen rivers, with high water levels coming to Calgary from both the Bow and Elbow rivers.
The city is preparing
On Sunday, the city of Calgary issued a warning for the Elbow River, due to the higher expected flow rates. According to the statement, Calgary residents are advised not to go boating and all other boating activities on the Elbow River until conditions improve. Frank Frigo, director of watershed planning with the city’s water resources department, said he was preparing for the heavy rainfall by lowering the water level in the Bow River and Glenmore Reservoir reservoirs to increase storage capacity in the event of high flows. We are closely monitoring the significant rainfall in the forecast for the Kananaski area. With immediate effect, we are issuing consulting for the Elbow River, due to the higher expected flow rates and the current forecast.Learn more ⬇️ https: / /t.co/nZxIYIn2Ia & mdash; @cityofcalgary While the city said it was not expecting major floods, it advised Calgary residents to take precautions, including diverting rainwater away from homes, placing downspouts properly, moving valuables from basements to low-lying communities and river banks, especially on the river bank. Paths. According to the City Council’s Emergency Management Committee, flood mitigation efforts in Calgary by 2022 have reduced future potential flood damage by 55 percent, or an average of $ 90 million a year. These include upgrades to the Glenmore Dam, the implementation of flood defenses, 24-hour monitoring of weather and river conditions, and an increased community approach to flood preparedness. Frigo said the measures, in addition to the city’s investment in more extensive weather modeling programs, have equipped it to better withstand more extreme weather events. “We have much better tools to be able to try and interrogate, look to the future and understand the range of possibilities.”
Precautions for the snowball
Higher-than-average snow levels for this time of year in the Rocky Mountains – due to heavy winter snowfall and a fairly cool spring – have also raised concerns about flooding caused by melting snow. But John Pomeroy, director of the Global Water Supply Program at the University of Saskatchewan, told CBC News that he did not expect incoming rains to drastically worsen conditions. “It takes a lot of rain to happen to melt the snow to really cause the magnitude of the flood we had in 2013,” Pomeroy said. “We have some heavy rains [forecasted] Or it will definitely cause some high flows. “But it does not look at all like the kind of flood we would see in 2013.” Pomeroy said the large amount of snow that has accumulated in the mountains means people should be vigilant for avalanches and advised recreational users to avoid river-related activities at this time. “The water enters the river at zero degrees Celsius and it will be fast [moving]. So [plan] your travels very, very carefully and expect quick changes this time of year “.
