Date of publication: June 13, 2022 • 0 minutes ago • 5 minutes reading • 9 comments The flooded footpath under the 25th Avenue Bridge in Erlton closed as the Elbow River rose with steady rainfall to the forecast for Calgary on Monday, June 13, 2022. Gavin Young / Postmedia
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The city of Calgary has declared a state of emergency locally in response to the projected downpour that increases the risk of local flooding.
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Heavy rains are expected to melt higher than usual mountain snow, increasing flow rates and water levels in many rivers, prompting the province to issue several flood warnings in southern and central Alberta. Environment Canada issued a rain warning on Sunday, estimating that 75 to 125 millimeters of rain will be found in Calgary and nearby highlands by Wednesday morning, with local amounts of up to 150 millimeters. Mayor Jyoti Gondek said the city was making the statement with great care, especially so that police and fire departments could go door-to-door to let people know if there was an evacuation order. It will also allow the city’s water utility crews to access real estate as required for infrastructure protection and provide management with some “market flexibility”. The application will expire after 14 days.
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“We have been through two years of uncertainty and unpredictability, where the people of Calgary have been incredibly patient, compassionate and kind to each other,” Godek told a news conference Monday afternoon. “I have to ask you again for your kindness and patience.” While the rhetoric refers to the catastrophic floods of 2013, which caused about $ 6 billion in damage and killed at least five people, Gondek assured residents that river levels are currently “significantly lower than we saw in 2013.” . The city began preparing for flood mitigation efforts on Sunday before the downpour, lowering water levels in reservoirs upstream of the Bow River and Glenmore Reservoir to make room for expected floodwaters, among many other precautions.
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Now, the city plans to install a temporary ramp on Memorial Drive. The road will be closed between the 3rd Street and Center Street bridges starting at midnight on Tuesday. The city said the worst flood risk was in the towns of Bowness and Sunnyside along the Bow River. The river flow is expected to peak on Wednesday or early Thursday afternoon. “I want to emphasize that while the flows are not as significant as in 2013, they are significant,” said Calgary Water Resources Director François Bouchard. Since 2013, the city has made significant investments in flood prevention, including a downtown flood barrier that crosses the city core from the Peace Bridge to the Reconciliation Bridge. The city said the improvements have reduced the risk of flooding in Calgary by 55 percent and the potential flood damage by $ 90 million each year.
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In a separate press conference Monday afternoon, Parks and Environment Secretary Jason Nixon said this was a tense period for many Alberts, especially those affected by the 2013 floods. He said the government was much more confident of Alberta to handle major weather events like this thanks to significant investments over the last 10 years. Nixon said the county has been in contact with the city of Calgary as well as surrounding rural communities in preparation for the rains. “One issue in every emergency Alberta has ever faced is this: we are together, we will work together,” she said. “We are resilient people and we stand by our neighbors.” Calgary’s River Cafe, located along the Bow River in Prince’s Island Park, closes the store precautionarily and carries its perishable food and wine out of the restaurant as the river levels rise. Owner Sal Howell said her coffee was damaged by floods in 2005 and 2013 and she is not taking any risks this year.
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“After two catastrophic floods, we can not just wait to see what happens,” Howell said, adding that staff would review the situation throughout the week. “Prince’s Island Park is on the flood road. “The restaurant where everyone knows how to dine is quite high, but the lowest level is like a basement, so we are really vulnerable there.”
Flood updates
The province has issued flood warnings for many rivers and streams. The Alberta River Forecast Center has issued flood warnings for the Bow River near Banff, Canmore and Exshaw and for areas of the Little Red Deer River and Red Deer River southwest of Red Deer. The Bow and Elbow rivers near Calgary watch for floods, as do the Highwood River and Fish Creek in High Level and Foothills County. Several Highwood tributaries in the area are on high flow alert. The Bow is expected to hit hardest in the Banff and Canmore areas with about 90 to 150 mm of rain in total, according to river meteorologists. The Highwood River, which flows through the High River, is to reach between 100 and 130 mm.
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For the Bow River Basin, the River Forecast Center said water levels could rise by one to two meters, as well as groundwater leaks and floods. The Elbow could see small offshore floods upstream of the Glenmore Reservoir and trails may be affected downstream. The water is approaching the lower deck of the Center Street Bridge at High Level, but flows are expected to remain in the embankment system. The town of Banff says the trails near the river will be closed and sandbags are being prepared. Encourages residents to sign up for the emergency alert system at banff.ca/alerts. The town of Canmore says rainfall of more than 50mm will cause flooding in low-lying areas and continues to monitor the situation. The city closed the trail under the Bow River Bridge in Canmore last week and further trails are likely to be closed. Currently, there is no active sandbag on the rivers in either community.
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A sign warns that the flooded footpath under the 25th Avenue Bridge in Erlton was closed as the Elbow River rose with heavy rainfall in the forecast for Calgary on Monday, June 13, 2022. Gavin Young / Postmedia
High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass said the city did not expect flood risk close to 2013 levels, especially with improved infrastructure and the city buying some properties at risk from the event. Expecting a less serious impact on Highwood since 2013, Snodgrass said the city is not worried about the upcoming rain “but we are also not complacent”. “We know very well what we have experienced in the past and we will never take our eyes off this river, especially at this time of year,” Snodgrass said. “If you look at the river, the color of the river, the smell outside, all these things, it brings back a lot of memories to all of us.” However, Snodgrass said the city is confident of its ability to protect residents from another major flood event. “We are far from ever testing the true amount of what our infrastructure can support,” he said. – With files by Jason Herring [email protected] Twitter: @michaelrdrguez
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