Storm Update - Rainfall, River Advisories Lifting as Conditions Improve
Conditions along the Cowboy Trail running north on Hwy. 22 near Chain Lakes on Saturday (above) and Sunday afternoon (below). (Phots courtesy of Alberta 511)
Rainfall and high streamflow advisories are being lifted across southern Alberta as the weather system which hit the region this weekend peters out.
A Flood Watch remains in effect Sunday afternoon for the Little Red Deer River basin.
The Red Deer and Bow Rivers continue to have high streamflow advisories while that warning has been lifted on the Oldman and South Saskatchewan basins with the exception of Willow Creek.
Environment Canada’s rainfall and special weather statement warnings which covered the province in red have all been lifted for southern Alberta.
The City of Calgary is issuing a boating advisory, cautioning against the activity as well as swimming in the Bow River until conditions improve. A general advisory to keep back from riverbanks also remains in effect in the city.
Streamflows on the Bow at Calgary have risen from 160 metres per second (m³/s) on Thursday morning to 278 m³/s Sunday afternoon.
The Oldman River at Lethbridge has seen streamflows more than double over the past 72 hours to 53 m³/s.
The South Saskatchewan River at Medicine Hat has also seen a significant rise from Saturday to Sunday afternoon, nearly doubling to 203 m³/s.
The situations on the Oldman and South Saskatchewan rivers have seen both approach, meet or exceed water conservation objectives for the first time since May.
While rainfall accumulations were significant with areas between Sundre and Pincher Creek recording between 70 to 120mm of rain with some areas reporting up to 150mm, the weekend storm fell short of initial forecasts.
Despite that, the impacts will be significant for southern Alberta rivers which were experiencing record low streamflows for June while crops in advance development stages were in need of moisture.
The Medicine Hat Owl’s River Report #9 will be published on June 26.
Alberta Environment’s latest rainfall accumulation graphic for the storm event which hit the province this weekend.