Heavy rainfall triggers flood warnings, evacuation alerts west of Calgary

Heavy rainfall triggers flood warnings, evacuation alerts west of Calgary

City officials not predicting any overbank flooding in Calgary

Parts of southwestern Alberta are under flood warnings or evacuation alerts after several days of heavy rainfall.

The province says the Elbow River west of Calgary has risen by two metres and could rise another half metre in the coming days.

The flood warning, which includes Bragg Creek, warns that some homes upstream of the town may have access roads and driveways cut off, and that there may be localized flooding near the Glencoe Golf Course.

Water levels are expected to drop downstream of the Springbank Reservoir west of Calgary. With the recent downpour, the reservoir is being put to the test for the first time.

The dry reservoir, located approximately 15 kilometres west of Calgary in Rocky View County, was constructed to divert and store flood waters from the Elbow River when needed and release them when it's safe.

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said the early results are promising.

"It proves the value of investments like this," Farkas said.

Long-awaited Springbank off-stream reservoir now in operation

Water has also risen significantly in the Bow River in Calgary and west of the city.

The town of Canmore has declared a local state of emergency, with flood watches in place for steep creeks in the area, affecting districts including Cougar Creek, Stoneworks Creek, XYZ, and Three Sisters.

Evacuation alerts were issued for people living in several parts of the town.

“Conditions are rapidly changing due to rainfall and residents should be prepared to evacuate as soon as an order is called. Pack personal items so that you can be away from your home for 72 hours if needed, including medications, important documentation, and pet food,” the town wrote on its website.

Parks Alberta says emergency teams are in Kananaskis Country, west of Calgary, supporting campground evacuations as necessary and maintaining road closures where needed.

Highway 40 in Kananaskis has been closed due to a washout southbound from Kananaskis Country Street to Range Road 90A. All lanes are closed on Kananaskis Village Street with washouts in several places on Highway 40.

Parks Alberta says those already in the area are asked to remain where they are, and visitors are encouraged to postpone travel until conditions improve.

There's no information about how many people are trapped or if anyone has been injured because of the weather.

Haylie Guinn, ranch manager with the Boundary Ranch near Kananaskis Village, said the situation feels like a "blast from the past," even if the situation isn't on the same level as the 2013 floods.

"It's not quite what the flood was in 2013, but definitely a lot of water all at once," Guinn said.

Todd Loewen, Alberta's minister of forestry and parks, said that William Watson Lodge and the Peter Lougheed Discovery Centre are available to provide temporary shelter to anyone who needs a safe, dry place to stay.

"Visitors are encouraged to postpone non-essential travel until conditions improve," Loewen said on social media. "Impacted reservations will be automatically cancelled and refunded."

In Calgary, city officials have issued high river flow advisories for both the Elbow and Bow Rivers.

“River flows will be managed by reservoirs on the Bow and Elbow Rivers,” the city said on its website.

No overbank river flooding is expected within Calgary, but Farkas said people should keep an eye on weather forecasts and alerts because conditions can change quickly.

"We cannot be complacent. Conditions can change, and it could be a different situation if we have 10 more days of proactive rain," Farkas said.

Brian Proctor, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said about 102 millimetres of rain fell in the Kananaskis area since Saturday, while the Calgary area received about 50 millimetres.

He said the area can expect less precipitation for the rest of the week.

"In general, I think probably a warming and drying trend is what people should anticipate," Proctor told The Canadian Press Monday.

Meanwhile, Alberta's capital city broke its record over the weekend for the wettest June on record.

Proctor said 265 millimetres of rain has fallen in Edmonton so far this month, beating the record set more than a century ago.

"The old record was 217 millimetres from June of 1914," he said. "And the all-time wettest month in Edmonton was July in 1901 when the city received 283 millimetres of rain."

With files from Colleen Underwood and The Canadian Press