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Too early to tell how high local waterways will rise this spring

Mar 29, 2018 | 11:59 PM

Though Red Deer has seen a handful of days this month with warmer temperatures, it’s too early to tell what the extent of flooding may be.

Karen Mann, The City’s Emergency Management Coordinator, says this week is pretty well the beginning of flood season, at least in terms of becoming prepared.

Actual flooding, if it were to happen, wouldn’t transpire until late May-mid July.

“We don’t have a magic ball, though it would be so helpful if we did,” she quips. “It’s pretty early though. The river is still frozen.”

Mann says The City does monitor the Red Deer River, as well as Waskasoo Creek and Piper Creek. Information is shared through the Alberta River Forecast Centre, she says.

“Conditions have been on the colder side. There’s always the potential the temperatures could warm up, but right now it seems to be chugging along pretty average,” Mann says.

“The interesting thing to watch is the snowpack accumulations in the mountains upstream of the Dickson Dam, where they are considered to be above average.”

This week, City staff from 12 departments held their first pre-flood season meeting of the year. Mann says while there hasn’t been major flooding since 2013, The City is ready to go at a moment’s notice, whether it’s sandbagging, closing of roads and trails or setting up other barriers.

For now though, she warns residents that although an official advisory hasn’t been issued, areas where there are ice can be unpredictable.

According to the Alberta River Basins website, the Red Deer River was pushing 2.5 metres at its highest point last June. It currently sits at 1.88 metres.

Overnight temperatures are also expected to remain below freezing for at least the next two weeks.