Meadow Lake area experiencing 100 year flood: WSA

“Around that Meadow Lake area, it was a one in 100-year event that they saw for runoff. In other areas, one-in-25 was really common,” she said, adding that west-central Saskatchewan near the Alberta boundary and the east-central regions are most prone to flooding this year.

The RM of Meadow Lake declared a state of emergency on April 21 due to potential flooding and is one of three active local states of emergency in the province, next to the RM of Elfros near Foam Lake, and the RM of Invergordon between Prince Albert and Melfort. In those areas, municipal roads have experienced flooding and/or water flowing over the roadway, causing damage and hazardous travel conditions. The RM’s are among 12 communities in the province to experience high water levels over the last month due to rapid snowmelt.

There was some good news; the SPSA said conditions were stable in several communities, including Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation, where equipment was being picked up because it is no longer required.

In Foam Lake, officials said water has now receded, and the situation has stabilized. However, the agency warned warmer weather could bring a second wave of flooding.

“Cooler conditions over the past several days have slowed snowmelt, but temperatures are forecasted to gradually increase over the coming days,” said Clark.

Overnight lows are expected to remain above freezing later this week in areas with higher snowpack.

“These conditions may result in rapid snow melt in areas where snow pack remain or where runoff has not started yet,” she said. “The accelerated melt could cause river flows to rise more rapidly and reach higher levels than forecasted, increasing the risk of localized overland flooding.”

Meanwhile, back in the Meadow Lake area, the SPSA said seven homes in the RM are at risk.

“Preparations have been made to have them prepared to evacuate, if necessary,” said SPSA spokesperson Jeff Dedekker.

He added that the Beaver River has broken up and began flowing again, but there is no flooding risk at this time for the nearby village of Pierceland.

Highways affected by flooding include Highway 310 which has closures north and south of Highway 16 near Foam Lake. Highway 357 is also closed near the junction of Highway 8 south of Kamsack.

Water is impacting traffic on Highway 309 east of Ebenezer and on Highway 8 north of Langenburg.

“The key message here is, check that Highway Hotline before you’re heading out on your routes,” sadi Dan Palmer, senior communications consultant with the Ministry of Highways. “Conditions can change rapidly, and so, of course, can the roads.”

While the risk of flooding continues to rise with the melting snow, so is the risk of wildfires and according to SPSA vice president Steve Roberts, the agency is ready for anything.

“We’re preparing pumps and hoses for wildfire response for the upcoming season. At the same time, we’re making sure our sandbaggers and equipment are good – that we have a stock of sandbags and that sort of material. A couple of years ago, there’s even instances where we were doing both flood work and wildfire work at the same time, so we’re equipped to do both and we’ll respond accordingly.”

He continued that the snowpack will help reduce the strength of wildfires this season, something they didn’t see last year.

“What we saw last year, which led to some of our problems, is we never did receive a big snowpack and it was followed by no rain, which means that the grass did not turn green, the leaves did not pop out and it became very dry, very high risk and it maintained that way through the early season right into summer.”

More information about active incidents in the province can be found by clicking here.

-With files from CKOM

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

by Logan Lehmann

Meadow Lake area experiencing 100 year flood: WSA

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