Flood issues remain

Although the spring melt is over, a number of Saskatchewan communities are still dealing with flood-related issues due to the above normal runoff. This situation has been made worse by heavy rainfall in certain areas. The Water Security Agency (WSA) will be providing a weekly update on the areas of most concern until the flood-related threats have subsided.

Over the weekend, the Anglin Lake area received 125 mm of rain which pushed the lake to a new record level of 515.97 m. This was due to the above normal spring runoff combined with the recent rainfall; The following municipalities and First Nations that may be affected are:

Little Red River Park (a park located five minutes north of Prince Albert)

RM of Buckland;

RM of Paddockwood; and

Little Red River Reserve.

The water covering Highway 2 in the Rural Municipality of Prince Albert rose three inches due to the heavy rainfall in the area.

There is currently 28 inches of water on the highway that needs to be pumped off, down from 40 inches at its highest peak.

Highway 2, about 50 km north of the Waskesiu Access, was reopened to traffic the evening of June 17. The highway was closed due to a washout that occurred the morning of June 15. Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure crews expedited repairs by installing a new culvert in the channel while waters were still flowing.

Government Relations has been in contact with communities, First Nations and agencies responsible for management of flooding. The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre in Regina is actively monitoring the situation and will provide advice and assistance where needed. Emergency response teams and equipment are on alert and ready to respond if required.

Residents who have experienced damage to their homes due to flooding should visit www.gr.gov.sk.ca/PDAP or call 1-866-632-4033 for more information on the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program.

Currently 65 communities across Saskatchewan have received PDAP designation for spring flooding and eight other are in the process of designating.