SASKATOON — Update 8 p.m. July 21: Saskatoon Water, City of Saskatoon responding to SaskToday’s inquiry regarding rainfall event on July 20.
“On Sunday, July 20, areas of Saskatoon near Attridge Drive and Aden Bowman Collegiate received rainfall amounts greater than a 1-in-2-year rain event, resulting in flooding on some neighbourhood streets and roadways. As of July 21, the city has received six calls related to flooding, with reports of eight streets impacted during the rain event. The city manages storm water through two systems: the minor system and the major system. The minor system is the underground storm sewer system, and it’s designed to handle up to a 1-in-2-year rain event. City roadways form part of the major storm water system, which includes overland drainage and storm ponds. Rainfall amounts greater than a 1-in-2-year event will result in water temporarily collecting on roadways.
The City continues to reduce flood risk in several neighbourhoods through the Flood Control Strategy, a major initiative to develop dry storm ponds and stormwater storage systems in nine locations. This work is partially funded through the Government of Canada Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. The City has completed three of the nine projects, and we have seen them working successfully during significant rainfall events. Construction began this spring on a dry storm pond in Cumberland Park, and five more Flood Control Strategy projects will be completed between 2025 and 2027.
Residents can help the city identify storm sewers that are not working properly or other flood prone areas by calling the Customer Care Center at 306-975-2476. Operational crews will address localized flooding due to blocked storm drains when they’re able to. Operational crews also conduct preventative maintenance on the storm sewer system by completing street sweeping, cleaning catch basins, and though ongoing monitoring of storm sewer conditions. “
Original post: Southern Saskatchewan communities weren’t the only places to experience localized flooding as a result of weekend storm systems.
Seemingly exclusiviely on Saskatoon’s east side, primarily in areas off of 8th Street as well as Sutherland and Forest Grove areas, social media July 20 evening included a number of reports and photos of flooding that took place in those areas of the city.
One post showed in the Forest Grove area a reading or 52.07mm of rain fell in a short time, while others say they measured three inches over 24 hours or more of rain falling in the area. July 20th shot of rain came fast and furious, likely what resulted in storm sewers not able to keep up resulting in flooding.
SaskToday reached out to the City of Saskatoon and are awaiting a response
