September 30th, 2024

Local river level sits well below average

By medicinehatnews on June 21, 2019.

NEWS FILE PHOTO
TheSouth Saskatchewan River at Medicine Hat is seen in the summer of 2016. River forecasters to expand a high stream flow advisory on the Bow River, which feeds into the South Saskatchewan River. Though river gauges at Medicine Hat show the South Saskatchewan has risen about 70 centimetres, or two feet, in the past two days the levelis still well below average for this time of year.

Heavy showers in the foothills west of Calgary and a forecast of up to four inches of rain in some parts of the Bow River Valley have led river forecasters to expand a high stream flow advisory on the Bow River. 

That now extends to the Carseland Weir, west of Gleichen on the Bow, which feeds into the South Saskatchewan River near Grassy Lake.

Rivers that feed the Bow upstream of Calgary could rise between three to five feet on Friday, though the effect on the main stem of the Bow will be much less, Alberta Environment stated Friday.

River gauges at Medicine Hat show the South Saskatchewan River has risen about 70 centimetres, or two feet, over the course of two days, but sit well below average for this time of year.

Two to three inches of rain was expected to fall in the area around Calgary on Friday, on top of two inches (50 millimetres) that had fallen in the north end of the city by the early morning. 

Rain is expected to taper off in the evening, according to an Environment Canada advisory for Airdrie, Kananaskis, Calgary, Okkotoks, High River and Claresholm.

A similar advisory was in place for areas of Southwest Saskatchewan, including Maple Creek and Shaunavon, where between 30 to 40 millimetres is expected. One inch equals 25 millimetres.

The area from Banff to Carseland is under the stream advisory.

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