A Hatter stands above the South Saskatchewan River on the trailway leading from Riverside to Burnside near the Trans-Canada Bridge on Tuesday afternoon. Despite the low river level at present; emergency planners are now running through and updating their annual flood plan.--News Photo Collin Gallant
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews
Nine years after widespread flooding, the City of Medicine Hat is heading into flood season with all berm projects suggested after the 2013 flood in place.
On Tuesday, council’s newly formed emergency advisory committee met to discuss this year’s preparations ahead of potential flooding.
Last summer, the city completed final phases to link existing berms in Harlow and across Industrial Avenue.
Shortly after the flood of 2013, which badly damaged 500 homes, crews began replacing storm sewer outfalls along the river and erected berms in Lion’s Park, Harlow, the city’s water treatment plant and installed flood gates along River Road and Parkview Drive in Riverside.
The South Saskatchewan River or creeks throughout the city flood on average every five to 10 years, the committee heard, with the last major event happening in 2014 along the Seven Persons Creek.
Annually, the municipal works department checks equipment, like muscle walls and the sand bag supply, and evacuation protocols are also revisited by administrators.
A mock exercise to open the city’s emergency response centre will take place May 18, and will include field exercises.
River levels
The South Saskatchewan River was flowing at about 53 metres per second on Tuesday afternoon – compared to the flood high above 5,000 in June 2013.
While water levels in the South Saskatchewan have been noticeably low early in the spring, hydrologists typically warn that snow pack and later spring weather have a greater effect on the potential for flooding.
Snow pack measurements published by Alberta Environment show levels well above average surrounding the tributaries of the Bow and Oldman River systems.
Those rivers form the South Saskatchewan River northwest of Bow Island.
