The city blocked access to the boat launch in Strathcona Island Park on Thursday in anticipation of the South Saskatchewan River rising about 40 cm overnight and into Friday morning. It is not expected to cause any overland family.--NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
High water levels in Lethbridge on Thursday began making their way to Medicine Hat.
Alberta Environment said on Thursday afternoon that the South Saskatchewan River in Medicine Hat will likely rise 40 cm (16 inches) overnight and into the early hours of Friday morning.
Jason Penner, communications for Alberta Environment and Parks, said the peak flow is expected to be about 1,100 to 1,300 cubic metres per second on Friday.
“The top of the normal range for this time of year is 750 cubic metres per second.”
Penner suggests the peak river level in Medicine Hat will be about 60 cm below the point at which boat launches may be affected.
In Strathcona Island Park the city had already taken the precaution of blocking off access to the boat launch by early afternoon on Thursday.
Merrick Brown, director emergency management for the city, says the rising level “will not cause any overland flooding.”
Brown says the Oldman River Basin received a significant amount of accumulated rain in the past five days and this is now approaching Medicine Hat in the South Saskatchewan River.
The expected water level rise on Friday is expected to be the peak and will then decline, said Brown.
“We begin our flood preparation measures in January each year to allow us to be prepared for an event. Should the risk of overland flooding increase to the point where we need to begin to deploy mitigation measures, we are prepared to do so,” said Brown.
He noted that in consultation with the River Forecast Centre, the city is confident there is no immediate threat of flooding in Medicine Hat.
