High River residents wait to return home
About 1,000 High River, Alta., residents forced from their homes are in a tense wait to find out whether they will be allowed back into their subdivisions later Wednesday.
A state of emergency has been extended for the town, south of Calgary, because of severe flooding on the Highwood and Sheep Rivers due to heavy rains over the past several days. The area has been hit with 80 millimetres over the past 24 hours.
Displaced High River residents will be told when it is safe for them to return to their homes, High River public information officer Scott Kovatch told globeandmail.com.
In total, people from approximately 400 homes were told to leave over the past day or so in low-lying subdivisions. About 100 have registered with a local high school, which is being used as emergency shelter, and the rest are staying with family and friends, he said.
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Later Wednesday afternoon, residents living in the area between Riverside Drive and High Country Drive were allowed to return, the town announced.
The good news is, Mr. Kovatch said, is that the Highwood River appears to have crested early Wednesday morning. At midnight, it was flowing at 651 cubic metres per second, and that had dropped to 601 by 4 a.m.
"We're currently re-evaluating the situation," he said, adding that a decision will be made later in the day whether to allow people to return home.
Although there is localized flooding to some homes and some rainwater backup, Mr. Kovatch said a true picture of the damage will not emerge until after the water recedes.
He said it probably will be some weeks before the estimated cost of the mess and cleanup is established.
"Our mandate is safety over property," he said.
One concern is whether the weather will hold. Rains have stopped, at least for the time-being. Mr. Kovatch said a blizzard that hit nearby Kananaskis on Tuesday is a worry, snow melting too quickly in the foothills could increase the volume of the already-raging river.
"That could certainly impact the flow."
A heavy rainfall warning, however has been ended, Alberta Environment said Wednesday morning. A system that had been hammering the region from Montana is now dissipating. The department says only a few scattered showers are expected in the next few days.
Residents of High River, meanwhile, are being warned to stay away from riverbanks, streams, bridges, golf-courses and other low-lying areas. The town's supply of drinking water is still safe for consumption, although it's being checked regularly.
People are being asked to lower their water use by not using dishwashers or washing machines and by taking shorter showers.
Alberta Environment has placed a flood warning on all of the southern part of the province because of the continued danger of fast-moving water, including High River, Pincher Creek, Okotoks, Turner Valley and Black Diamond. The entire area has received between 120 and 200 millimetres since Sunday night.
Elsewhere in Alberta, some residents of Okotoks were also ordered to leave their homes Wednesday because of high water in the Sheep River.
And a flood watch was placed on towns near the South Saskatchewan River basin, including Medicine Hat. Flows in that area were expected to rise early next week and result in more flooding.
In Manitoba, meanwhile, a flash flood warning was extended in the western part of the province from Brandon north to Dauphin. Between 20 and 40 millimetres of rain are expected Wednesday. Although more flooding is expected, it will not be as severe as flooding that occurred late last week, Manitoba's Water Stewardship said in a statement.
Near Winnipeg, the Red River rose 0.3 metres overnight. It is expected to rise slowly next week and then to return to normal levels by July.
Canadian forecasters are predicting more rain in the upcoming two days as floodwaters wash across southern Alberta, forcing people in West Bragg Creek and High River to evacuate their homes.


As rain continues to steadily fall, Alberta Environment has issued a flood warning on more than 20 rivers as more than 100 to 170 millimetres have fallen in certain areas over the last few days.

The sight of swollen rivers brings to mind the floods of ten years ago in the same region, when water levels rose to such a height that, at the time, it was considered a once in a 125-year event. 

About 200 High River residents have been forced to evacuate and about 3,500 people living around the community’s golf course were put under a voluntary evacuation order.

Meanwhile, Manitoba has also seen more rain than usual this time of year and is facing a flooding situation that’s been described as worse than the one faced by the province in 1999. Roads and bridges have been washed out and fears are growing among farmers that their crops will drown under the watery conditions.  

There have been estimates that as much as 10% of crops may have been lost in Manitoba. 

The wet weather has also been affecting the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan, where a flood watch has been put on towns surrounding the South Saskatchewan River basin.