(File Photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Flow Rates

N. Sask River to increase flow in coming days

Jul 3, 2024 | 6:25 PM

Due to recent rain fall both in Saskatchewan and Alberta, the North Saskatchewan River is expected to receive some increased flow in the upcoming days.

“I think they got somewhere in the order of 30-50 milimetres of rain,” said Sean Osmar, spokesperson for Water Security Agency.

Osmar explained two systems hit simultaneously – one in the province and one in the Alberta foothills.

“With the cooler weather, the wetter weather, crops are a little bit behind, I think farmers are hoping to see some clear skies and some heat to really kind of bring them back to where they ought to be for this point in the year,” said Osmar.

“The good news is with all this rain, soil conditions have improved, moisture is replenishing,” he said of crop land or pastureland.

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The spokesperson said broadly speaking dugouts and power reservoirs are replenishing or full and waterways are coming up. He said conditions can always change, and this fall and winter were quite dry.

“We didn’t get a lot of the snow cover and snowpack that we like to see, particularly after a dry summer and fall last year,” he said.

“As spring developed, we got one system after another bringing rain.”

However, even with all that moisture, there hasn’t been any major flooding.

“There is some localized flooding with all this rain but luckily, we haven’t seen any major floods in any communities,” said Osmar.

Over the next few days, the authority recommends people take precautions while on the river as water levels rise.

“Not expecting to see any out of channel or any flooding at this point,” he said.

“If you’re near the water, the conditions could change, the flows might be a little stronger than normal, so, have fun, enjoy the water and do some fishing and boating but take precautions and be safe out there.”

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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