Heavy rain raises river levels in Calgary, prompts Canmore evacuation alerts

Heavy rain on Sunday led to a local state of emergency in Kananaskis on Monday as water levels rose in the Kananaskis River.

A high streamflow advisory has been issued for the Elbow and Bow Rivers in Alberta as heavy rain raises river levels and heightens localized flooding concerns.

As of Monday morning, Calgary had received close to 40 millimetres of rain, with an additional five to 10 millimetres expected by Tuesday.

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Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a rainfall warning, noting that some localized areas west of the city could see more rain before the storm system moves out.

The City of Calgary said flows on the Bow and Elbow rivers are expected to increase through Monday, but overbank flooding is not expected in Calgary.

Mayor Jeromy Farkas says upstream reservoirs will be used to help manage flows on both rivers, limiting the risk of flooding within the city.

He noted pathway closures and a boating advisory are in place.

“At this point, we do not anticipate the need for more significant response measures like temporary flood barriers, stormwater outflow closures or pumping operations. But our emergency teams are reviewing conditions every six hours and are ready to respond if anything changes,” said Farkas in a social media update.

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Officials are reminding people to avoid fast-moving water, obey pathway closures and never attempt to drive through flooded roads or underpasses.

Canmore was under evacuation alert

The Town of Canmore, meanwhile, has ended an evacuation alert for all 100 homes it put on alert due to significant rainfall and erosion concerns.

The Cougar Creek watershed received about 130 millimetres of precipitation on Sunday, officials said, as rain hammered the area and prompted a flood watch and state of local emergency.

“This was a major event. We do see that it has caused erosion in a number of areas. We do know the debris retention structure has withheld a lot of debris that would cause damage, whether it be to banks or to homes or to roadways or railways,” said Canmore Mayor Sean Krausert on Monday morning.

The town itself received nearly 70 millimetres of rain, causing the Bow River to rise and flood some nearby pathways. Some trails along Cougar Creek were washed away by the high water over the weekend before streamflow levelled off on Monday, officials added.

While a flood watch has been lifted, a high streamflow advisory remains.

“We need to be very, very clear. We’re asking everybody to stay away from all steep creeks and the banks of the Bow River. Embankments are unstable. They may be undercut, even though they could appear safe to somebody walking above them,” said Scott McKay, Canmore’s emergency centre co-ordination director.

The situation has stabilized, the town said in an update on Monday afternoon, but erosion damage remains in some areas, and inspections of pathways and trails will take place in the coming days.